Erickson Millard J. - Reclaiming the center: confronting evangelical accommodation in postmodern times

When evangelicals confuse an improper passion for novelty with a proper pursuit of academic and pastoral relevance, the results can be distressing. I cannot express how grateful I am for the well-formed wisdom with which this book points to the abiding and decisive relevance for future route-finding of the old theological paths.

J. I. PACKER, Professor, Regent College

These insightful essays explore issues of extreme importance for evangelical thought. For those evangelicals wholike myselfare increasingly troubled by extravagant claims made by various evangelical scholars about the nature of the postmodern challenge, as well as by earnest calls to develop new epistemological and theological perspectives in response to this challenge, the writers of these essays shed much light. This book is must-reading for everyone who wants to promote a clear-thinking evangelicalism for our contemporary context.

RICHARD J. MOUW, President and Professor of
Christian Philosophy, Fuller Seminary

Here is a collection of intelligent, provocative, gutsy essays that dare to fly into the eye of the scholarly storm over evangelical identity. Though different perspectives are present even here, the underlying thesis is clear and worth heeding: the eager, and sometimes uncritical, embrace of postmodernist paradigms may be as premature as it has proven to be unproductive for the well-being of the evangelical church. One of the most important books of the new century!

TIMOTHY GEORGE, Dean,
Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

Provocative, timely, and controversial!

DONALD G. BLOESCH, Professor of Theology Emeritus,Dubuque Theological Seminary

Evangelicalism is in big trouble, and the root problem is theological accommodation. Compromise and confusion stand at the center of evangelicalisms theological crisis, and a clear-headed and convictional analysis of the problem has been desperately needed. Thankfully, Reclaiming the Center has arrived just in time. Editors Erickson, Helseth, and Taylor have assembled a team of outstanding scholars, and each chapter is must reading for all concerned evangelicals. My fervent hope is that Reclaimingthe Center will open evangelical eyes, humble evangelical hearts, and awaken this generation to the peril of accommodationism.

R. ALBERT MOHLER, JR., President,The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Reclaiming the Center offers a coherent and challenging engagement with recent attempts to redefine the center of evangelicalism. The authors of this well-designed volume provide a bold and well-argued response to what is sometimes called post-conservative evangelicalism. This important conversation regarding the essence, center, and boundaries of evangelicalism is here explored, interpreted, and assessed from a well-informed theological, philosophical, and historical perspective.

Though readers will quibble over some aspects of the essays, I am confident that this valuable and impressive collection will help advance this important conversation in a constructive way. I heartily commend this volume and trust it will find a large readership.

DAVID S. DOCKERY, President, Union University

RECLAIMING
THE CENTER

Reclaiming the Center: Confronting Evangelical Accommodation
in Postmodern Times

Copyright 2004 by Millard J. Erickson, Paul Kjoss Helseth, and Justin Taylor

Published by Crossway Books
a division of Good News Publishers 1300
Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Josh Dennis

Cover illustration: Photonica

First printing 2004

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible,English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture references marked NIV are from the Holy Bible: New InternationalVersion. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reclaiming the center : confronting evangelical accommodation in postmodern times / edited by Millard J. Erickson, Paul Kjoss Helseth, Justin Taylor.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 1-58134-568-2 (tpb)
1. EvangelicalismUnited States. 2. Postconservative theologyUnited States. 3. PostmodernismReligious aspectsChristianity.
I. Erickson, Millard J. II.Helseth, Paul Kjoss, 1962- . III. Taylor,
Justin, 1976- .
BR1642.U5R44 2004
230'.04624dc22 2004015254

ML 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

In memory of three theologians
who were instrumental in the resurgence of evangelical theology
in the twentieth century:

Edward John Carnell
(19191967)

Carl F. H. Henry
(19132003)

Bernard L. Ramm
(19161992)

CONTENTS

PART 2: TRUTH, FOUNDATIONALISM,
AND LANGUAGE

5 LANGUAGE, THEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE, AND THE
POSTMODERN PARADIGM

6 IS THEOLOGICAL TRUTH FUNCTIONAL OR PROPOSITIONAL
?POSTCONSERVATISMS USE OF LANGUAGE GAMES
AND SPEECH-ACT THEORY

7 POSTCONSERVATISM, BIBLICAL AUTHORITY, AND RECENT
PROPOSALS FOR RE-DOING EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY:
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

9 ARE POSTCONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALS FUNDAMENTALISTS?
POSTCONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALISM, OLD PRINCETON,
AND THE RISE OF NEO-FUNDAMENTALISM

Chad Owen Brand. Associate Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Boyce College.

A. B. Caneday. Professor of New Testament Studies and Biblical Theology, Northwestern College, St. Paul, Minnesota.

D. A. Carson. Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Garrett DeWeese. Associate Professor of Philosophy and Philosophical Theology, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

Kwabena Donkor. Associate Director at the Biblical Research Institute, Washington, D.C. (on appointment).

Millard J. Erickson. Distinguished Professor of Theology, Western Seminary, Portland.

Paul Kjoss Helseth. Associate Professor of Christian Thought, Northwestern College, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Douglas R. Groothuis. Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Ethics, Denver Seminary.

J. P. Moreland. Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

James Parker III. Professor of Worldview and Culture, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

R. Scott Smith. Associate Professor of Ethics and Christian Apologetics, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

Justin Taylor. Director of Theology and Executive Editor, Desiring God.

William G. Travis. Professor of Church History Emeritus, Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Stephen J. Wellum. Associate Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.