Bob Jones University Foundations Conference: An Intrusion of Reformed/Covenant Theology, New Calvinism & Lordship Salvation
Key Speakers at the Foundations Conference at BJU Dec. 8-9, 2022
Conference organized by SermonAudio
Dr. Steve Pettit: BJU President
• Only days after the contested renewal of his presidency.
Dr. Steven J. Lawson:
• Is Reformed throughout in his Theology.
• Is on the board at John MacArthur’s Master’s Seminary, where he also serves as
Professor of Preaching, and oversees the Doctor of Ministry program.
• Is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin).
• Serves as the Executive Editor for the Reformed Expositor Magazine.
• Is a Teaching Fellow for Ligonier Ministries, where he serves on its board.
Ligonier Ministries is a Reformed organization in the greater Orlando, Florida
area. Ligonier was founded in 1971 by R. C. Sproul in the Ligonier Valley,
outside Pittsburgh. In their magazine “Tabletalk,” R. C. Sproul, Sr. and R. C.
Sproul, Jr. endorsed a book titled, Aquinas was a Protestant, written by John H.
Gerstner. In 1567, the Roman Catholic Church had declared Thomas Aquinas
(1224-1274) a Doctor of the Church (Doctor Angelicus). In 1823, Pope John XXII
had canonized Aquinas. In 1879, an encyclical of Pope Leo XIII had decreed
Aquinas’ theology to be the definitive exposition of Roman Catholic doctrine. All
Roman Catholic seminaries and universities are to teach Aquinas’ doctrines.
Despite all that, John Gerstner insisted that Thomas Aquinas “taught the biblical
doctrine of justification so that if the Roman church had followed Aquinas the
Reformation would not have been absolutely necessary” (page 14). Ligonier
Ministries published the book.
Paul Washer:
• Completed his undergraduate studies and enrolled at Southwestern Theological
Seminary, where he received his Master of Divinity degree.
• Is a Southern Baptist Convention evangelist.
• Is strongly Reformed in his doctrine.
Dr. Joel R. Beeke (b. 1952):
• Is a Reformed pastor and theologian.
• Received his PhD at Westminster Theological Seminary; his dissertation is on
Reformation and Post-Reformation theology.
• Is a minister of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
• Is President of the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and is the professor
of Systematic Theology and Homiletics.
• Wrote the 3- volume Reformed Systematic Theology.
• Is editor of “The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth.”
• Is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books.
• Is president of Inheritance Publishers and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed
Translation Society.
• Is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at
Reformed conferences around the world.
Armen Thomassian: The minister of Faith Free Presbyterian Church, Greenville SC,
since January 2019.
Bob Vradenburgh: Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC.
Below is from the BJU website
We have assembled an incredibly unique combination of speakers including Steven Lawson, Paul Washer, Steve Pettit, Joel Beeke, Armen Thomassian, and Bob Vradenburgh. It is a rare occurrence to have such diverse men all together at a single event so we're looking forward to a very special time of Christian unity and friendship.
We are pleased to be partnering with Reformation Heritage Books for this event.... They will be offering a broad array of classic works at a steep discount for conference attendees along with a free gift. Be sure to take advantage of this special offer.
LM
Related Reading:
"New Calvinism is a system of theology that combines: Reformed, Covenant, Puritan, and Augustinian theologies with present day, Post-Modern culture in an attempt to make Christianity seem more relevant to today’s Christian. Recognizing that churches are declining in numbers, fewer people are being saved, and that many Christians are carnal, not leading holy lives, concerned Christian leaders are looking back to the earlier days of the church for a solution. One solution they are turning to is New Calvinism. They are re-thinking and re-invigorating their teachings in order to make it relevant to our generation of Christianity. 1) Relevant is a key goal of New Calvinism. 2) Adherents to New Calvinism believe that the answer lies in reaching out and building bridges between all segments of Christianity. 3) According to the teachings of New Calvinism, the spiritual gifts of signs and wonders are valid for the church today. 4) New Calvinism seeks to create and redeem culture. 5) New Calvinism unites with Worldliness."
"BJU may not officially be a Reformed or Calvinist school. But its recent publications suggest an awareness and endorsement of Reformed/Calvinist thought and teaching.... If...BJU is following the pattern exhibited by New Calvinist writing, then there is a much deeper problem at work requiring immediate action to reverse this intrusion of Reformed and Calvinist theology."
"The new Calvinism is not a resurgence, but an entirely novel formula which strips the doctrine of its historic practice, and unites it with the world.... New Calvinists do not hesitate to override the instinctual Christian conscience, counseling people to become friends of the world."
"After being the premier fundamentalist academic institution for eighty-seven years, BJU elected Dr. Steve Pettit in 2014, as the president who steered the University out of separatist Fundamentalism into the inclusive, Broad Evangelical movement," David Beale, Christian Fundamentalism in America
Lordship Salvation is a works based, non-saving message that corrupts the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3) and frustrates grace (Gal. 2:21).
Franklin Graham, like his father before him, gives Christian recognition to the "enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phil. 3:18). Cooperating with Franklin Graham was an act of sinful disobedience to the Word of God. It is an egregious example of ecumenical compromise at BJU that was heartily endorsed by Dr. Steve Pettit.
Addendum (Jan. 24, 2023):
At the SermonAudio site is a lengthy page dedicated to promotion of the Foundations Conference. In fairness, the conference held at BJU was largely organized by SermonAudio with the complete cooperation and assistance of the university. That established following is an excerpt.
"I am always personally blessed by these conferences because of the unique assembly that takes place between brethren that don't normally gather together. The Foundations Conference does not tie itself down to a particular denominational label or theological stripe. But, like SermonAudio's Articles itself, it is an attempt to promote Christian unity around essential truths that we can all agree on -- namely, the importance of the Word and prayer." (I was not able to identify the author)For a moment, reflect on, "...does not tie itself down to a particular denominational label or theological stripe." For those of us who remember does that statement not appear eerily similar to the sixth of seven promises of a Promise Keeper? Promise Keepers #6 UNITY, "A Promise Keeper is committed to reach beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity." By "denominational barriers" they meant to set aside any doctrinal barriers, especially the doctrinal barriers of separation, to have their unity.
As you have noted in previous articles, this is not the BJU of the past. Under Dr. Pettit's leadership the university has fully embraced Reformed/Covenant theology and moved into evangelicalism and out of its historic fundamentalist foundation. As an alumnus, I can no longer recommend my alma mater to anyone. Sad and tragic.
ReplyDeleteBrian
Brian:
DeleteYou are one among many alumni who are grieved over how Pettit and his administration have all but erased the school's fundamentalist, separatist, and doctrinal foundations. Sad, tragic and a disgrace.
LM
Thirty years ago, an open Calvinist faculty member would have been "shipped"...30 years later, under Petit's administration, a Calvinist is celebrated to almost the universal exclusion of any who preach unlimited atonement. I wonder, do the "preacher boys" (if there are any who dare identify as such) still sing, "Souls for Jesus is Our Battle Cry"? I fear the battle cry has become a whimper.
ReplyDeletePastor Smith:
DeleteThanks for the response. Between conference speakers like these and some of the new faculty hires* (see below) it is virtually irrefutable that Pettit has shifted the doctrinal stance of the university to highly favoring Calvinism, Reformed and Covenant theology. We find it unlikely BJU can even be considered neutral.The proliferation of Reformed theology on campus is unmistakable. It was a concern 20 years ago, today a reality. This has gone beyond merely tolerating Reformed theology (RT). Now, BJU prefers and promotes RT over other positions- dispensationalism for one.
Thirty years ago (1987-92) I was on faculty at PCC. Like you noted about BJU then PCC likewise would dismiss a faculty member over Calvinism and/or Reformed teaching and Lordship Salvation. (I don't know the official stance there today) I saw one of the faculty dismissed first hand. The faculty member was removed from the classroom and dismissed from the college in less than a week when it became known he was Reformed and eschewed Dispensationalism for Covenant Theology.
Years ago BJU would not tolerate students trying to proselytize other students to various theological positions, the same was true at PCC. Students would be shipped home who instigated dorm room debates to proselytize for Calvinism, Lordship Salvation or the charismatic movement. Neither school wanted to be known for sending students back to their homes and churches having been influenced and pressured to abandon the doctrinal positions they left home with.
Today, a parent who sends his/her young person to BJU should be forewarned and/or expect that their child will come back to them steeped in Calvinism, Reformed theology.
LM
*Among BJU's recent faculty hires is Dr. Stuart Scott. A Southern Baptist, coming from the SBTS Billy Graham School of Religion, formerly of MacArthur's Masters Seminary. Dr. Scott certainly fits an agenda for proliferating Reformed and Covenant theology at BJU.
To the individual who submitted a comment earlier today, please resubmit it. It began, "I thought BJU was always non-denominational...."
ReplyDeleteTech issue caused me to not be able to publish it.
LM
That would be me. I tried to respond yesterday, but my phone didn't want to let me publish it, so I'm trying this on my desktop. I can't remember verbatim what I said, but it was along the lines of "I thought BJU was always non-denominational and focused on the fundamentals of the faith rather than on differences of interpretation like Calvinism and Arminianism. If they were kicking people out for being Calvinist, then that wasn't really fundamentalist and non-denominational, was it? Because they picked a side in a non-fundamental issue of interpretation."
DeleteThanks for re-submitting your comment.
DeleteOne man close to BJU recently told me, "There was a time when the administration exerted considerable energy on this point, and more than a few students found their BJU days prematurely terminated because they insisted on proselytizing their peers in this way."
Now, that's students. BJU has been tolerant with faculty of certain theological persuasions, but several former BJU faculty/students relate that if a faculty member were to become open with or proselytizing Calvinism's limited atonement, for example, he would be removed.
A couple years ago I read the personal account of two former BJU faculty who were dismissed for their views. Can't remember either name, if I did I would link to their stories.
In any event, it is plain that the days of neutrality are over. There's a clear leaning of favoritism toward Calvinism, Reformed Theology and the worldliness of the new Calvinism. Conference speakers like these, Pettit’s joint ministry with Reformed men and new faculty hires out of the Reformed ranks make it clear a shift has taken place and it's proliferating at the direction of Pettit and the administration.
There's a history of Pettit opening the campus and exposing impressionable students to aberrant theology, disobedient brethren and worldly practices.
*Tim Tebow
*Cantus
*Trevor Lawrence (nearly)
*Andy Naselli
*Pettit entangled BJU with Franklin Graham's ecumenical movement.
*Save the Storks
Herb McCarthy New Evangelical
*Piedmont Women's Center
Abby Johnson speaking, converted to RCC and apologist.
*Fashion Show
*Midsummer Night's Dream
We can read David Beale's FACTS Enlarged Discussion and find many more disconcerting examples of Pettit's joint ministry with Reformed men and conferences.
All of which irrefutably demonstrate that Pettit has virtually erased the school's fundamentalist, separatist legacy.
If you review the past few years of my articles documenting the events and transformation under Pettit all of this is irrefutably clear to any objective observer.
Kind regards,
LM