{"id":1807,"date":"2011-01-17T12:49:47","date_gmt":"2011-01-17T20:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/2011\/01\/17\/a-side-bar-issue-biblicist\/"},"modified":"2011-01-17T12:49:47","modified_gmt":"2011-01-17T20:49:47","slug":"a-side-bar-issue-biblicist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/2011\/01\/17\/a-side-bar-issue-biblicist\/","title":{"rendered":"a side-bar issue: biblicist"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent discussion<\/a> at Mike Riley\u2019s blog raised the term \u2018biblicist\u2019. It is a term that seem to raise the ire of some. Mike Harding, in post #5 calls it a \u2018euphemistic term\u2019 and a \u2018circumlocution\u2019. Mike Riley, responding to me in post #6 says it is \u2018unhelpful\u2019 and \u2018presumptuous\u2019.<\/p>\n

Mike rightly pointed out that my focus on the term would distract from the subject matter of his post. But I thought I would do some thinking about the term here on oxgoad and invite the response of readers. (By the way, Mike\u2019s post and the discussion that follows are quite interesting. You should also read Mark Snoberger\u2019s follow-up<\/a> and Mike\u2019s response<\/a>. And also, congratulations to Mike and his wife on the arrival of their first-born daughter!)<\/p>\n

So\u2026 Biblicist<\/strong>\u2026 what does the term mean and is it presumptuous or a circumlocution<\/em>?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The first thing that should be said is that biblicist<\/em> is an unfortunate term at best. As a defining term, it isn\u2019t very definitive. Perhaps this is why Mike Harding prefers the term Calvinistic<\/em> over the term Amyraldian<\/em>, which, as I understand it, is the correct term for his position. While Amyraldian<\/em> might be more correct, almost nobody knows what it means. Calvinistic<\/em> might be a more definitive term.<\/p>\n

Mike Riley doesn\u2019t seem too willing to concede mediating positions between Calvinism and Arminianism, but the reality of Amyraldians, at least, seems to prove that such mediating positions exist. Another such term that I recently learned is Molinism<\/em>, which has been described to me as \u2018three-point Calvinism\u2019. (It is named after a Jesuit monk, alas, so besides being barely known it has an added repugnance for me.)<\/p>\n

In any case, as men have wrestled with the theological problems expressed by Arminianism and Calvinism, there have been many who hold to positions that are not identical to either extreme. It seems obvious to me that there are more than two positions on these issues, regardless what the advocates of pure Calvinism might think. I have never talked to a pure Arminian on these subjects, though I was raised in an Arminian church.<\/p>\n

The term biblicist<\/em> is related, I think, to another unfortunate term, biblical theology<\/em>. Biblical Theology<\/a><\/em> is a branch of theological study distinct from systematic theology whose distinctive feature is to examine the progression of doctrine as it is revealed in the Bible without making systematic conclusions that go beyond direct Biblical statements. (A bit simplistic\u2026 read the wikipedia article for more.)<\/p>\n

The position of those who use the term biblicist<\/em> can be summed up this way:<\/p>\n

\n

Based on past experiences and other things, I do not consider myself an Arminian, nor am I a Calvinist. I cannot accept as Scriptural views that are crucial to either position. I cannot be considered Arminian, for I consider a sinner\u2019s response to the Gospel is a simple faith reception, not an accomplishment, and I believe in eternal security. Since I accept only the Bible and not the decisions of synods or councils, I cannot be recognized as a Calvinist. ((Warren Vanhetloo, Cogitations 752<\/em>, March 12, 2008.))<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In my personal experience, most of my theology is the result of personal Bible study. I am not one for reading a lot of theology. I had to read various systematic theologies as a student, notably Henry Thiessen\u2019s Lectures in Theology <\/em>and Charles Hodge\u2019s Systematic Theology<\/em>. I have also worked through a good deal of Charles Ryrie\u2019s Basic Theology <\/em>(though some would disdain this work!).<\/p>\n

However, my theology is influenced primarily by comparing Scripture with Scripture. We must take a holistic approach to theology and attempt to encompass everything God says on a given subject, reading each passage in its proper context and relying on clear biblical statements rather than the logic of human systems. As such, I much prefer the Biblical Theological method rather than the Systematic Theological method (although the Systematic approach is not without value).<\/p>\n

To me, then, biblicist<\/em> is what you are when you simply let the Scriptures speak and discount the human logic that pervades Systematic theologies, like Arminianism or like Calvinism.<\/p>\n

Mike Riley thinks biblicist<\/em> is presumptuous and that it generates more heat than light. Presumptuous<\/em> means \u201coverstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy): taking liberties\u201d ((\u2018presumptuous\u2019 Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary., Eleventh ed. (Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).)) I take it that he means biblicist<\/em> is unpropitious or impolite, that it borders on arrogance. In other words, I am thinking that Mike might have in mind the attitude of the Corinthians who in their divisiveness were superior to those who were \u2018of Paul\u2019 or \u2018of Peter\u2019 or \u2018of Apollos\u2019. These well-favoured Corinthians were \u2018of Christ\u2019. The term biblicist<\/em> could be displaying that kind of arrogance: \u2018I am not of the order of you low-life squabblers, you Arminians, you Calvinists, I am a Biblicist<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n

As I have described the term above, I don\u2019t think that such a connotation is intended by those who use the term. I can see how those who are passionate for their systems might find it rankling, but I think the term is meant to be descriptive of method (i.e., biblical theology as opposed to systematic). I don\u2019t think those who use the term intend for it to imply some kind of spiritual superiority. (I will grant that in these debates, no matter one\u2019s position, there is plenty of arrogance and condescension to go around.)<\/p>\n

There you have it\u2026 my ruminations on the term biblicist<\/em>. I don\u2019t find it that bad a term, but I recognize it has some inadequacies. I am not sure what would be a better term to describe the position. I am sure that I don\u2019t fit either the label of Calvinist or Arminian.<\/p>\n

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A recent discussion at Mike Riley\u2019s blog raised the term \u2018biblicist\u2019. It is a term that seem to raise the ire of some. Mike Harding, in post #5 calls it a \u2018euphemistic term\u2019 and a \u2018circumlocution\u2019. Mike Riley, responding to me in post #6 says it is \u2018unhelpful\u2019 and \u2018presumptuous\u2019. Mike rightly pointed out that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[113,94,69],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2fYWj-t9","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1807"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1807\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}