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Finally, you beat on us with the club of the church tradition. Nearly everyone has said God possesses complete knowledge of what humans will do in the future, so how can we even think of going against such a cloud of witnesses? To begin, theologians have debated the nature and content of God's omniscience for millennia. There are several traditions regarding exactly what God knows.

Second, we do respect theological traditions: to disagree with the great theologians of the past is serious business. Nonetheless, like Luther we feel compelled to affirm our view because of Scripture and sound reason. You sound just like John Eck, the Catholic inquisitor of Luther, who claimed it unimaginable that so many theologians could have been wrong on so central a teaching as salvation. I would have thought that someone such as yourself, teaching at a Baptist college, would have more empathy for those who challenge certain traditions. Lutherans, Reformed, and Catholics killed Anabaptists for espousing beliefs that most evangelicals today take for granted. Clearly, Protestants believe that traditions sometimes need changing. After all, it was not until the 18th century that challenges arose to the virtually unquestioned tradition that all unbaptized children (or those born of non-Christian parents) who die are damned to hell!

However, proponents of openness do not reject the entire tradition. We affirm the ecumenical creeds, the main teachings of the Reformation, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of prayer and community.

Blessings on your ministry trips overseas, and I look forward to hearing from you.

John

Chris Hall replies, next page.

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May 21 2001, Vol. 45, No. 7