Kent Brandenburg’s Separation and Sectarianism, An Article Review

Dr. Lance Ketchum’s article The Subtlety of “Good Words and Fair Speeches” was first published at his Line Upon Line blog and then by permission repeated here at IDOTG.  Dr. Ketchum’s article generated a reaction from Dr. Dave Doran.  Dr. Doran’s reaction was quite typical of previous reactions he has had when his doctrine and/or practice has come under legitimate scrutiny.  From his What is Truth blog Kent Brandenburg reviewed and discussed Dr. Ketchum’s article and Dave Doran’s reaction to it.

Following are excerpts from Kent Brandenburg’s December 5 article Applying Biblical Texts to Ecclesiastical Separation.

“So in his next post, he [Dave Doran] attempts to read Ketchum’s mind in a blog debate.  Bravo!  His [Doran’s] number one was treating arguments like they are an attack on a person, when they are an attack on a text.  What text did Doran really deal with?  Voila.  Nothing.  All he did was smack down Ketchum.” 

 “I think Ketchum is concerned about the Bible being followed and obeyed.  He sees fundamentalism changing and he doesn’t think in a good way, and he wants to do something about it, so he uses a lot of exegesis to do so.  Doran says bad exegesis with no proof, but Ketchum does in fact refer to scripture in a serious way to make his point, unlike ironically what Doran does.  Doran just blasts Ketchum without providing proof…. And I think the plain reading has Doran judging Ketchum’s motives.” 

 “I got what Ketchum was talking about.  Doran serves up ambiguity that then comes across as a smear job.  It is a smear job.  So, it is a false accusation against Ketchum about Ketchum making a false accusation.  If you are going to say someone is making a false accusation, you've got to do better than this, or you yourself are making one.” 

 “Doran seems to think that the sheer weight of his personality or self-perceived gravitas is enough authority here, all very much like the fundamentalism that I witnessed when I was in it.” 

Kent’s analysis of Dave Doran’s “judging motives, smear job and self-perceived gravitas” deserves a wide reading. I encourage each of you to read and then share a link to Kent’s article to folks within your sphere of influence and friendship. Link them to Separation and Sectarianism, An Article Review.

I am hopeful Brother Doran has made a careful read of and has given Brandenburg’s thoughts serious, prayerful consideration.

Yours faithfully,

LM

Site Publisher Addendum:
To All: I just added the following at Kent's blog in reply to a portion of a comment left there by Dave Doran.

Dave:

You wrote, “I think he [Lance Ketchum] is wrong and being wrong like this hurts the case for genuine separatism.”

First, like Kent I believe Dr. Ketchum’s interpretation of Romans 16:17-ff is correct. The passage can and is at times necessary to make application to believers within the body of Christ.

Second, you have redefined the principle of separation as if the God-given mandate for separation is a Gospel-Driven, a Gospel-Only application. Your new definition for Separation in “Academic Contexts” for expanded fellowship and cooperative ministry, then your fellowship and joint ministry (at Lansdale) with New Evangelicals like Mark Dever who teaches aberrant theology, is on faculty at Gordon-Conwell a flagship New Evangelical school and who promotes the CCM/RAP music genre in his own church.

In 1995 you wrote an article titled, “In Defense of Militancy.” In recent years we clearly see a huge and widening disconnect from what you do in practice of separation to what you wrote of separation in 1995.

Add these things up and IMO they identify you as one who hurts the case for authentic biblical separatism.


LM

See here