A Critique of Dr. Bauder

It is true, at least, that Dr. Bauder never provided any evidence that CE’s “scoured apostasy from the world’s largest seminary.” According to the http://www.ats.edu/Resources/Publications/Documents/AnnualDataTables/20…] ATS data tables , the world’s largest seminary is Fuller, with 4,038 students, 1,940 enrolled full time. If Bauder is referring to Southern, it’s not even the largest SBC seminary, losing by a mere 6 students to Southwestern.

Generally speaking, when I see a publication like that one, I don’t feel too hurt if the author wants to separate from me.

On the other hand, http://gracebiblechurchmilton.com/homepagelinks/churchhistory.htm the founding editor of that magazine claims to have invented tee ball . I always wondered who came up with that.

I wish he had interacted with the current series of In The Nick Of Time rather than reaching back to a single statement made eight months ago. This made the article feel very straw-mannish.

I appreciated that the author did not simply white wash fundamentalist issues in the process.

I am afraid the approach to separation presented is too black and white - which is coincidentally one of the major themes of Bauder’s many discourses on separation if the author had been willing to interact with a more complete presentation of Bauder’s teaching and practice on separation. This all-or-nothing approach is a false dichotomy which fails to accurately reflect separation as practiced by historic fundamentalists or presented in Scripture. This is one of the key elements I see driving young fundamentalists away from the present “movement.”

I gave the article a quick look for it is the basic “blah, blah, blah” of yesteryear. Listen, Drs. Dever, Mohler, and countless others are the men who have the fortitude to stand against doctrinal apostasy in the face of a post modern culture that rages at any form of true Christianity!! Watch Larry King — if he likes the religious guest — that is anathema — but bring on Mohler or MacArthur and watch the Darth Vader onslaught begin. And yet, they hold true to the Word, the Gospel, and to all people of true faith (even Fundies). To reduce the brilliance of a seminary such as Southern or even Central based on who we see, where we go, what we do is ridiculous and defines the paragons of antiquated thinking to be no more the “domineering apostles” of grace rather than the “elect saints” of godliness.

The mentioning of the Manhattan Declaration has no teeth and most “new evangelicals” are not co-signers, and to infer that those who pen their name to it does not secure the moniker of “collaborators with Rome” and the other ilk — the circular argument presented is spurious and beneath the position of the writer. It appears to this shy Shepherd that only “mechanism of control” within a church or group is the paradigm of truth and righteousness based upon the list of prohibited cultural follies.” When and until pastors and educators will allow themselves the freedom in Christ to examine motives, purposes, and goals will they see that all of the “separation” issues, especially secondary areas, are, in fact, the poison of the toxic faith that percolates inside beakers in secluded labs that only the few and elite divines can control.

Doctrine/teaching of the essentials are the requisite to shepherding the flock of which we are made overseers by God (1 Peter 5). Can your people find Habakkuk, or Galatians, or the Sermon on the Mount without using the table of contents? Are they Biblically literate as the the whole work of Christ (from His Trinitarian place, why He was born in the fashion required, why it was impossible for Him to sin, what He learned from suffering, how He is the Captain of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the propitiation, the resurrection, the Chief Shepherd, the Light of the World, the Great I Am, why is Hebrews 1:1-4 so important today, do all paths lead to the Father, why is Jesus sitting at the right hand of God (and how many times is that phrased repeated), He going to return for His people, Why did John almost die when He viewed His Savior in Revelation 1? You get the point. Now, let’s see, the time and effort for a pastor to learn, prepare, teach, preach, follow up on just the work of Christ would surely bring His flock to a state of awe and the “no no’s of life” with the sweet Holy Spirit should be able to handle the rest. Hebrews 12:1-2 can seriously help the new convert or the older saint who is struggling with the cares of this life (they are salt and light, you know). Shepherds are to be patient, not overbearing, nor novices — many more virtues are laid out for us in the Word.

The Shepherd’s fear is to be so involved in the frivolous that we miss the glory of presenting the flock entrusted to us to our Great Shepherd. Preach, pray, and plug away

The items that the author mentions are worth separating over, are eschatology, social drinking, and music style. This is not biblical separation, and it is not what the original fundamentalist leaders had in mind either.

I do not understand what you are writing in the above post. Please rephrase or guide my thinking with a more specific response. Thanks.