Re: [asa] Glenn

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:28:46 GMT "burgytwo@juno.com" <burgytwo@juno.com>
writes:
> For the record, I did have lunch with Glenn Morton last Friday in
> Northwest Houston. After 20+ years of debating him, it was a real
> pleasure. He is a gentleman and a scholar. Well maybe a gentleman
> would not have grabbed the check but I'll forgive him that). <G>
>
> To clarify recent claims made here about Glenn's views:
>
> I asked Glenn if he held to biblical inerrancy. He said that he did
> not. Since it was not a subject either of us found either
> interesting
> or important we spoke of it only briefly.
>
This claim depends on where one draws the lines of distinction. If YEC
represents inerrant literalism, then Glenn is no longer an inerrantist.
However, he has said that reading Paul Seely's book almost took his faith
away. So he must be somewhere between the YEC position he once held and
where Paul stands. I would draw the line closer to Paul's position, but
that is one of the problems of the use of language. One other possibility
also needs to be considered--a change of view. I know that the evaluation
of evidence over time has forced me to accept positions I once firmly
rejected.

> I asked Glenn if he was a "literalist." He said that he was not. He
> suggested the word "historicist" to describe his views on Genesis 1-
> 11 and in the ensuing discussion that seemed appropriate.
>
Here again the question of distinctions applies. A while back Glenn found
a possible meaning to a Hebrew term that provided what I would call a
literal interpretation of a passage. Sorry that I don't have that in
front of me. What I understand of his "historicism" places it in, in my
opinion, much the same category as OEC views of Genesis 1. A mud figure
given life, an evolved hominid given a soul, or a hominin given human
life--all can be fit into modified interpretations of scripture. So can a
universal flood 4300 ya or one 4.5 Mya that destroyed all human life
except that in the ark. Whether one calls this historical or literal does
not change the break from the usual interpretations. Labels don't change
positions, though they may add an emotive load.

> We spoke of many things, (ships and sealing wax and kings) but those
>
> were not pertinent to the above.
>
> He holds that both extremes of Christianity, YEC and my brand (which
>
> holds Gen 1-11 to be non-historical) are driving young Christians
> who
> think for themselves from the faith.
>
> His primary focus these days appears to be on TheologyWeb where he
> debates (primarily) atheist arguments. By the way, he reports that
> Sarfati (AIG's spokeman) finally stepped over the line too far and
> has been banned from the discussions there.
>
> He invited us all to TheologyWeb to join in the discussions.
>
> Burgy
>
Sorry to be slow in responding.
Dave

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Received on Thu Jan 25 16:37:13 2007