David Wells: Thoughts on the Disappearance of Theology, 1-20.

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1. Some observations on an heavy-hitter, Dr. David Wells, and his worked entitled “No Place for Truth: Or, Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?” (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 1-20. Dr. Wells has two credible, earned doctorates and taught theology for years. One has to ponder him long and hard. Why? He's already done the decades of pondering.

2. A weighty question made more stunning by the passage of 17 years since the publication. Emergent churches, rampant Neo-Montanism (Pentecostalism), Arminian and non-Confessional evangelicalism, non-liturgical worship, worship frenzism with "Shine Jesus Shine" and drum kits, Rick Warren and Joel Osteen, for starters. Some forum members have used the term "evangellifishdom."

3. Dr. Wells laments entering seminary students with little connections with the past, little knowledge of literature, philosophy, history and even the ability to write a “research paper.”

4. Simple remedy: establish strong pre-seminary requirements for entrance including 1 year of Greek and Hebrew. Create a pre-seminary equivalent of the GRE. Also, let seminary students enter doing exegesis rather than vocabularies, paradigms and syntax. If not ready, offer one-year of remedial work at the seminary prior to entrance to graduate theological work.

5. The question is not whether there will be a theology, but rather will it be a good or bad one. The biblical writers and Jesus had theology. "No Creed but Christ" is ridiculous. What can and do you confess with words, life and piety?

6. Dr. Wells has watched “with growing disbelief” as the evangelical church has passed into “theological illiteracy.” Evidences: entering seminary students, most evangelical publications, and their churches. Quite a statement by the Professor. He also lays blame on the churches for this. Ouch! Also, secularization and relativism. We would add failures to catechetize children and youth. And failures to offer collegians and young adults serious but accessible studies in Sunday School, such as R.C. Sproul's video materials. Churches will have to own up to their problem.

7. A quote: “The stream of historic orthodoxy that once watered the evangelical soul is now damned by a worldliness that many fail to recognize as worldliness because of the cultural innocence with which it presents itself.” Ouch again, Professor. Rubbing the behind with that spanking.

8. What is disappearing is the "passion for truth."

9. As for passion, we may well speak of “lovelessness” and “lukewarmness” for God’s Self-disclosure. Also, a substantial love of “my experience” over truth, notably amongst the Montanists. Dr. Wells, however, has a wide audience in view. Ouch, Dr. Not so hard,

10. God is sovereign and just in all His judgments. And His mercy extends to believers, their children and offspring, as many as the Lord our call shall call, to those who love Him.