Re: [asa] Van Till

Some clarification. As a member of the CRC church I thought a few
points should be clarified.

-- 
James Mahaffy (mahaffy@dordt.edu)          Phone: 712 722-6279
498 4th Ave NE
Biology Department                                     FAX :  712
722-1198
Dordt College, Sioux Center IA 51250-1697
>>> On 1/31/2007 at 6:19 AM, in message
<20070131123519.C57E1711256@gray.dordt.edu>, "Robert Schneider"
<rjschn39@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> When Howard gave a convocation address at Berea College around 1999,
he spoke 
> briefly about the attacks upon him in the address, but in more detail
to me 
> in private. I also learned later from a former student at Calvin, who
was 
> there at the time and spoke sympatheically about Howard, what a
terrible 
> ordeal it was for him to be publically attacked repeatedly in the
local 
> newspaper and to be brought in judgment before a CRC board. No one
deserves 
> such treatment; the church, as Wayne implies, should not be a place
one 
> suffers affliction for following where truth leads one. Perhaps there
few 
> things worse for one's spiritual health than odium theologicum.
Be a little careful.  Clearly the church must remain a church that at
some point must 
correct people that stray from its standards (Van Til may not have at
this point).  Calvin College 
is a denominational college and the church should have some say over
what is taught there.  I am 
not judging the Van Til case.  In fact the denomination (rightly or
wrongly) cleared him of the charges.  
Opposition was mainly from groups within the church.
> 
> (BTW, if memory is correct, I read several years ago a report that
Duane 
> Gish had brought a charge of heresy against Howard, Davis Young, and
Charles 
> Menninga; why was not stated, but probably for what they said about
YEC in 
> Science Held Hostage. The accusation was thrown out.)
In Presbyterian or reformed polity, charges like that would have to be
brought by
the home church.  So unless Gish were a member the same church he would
have no standing.  Also unless he
was a member of the CRC he would have not standing with the board of
Calvin even on what is taught at Calvin. 
It is my opinion that at the time the denomination trying to keep unity
in the CRC tended to rarely if ever
followup with charges against individuals. I think that was a mistake. 
General accusations against individuals
for herersy are not done with charity by the church of God - but the
church must still take stands on what is 
orthodox. 
Another instance, I do not know the particulars but I believe a member
of the Wheaton college staff became a roman catholic,
which is doctrinally inconsistent with the stance of the college. As a
result he was asked to leave.  That is only to illustrate that
if a college is going to stand for something it may have to deal with
individuals that take a different stand.  
But I am delighted that Notre Dame likes first class reformed scholars
like Plantinga, Marsden and others.  However, it obviously does not as a
college take a stand that its staff must be RC, which would be
reasonable for a catholic school.
> 
> I am glad that Ted made the point that accepting evolution does not 
> necessarily lead to process theism. Also, I would add that on
whatever 
> pathways his spiritual odyssey has and will lead Howard, he will go
as he 
> always has with honesty, integrity and courage. I with Ted and others
of you 
> whom Howard has mentored know that he deserves our respect. He has my
> admiration and affection.
> 
> Bob
> 
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