Is this really authentic?

Dr. Douglas McLachlan has written a two part article for Sharper Iron (can be found here and here) further articulating his thoughts concerning the reclamation of an authentic fundamentalism. I have recently (within the last couple of years) read Dr. McLachlan’s book, Reclaiming Authentic Fundamentalism. I was greatly encouraged and sadden at the same time. Encouraged because what he wrote resonated with me as the right expression of fundamentalism of which I have been a part since my salvation in 1974. I was saddened because as I read I realized that this book had been published originally in 1993 and was therefore readily available during the vocalization of the “young fundamentalists.”

Dr. McLachlan now adds to what he wrote in the book by stating;

That was the intent of the book: to awaken the older generation to what was happening within fundamentalism, and to give the younger generation a reason to remain within it and to make a generational commitment to fixing it. It has taken a long time, but I believe we are in the beginning stages of actually giving birth to an authentic fundamentalism, which is actually nothing other than a 21st century rebirth of historic, mainstream fundamentalism. Leading the way in this birthing are men like Kevin Bauder, Sam Horn, Matt Olson, Dave Doran, Tim Jordan, Dan Davey, and others like them.

Dr. McLachlan is laying down the claim that these men “and others like them” are bringing about what he wrote in his book. I would disagree. What these and others are doing is what Dr. McLachlan is articulating in his article, not what he articulated in his book. Dr. McLachlan has shifted his criteria for reclamation.

In point 2, “Pursuing the radical center,” Dr. McLachlan uses the imagery of a pathway with ditches on either side. In this imagery, he states, “Far too large a percentage of the evangelical world has descended into the ‘left ditch.’ And doubtless, far too much of the fundamentalist world has descended into the ‘right ditch.’” I believe that his assessment of “who” is on the pathway is incorrect when he implies that there are some evangelicals that are on the pathway when he says, “far too large a percentage of the evangelical world has descended…” He substantiates this claim later in the article where he says, “Confessional or conservative evangelicals aspire to distance themselves from the majority of the evangelical movement that is bolting left.” And, “…it is fair to say that both of these groups (confessional evangelicals and mainstream fundamentalism) seem equally committed to finding the radical center.”

It is a pipedream to think that conservative (or confessional) evangelicals are; first, on the pathway; second, aspiring to distance themselves from the rest of evangelicalism; and third, committed to finding the radical center. Evangelicalism “bolted” from the pathway in their break with authentic, mainstream fundamentalism in the 40’s/50’s, to which all tend to agree did indeed take place. While there is within evangelicalism a more vocal, conservative element, we must admit that there has always been a segment of evangelicalism that has tended to be more conservative. It has been pointed out time and time again that the so-called conservative evangelicals of our day (Dever, Mohler, Piper, Mahaney, MacArthur, et. al) are still evangelicals.

Dr. McLachlan would have us to believe, like Dr. Bauder before him, that these men are moving in our direction. Really? What evidence is there to show us their movement away from the rest of evangelicalism? Dever and Mohler remain in the largest evangelical denomination in the US. Mohler has signed the Manhatten Declaration along with a whole host of evangelicals. Yes, he has made statements seeking to bring clarity to his reason for signing, but the fact still remains his name is on the document with other evangelicals that according to McLachlan he is supposed distancing himself from. Mohler has chaired a Billy Graham crusade in Louisville sitting with evangelicals that he supposedly is distancing himself from. Dever has taught at Gordon-Conwell Seminary a clearly evangelical institution of higher learning from which he is supposedly distancing himself from. Dever was invited and initially accepted to come to The Elephant Room 2 in January 2012 to sit with T. D. Jakes, an evangelical which he is supposedly distancing himself from. Yes, to his credit he has cancelled his involvement but this was after the venting of Thabiti Anyabwile in a couple of blogs against portions of Jakes’ theology. Again, the fact still remains that Dever initially accepted the invitation. Dever’s church remains part of the DC Baptist Association which is evangelical in nature, which he is supposedly distancing himself from. Moving on to Dr. John Piper, we have another conservative evangelical who has no problem keeping ties with those within evangelicalism that Dr. McLachlan has put in the “left ditch.” What ties are those? Oh, for one, Piper remains in Converge Worldwide (formerly Baptist General Conference). He has no problem associating with the evangelical Rick Warren and “shock-jockesque” preacher Mark Driscoll of emergent church notoriety. Are these men really, REALLY, distancing themselves from the majority of evangelicalism?!!!

Need I continue with example after example of these men and their attachments to all things evangelical? Are there some within fundamentalism who are sticking their proverbial heads in the sand, denying the reality that the conservative element of evangelicalism is still evangelical?

To the other side of this issue, Dr. McLachlan noted that there were those within fundamentalism who are seeking a reclamation of authentic, mainstream fundamentalism and we are in the “birthing” process now.

Just what kind of “fundamentalism” are these men “birthing” and is it a rebirth of historic, mainstream fundamentalism? Several instances over the past year or so I believe, should give us cause to question the validity of Dr. McLachlan’s optimism.

First, we have the example of Dr. Tim Jordan and Calvary Baptist Seminary in Lansdale, PA. He brought in Dr. Mark Dever to speak at the February 2011 Advancing the Church Conference. Also at this conference were Drs. Bauder and Doran. This caused quite the stir in the blogosphere as sides were drawn quickly. Now, not to be outdone by having Dr. Dever; Dr. Jordan scheduled Dr. Timothy Lane of CCEF come to speak at a forum this fall and Dr. Haddon Robinson from Gordon-Conwell Seminary to speak at a forum in the spring. While many sought to establish Dr. Dever clearly as a conservative evangelical and very nearly, almost, and maybe even more militant than most fundamentalists; these two men are clearly entrenched in full orbed evangelicalism. What about Dr. Robinson?* Here is a man who has journeyed out of fundamentalism and into full-blown evangelicalism. He resides at Gordon-Conwell teaching alongside ordained, American Baptist Church USA preacher, Dr. Patricia Batten. Dr. Batten has an M. Div. and a D. Min. from Gordon-Conwell. She spoke at the seminary’s 2008 conference on preaching. A woman preacher…and this is a good thing? How does a man known for his book on preaching, known for his passion for preaching justify a woman preacher? And Calvary wants him to come and speak?

Second, there is the Dr. Olson, Dr. Horn, Dr. McLachlan, Dr. Ollila venture to CA in April 2010 to sit down with Dr. MacArthur which resulted in an invitation for Rick Holland to come and speak in chapel at Northland in October of 2010. Rick Holland heads up the Resolved Conference that Grace oversees. This is a conference of conflicting messages espousing Jonathan Edward’s resolutions but using the medium of a worldly rock concert to deliver that message. And then there is Dr. Bruce Ware teaching in Northland’s D. Min. program this past summer. Dr. Ware is on faculty at Southern Seminary, a Southern Baptist Convention institution.

Third, there was the scheduled meeting of Dr. Larry Pettegrew at Central. Because of health reasons Dr. Pettegrew had to cancel but there is an open invitation to return. Who is Dr. Pettegrew? Like Dr. Robinson, he too has been one on a journey out of fundamentalism and into evangelicalism. He has taught at Pillsbury and at Central before going to The Masters Seminary and is now currently teaching at Shepherds Theological Seminary in Cary, NC.

Sorry, Dr. McLachlan, I do not view the conservative evangelical through the same rose-colored glasses as you and others are doing. Fundamentalism is not in need of a course correction bringing us more in line with the conservative element of evangelicalism. Many lamented the departure of some of the younger generation of fundamentalism into evangelicalism, seeing some of the older men follow that same path is just as tragic. This is not the direction I wish to see fundamentalism take.

* For other information concerning Dr. Robinson  click here
For those wanting a quick link to Dr. Ketchum's article click here
Here is a link to Dr. Ketchum's most recent article click here