(This is a response to the previous post regarding yesterday’s panel discussion at SBTS concerning Wright’s views of justification.)

This week the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary held a faculty panel discussion about Bishop N. T. Wright’s views on the doctrine of justification. The panel featured Denny Burk, Tom Schreiner, Mark Seifrid, and Brian Vickers, with President Al Mohler moderating.

After watching the almost hour long video I have come to a few conclusions regarding not only the panel, but the New/Old Perspective debate in general.

First, concerning the panel discussion, I will always think it to be unfair for any academic institution to not have direct dialogue with someone who can carefully articulate the opponents view, that person being the opponent or someone who holds to a similar view. However, I can understand that many times this is impossible. That being said, while SBTS did not have Wright come to the discussion, I am understanding to reasons why.

Second, I have been blessed by a friendship with Denny Burk. He taught me New Testament Survey at Criswell College and shared several intimate conversations about my sin, frustrations in ministry, and times of blessing in my Christian life. Also, Tom Schreiner (probably the most prolific biblical scholar at SBTS) has unknowingly been influential in my biblical interpretation through his works on Romans (BECNT), his Pauline theology, and his New Testament theology. I haven’t engaged Seifrid’s or Vickers’ major texts, but have read some journal articles they have published.

Third, I thought the panel asked honest questions that need to be answered by Wright and those who advocate the NPP. The panel is thinking in a primarily pastoral way (which is not lacking in Wright, but is fleshed out in a different direction), which I think should be commended.

Fourth, and my most important objection to the form of the discussion, the panel does not engage Wright on any text (with maybe the exception of Dr. Seifrid on Galatians 2 and Dr. Burk on 2 Cor 5.21) but only engages him on a Reformational level. Burk says as much: “This [Wright's view on justification] is not what our traditional has held.” Seifrid makes my point for me, saying that we can no longer engage Wright on a traditional level but that “someone is going to have to engage Wright on the Bible itself.” This is really the heart of the matter for me. Opponents of the NPP, including Guy Waters andJohn Piper (definitely not as much as Waters), have continued to draw their conclusions from Reformed doctrinal tradition, even if they engage in texts.

The differences in the SBTS faculty and Dr. Wright are fundamental. SBTS is known for being a solidly systematic-theological school. It seems that exegetical theology will always be submissive to a Reformed systematic theology. This is why these men (and others like them, i.e. Gerald Bray) throw up the traditional red flag everytime something within the reformational framework is questioned. ‘Why shouldn’t you believe in the doctrine of justification as articulated by Wright and others like him?’ you might ask. ‘Because it steps outside our doctrinal tradition’ would be their reply. It is rare to hear someone from the Neo-Reformed community engage questions on a purely exegetical level. This is the best explanation to the reason why in an entire hour of discussion on Wright, not one time was their a serious exegetical discussion. Instead, nearly 20 minutes was dedicated to the systematic doctrine of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer.

In closing, if someone is going to genuinely take on Wright in a public, academic forum like this, they will have to follow Dr. Seifrid’s advice and engage him on an exclusively textual level. Let’s put aside the theo-babble, open our Greek text and have good-hearted, passionate, edifying discussion. If this doesn’t happen we’ll still only be speaking into the air.