BJU?

A member of the Bible faculty told me that everyone on the Bible faculty was Reformed in theology. He later became pastor at a local church where rumor is that he ran into problems for preaching Calvinistic doctrine. Also, David Haynes, a NGC graduate, supposedly ran afoul of preaching Reformed theology at Gowensville Baptist Church. David, I understand, is now working back at NGC.

IMHO, the issue is still unclear and unresolved. It hinges on how Dr. Epting asked the question. Some will deny being Calvinistic or hyper-Calvinistic but they will hold to a Reformed identity. It all depends on how strongly they hold the five points or interpret them. Some holding Reformed (i.e. Calvinistic) theology are evangelistic.

At least, according to my information, all Bible faculty members believe in inspiration and inerrancy of the Scriptures. This has not always been true at NGC.

 

I believe you are correct Paid. The issue is still unclear and unresolved. David Hayes- (Haynes was a typo)I believe is back at NGC. His father Joe Hayes is a loyal, generous, faithful supporter of NGC,and a great Christian man. I would say your source is accurate concerning the inspiration and inerrancy beliefs of the faculty.
NGC is a fine instituion, and Dr. Epting is an outstanding leader. Can't go wrong with NGC.

 

Dr. Epting asked who in question to sign the statement? I would be concerned that faculty members were required to disavow the soteriology of Southern Baptist forebears such as Boyce, Broadus, the Manlys, and Mell.

BTW, so many make the charge of "hyper-Calvinism" against Calvinists. True Calvinists (speaking of soteriology) believe in and practice evangelism while holding to the sovereignty of God in His choosing of the elect. No one has ever charged Spurgeon with an unconcern for the lost, and he was a strong Calvinist, as was William Carey, the "father of modern missions." OTOH, hyper-Calvinists believe that it demeans the purity of the gospel to offer it permiscuously, that is, to the elect and the non-elect, a belief which obviously contradicts the Scriptures.

Back to NGC, I think it's a good school, and Dr. Epting has been instrumental in its resurrection. For someone living in upstate SC, that's the place to go for a Baptist, ministerial education.

Bill