Lecture Two: Early Opposition to Liberalism Standing Firm Slide
2 Where Were Going Nineteenth Century Northern Baptist opposition.
The Bible Conference movement. Controversy in the Grand Rapids
Baptist Association. The Founding of Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary. The Fundamentals: A Testimony for the Truth. Slide 3 19
th Century, Northern Baptists Opposition to liberalism became
evident during the 1880s. 1882, a review by O. S. Stearns in the
Baptist Quarterly Review. 1883, an address by Alvah Hovey at the
Baptist Autumnal Conference. 1883, an article by Howard Osgood in
the Baptist Quarterly Review. 1883, an article by P. S. Evans in
the Baptist Quarterly Review. The focus was primarily upon
destructive higher criticism. The tone was concessive, with the
objectors hoping that further study would vindicate the traditional
approach. Slide 4 George William Lasher Editor of the Journal and
Messenger from 1876 until his death in 1920. Involved in the
controversy over Crawford Howell Toy in 1878. Supported the firing
of Ezra Gould in 1881. Criticized William Newton Clarke. Opposed
both William Rainey Harper and George Burman Foster at Chicago.
Personal friend of Walter Rauschenbusch, but vigorous opponent of
Rauschenbuschs social gospel. Slide 5 Significant Controversies
1892 at the Baptist Autumnal Conference. T. A. T. Hanna spoke for
biblical inerrancy, D. G. Lyon and J. B. G. Pidge downplayed it.
Howard Osgood and J. W. Wilmarth came in on Hannas side, but
Nathaniel Schmidt supported Lyon and Pidge. Ezekiel Robinson
opposed Hanna and Osgood by name. Hannas (rather heated) reply was
dismissed with hisses. 1895 in the Baptist Quarterly Review. Normal
Fox expressed liberal views, aroused a strong backlash. Several
participated in the exchange, notably Heman Lincoln and George D.
B. Pepper. Slide 6 The Moderate Party Some of the moderates held
liberal theology, but most were conservatives. The moderates saw
liberalism as a mistake but not a threat. Their real concern was
that the denominational program would suffer in any conflict
between conservatives and liberals. The moderate tactic was to push
for breadth and toleration. This tactic played directly into the
hands of the liberals: they were happy to tolerate conservatives
because they needed conservative money. Slide 7 Eri Hulbert,
Moderate Example Hulbert was a transitional figure and dean at
UCDS. If the old and the new are to fight it will be a fight all
along the line, among pastors, between schools, in churches,
associations, conventions, national societies. It will extend to
our young people, seminaries, mission fields, religious press, to
all our organized denominational activities.... If both parties are
to invite and keep up a satanic spirit Satan will deservedly get
them both in the end, and, perforce, the denomination will go to
the devil. The Baptist Outlook in The English Reformation (Chicago,
1909). Slide 8 The Bible Conference Movement Began with six men
meeting at E. P. Goodwins church in Chicago, 1875. The Believers
Meeting. Met annually. Two concerns: premillennialism and liberal
theology. Led to great, stand-alone prophecy conferences (New York
1878, Chicago 1886). Produced dozens of annual Bible conferences
(Niagara, Seacliff, and others). Eventually gave birth to the Bible
schools and the faith missions. Slide 9 Adoniram Judson Gordon
Leader in the Believers Meeting for Bible Study. Pastor of
Clarendon Street Baptist Church, Boston. Editor and publisher of
the Watchword. Edited two hymnals, wrote music for fifteen hymns
(My Jesus, I Love Thee). Slide 10 An Opponent of Liberalism Wrote
against liberalism continuously in the Watchword. Board member at
Newton, participated in firing Ezra Palmer Gould (1882). Organized
the Baptist Pastors Conference for Bible Study in Brooklyn, 1890.
Key rally against liberalism. Started the Boston Missionary
Training School (now Gordon College) to train lay workers; the
Bible institutes became an alternative to the seminaries as
liberalism grew. Was deeply involved in the faith missions
movement, which provided an alternative to liberal denominational
missions. Slide 11 Liberalism Is the Easy Path: You never find men
backsliding into Orthodoxy. You never find men drifting into high
Calvinism. And you never will till you find water running up hill
and iron floating upward in air. On the contrary, one has to climb
to get into this kind of faith, trampling on pride and self-esteem,
and holding himself rigidly up to that conviction which is hardest
to receive, that human nature is naturally depraved and needing
regeneration, and that God is righteously holy and must punish sin.
A. J. Gordon, Watchword (May 1880), 141. Slide 12 Transition Years
Gordon died in 1895. Most conservative leaders passed away within a
few years of his death. It took time for new leadership to
consolidate. During the transition, liberalism was able to gain a
stronger foothold. The Northern Baptist Convention was organized
during the transition, providing liberals with a new platform. The
Great War begin in 1914, occupying conservative attention until its
end. Three events during the transition period set the stage for
the controversy that would begin in 1919. Slide 13 The Grand Rapids
Controversy 1909 Oliver W. Van Osdel accepted the pastorate of
Wealthy Street Baptist Church in Grand Rapids. Fountain Street
Baptist Church was pastored by Alfred W. Wishart, a notoriously
outspoken modernist. The Grand Rapids Baptist Association could
find no way to disfellowship Wishart or Fountain Street. Van Osdel
led 14 of the 16 churches to withdraw and to begin a new
association, the Grand River Valley Baptist Association. Slide 14
The Michigan Convention From the beginning, the state convention
sided with Fountain Street. Convention officials actively worked to
keep Van Osdels sympathizers out of Michigan pulpits. Convention
officials tried to influence minorities to claim the property of
GRVBA churches, leading to court cases. At one point, convention
officials actually threatened to attempt to seize the Wealthy
Street properties. Slide 15 The GRVBA Van Osdel edited the Baptist
Temple News, which became the unofficial voice for the Grand River
Valley group. He used it as a voice against liberalism and
conventionism. The GRVBA employed its own church planting
missionary and began starting churches across western Michigan.
Eventually, the association outgrew the Grand River Valley. In 1920
it renamed itself the Michigan Orthodox Baptist Association. Also
in 1920, tensions came to a head, with the Michigan Convention
expelling the MOBA as a body. Slide 16 The MOBA The MOBA flourished
as a separate body. Eventually renamed itself the Grand Rapids
Association of Regular Baptist Churches. During the 1930s it led in
organizing a statewide association of Regular Baptists. Due to its
influence, Regular Baptist churches came to outnumber convention
churches in the state of Michigan. Slide 17 Northern Seminary
Background Many Baptists in Illinois were reacting against the
liberalism of the University of Chicago. 1906 the Ministers Council
of the Chicago Baptist Association voted to censure George Burman
Foster. The censure provoked a protest from university
sympathizers. Foster himself continued to write and teach. 1908 the
Ministers Council voted to remove Foster from its fellowship.
Illinois Baptists felt the need for a seminary to counteract the
influence of the UCDS. Slide 18 Northern Seminary Organization
Second Baptist wanted a seminary, but John R. Straton left the
pastorate. Henry Mabie of the ABHMS also wanted to see the seminary
organized. Mabie encouraged Second Baptist to call John Marvin
Dean, then encouraged Dean to go. Mid-1912. Dean, a strong
organizer and promoter, was the key figure in founding Northern,
which opened in 1913. First student was Amy Lee Stockton, a female
evangelist from California. Slide 19 Trajectory of Northern
Organized in reaction against liberal theology. From the beginning,
determined to work within NBC. Chicago sympathizers resisted
recognition, Northern had to promise loyalty. Doubled down on the
promise in view of the New World Program of 1919-1920. Hoped to
gain funding. President Charles W. Koller built a strong,
conservative faculty, but remained loyal to the NBC into the 1940s.
Eventually the school capitulated to various forms of non-
conservative theology; evangelical left to ecumenical right. Slide
20 Notable Northern Faculty Charles W. Koller, famous for his
method of preaching. William Fouts, Old Testament. Julius R.
Mantey, co-author of a widely used Greek syntax. Peder Stiansen,
church historian and dean. Farris Whitesell, practical theology.
Carl F. H. Henry (mid-1940s), theology. Slide 21 Background of The
Fundamentals Series of twelve little volumes, each a collection of
essays. Published between 1910 and 1915. Financed by Lyman (and
Milton?) Stewart of Union Oil. Originally planned and edited by A.
C. Dixon. When Dixon took Spurgeons Tabernacle, editorship shifted
to Louis Meyer and then R. A. Torrey. Total of 90 essays and around
64 authors. Slide 22 Editors of The Fundamentals A. C. DixonR. A.
Torrey Slide 23 Content of The Fundamentals 29 articles dealing
with the Bible. 31 articles defending other key doctrines of the
gospel. 30 articles of testimony, attacking cults, dealing with
science and religion, or promoting missions and evangelism. Slide
24 The Articles on the Bible 15 dealt directly with higher
criticism or attacked higher critical understandings of particular
passages. 7 were written in praise of the Bible. 2 discussed
archeological confirmation of biblical accounts. Slide 25 What Was
The Fundamentals? Obviously, an attempt to defend the core of
biblical Christianity, beginning with the Bible itself. The writers
were a miscellaneous collection of individuals employed ad hoc.
They never met, did not all work together, and did not constitute a
movement of any sort. More than anything, the series reflected the
concerns of the original planner, A. C. Dixon. Definitely NOT the
beginning of the fundamentalist movement. Laid some intellectual
groundwork. Slide 26 What about Fundamentals? The notion is as old
as the Regula Fidei. The Four Chief Symbols were attempts to
articulate fundamentals. The Reformers and their followers wrote
extensively about fundamental doctrines. The notion of fundamental
doctrines (and practices) received renewed emphasis during the
middle third of the 19 th century, especially by the Old School
Presbyterians. There was a widespread recognition of the necessity
of both primary and secondary separation. Slide 27 Separation
Primary separation is non-extension of Christian fellowship to
those who deny the gospel (by denying a fundamental). Secondary
separation of limitation of Christian fellowship at some level
toward brethren who reject some non- fundamental aspect of the
faith. Denominationalism is an example of secondary separation. So
was the division between Old and New School Presbyterians. Nearly
every Christian practices secondary separation somehow, but not
everyone will admit it. Slide 28 So What Was New, 1870-1920? There
was a new error, liberalism or modernism. This error arose within
the mainline denominations. There was a question as to how serious
the error was and how long it would persist. The original tendency
was to minimize the error, believing that the liberals would
outgrow it. By the time its gravity became evident, liberalism was
already well entrenched. The question now became one of continuing
to extend Christian fellowship to liberals.
