My journey into Reformedom began in the theological liberalism of a PCUSA church in the midwest. My first exposure to more "conservative" Reformed thinking came from Francis Schaeffer, Lorraine Boettner, and AW Pink, but there can be little doubt - RC Sproul is my spiritual father. His writings and teachings were the milk that I grew up on.
These days I don't read or listen to much Sproul - not because I am "beyond" his thinking, but because he is a foundation layer. He dug the hole and laid down the cement, but the house is being built with other materials. Nothing more, nothing less.
I start with this preamble because I have enormous affection for RC. I mean, he is just the best communicator we have - even if I don't always agree with everything he says. That said, I am puzzled by him in some respects over the past several years - and wish I could get him behind closed doors and ask him about some stuff. Namely:
- RC, was there grace in the garden pre-fall? Isn't Meredith Kline over-reaching with his purely legalistic conception of covenant?
- RC, wasn't the obedience required by Adam pre-fall an obedience of faith? In other words, the covenant of works was supposed to be kept by Adam trusting in God, right?
- RC, isn't Reformedom different from Lutheranism because we posit a letter / spirit dichotomy instead of a law / gospel dichotomy?
- RC, isn't Richard Gaffin right to say that imputation has "no discrete structure of its own" outside of union with Christ?
- RC, don't you think that the Thornwellian / southern Presbyterian view of the sacraments was an aberration from the Calvinian understanding as reflected in the WCF? Isn't this aberration what is causing problems now within the PCA and OPC?
- RC, don't you think that NT Wright is simply a non-Reformed Christian who we can learn greatly from?
- RC, do you really think Norman Shepherd should be anathemtized for trying to wrestle with faith and works in their covenantal context - even if his articulations could be refined?
- RC, what's with the wacky theological divisions represented at WCF East and West? Lillback on one side of spectrum, Horton on the other? What's with Frame leaving for RTS?
- RC, do you really think it was an example of Christian charity to not share platform with JI Packer given his reasons for signing the ECT document?
- RC, why won't you use your weight to calm the waters over some of these FV / AAT / NPP issues by encouraging dialogue instead of invectives?
That's what I want to know, RC.
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