Dr. Craig Blaising Evaluates Rev. Ellsworth's Shift to Eastern Orthodoxy

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/files/2012/02/Craig-Blaising-A-Response-to-Eastern-Orthodoxy-sample-chapter1.pdf

A Baptist, Craig Blaising, evaluates the theological and ecclesiastical move of a fellow Baptist, Rev. Wilbur Ellsworth, from a Baptist ministry to the Eastern Orthodox priesthood. A catalyst was the shallow worship of Baptists, he claims.  Ellsworth was in the seeker-sensitive tradition of enthusiast and pop religion. Then, the usual issues of sacraments, tradition, icons and other issues are raised by Blaising.

Andi Naselli: Converting to Evangelicalism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Romanism, and Anglicanism

http://andynaselli.com/converting?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nasellitheology+%28Andy+Naselli%29

 

Converting to Evangelicalism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Anglicanism

Posted by Andy Naselli on Feb 22, 2012

This book releases on March 6:

Robert L. Plummer, ed. Journeys of Faith: Evangelicalism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Anglicanism. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.

Here’s an interview about the book that Rob posted on his blog.

The book is a fascinating read. It’s helpful to hear directly from the “converts.”

Scot McKnight mentions in the foreword, “If you are worried about numbers, they are still on the side of Evangelicals: more convert to Evangelicalism than away from it into Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches” (p. 10).

Rob, a NT professor at Southern Seminary, concludes the book by sharing a troubling question that his wife asked him: “What if someone reads your book and converts to Catholicism?” (p. 223).

Could my book encourage some readers to embrace a theological tradition that, if given the opportunity, I would personally discourage them from pursuing? The question continued to trouble me. I discussed the matter with a colleague, who noted that Evangelicals are going to either help set the terms of this discussion or simply react to others.

• Personally, I’d rather help make sure all sides have a fair hearing.
• Moreover, going back at least to the Reformation, Christians have a long history of publishing academic disputes of this sort. This genre of writing should be understood as in no way implying a contributor’s approval of anyone’s view except those explicitly expressed by him.
• Indeed, most contributors to this book see themselves as disagreeing on fundamentally irreconcilable issues.

• Is the pope the rightful head of the Christian church?
• Is justification a forensic declaration?
• Is it appropriate, or even commendable, to use icons in Christian worship?
• Is special grace communicated to participants in the Lord’s Supper, and if so, in what way?

People often find that for which they search. Yet what would I like for readers to take with them from this book? I can think of several things:

1. I hope readers are able to recognize with greater sympathy the complex motivations which influence conversions to other Christian traditions.
2. I want readers who are struggling with the desire to leave their tradition to feel both more understood and, in many cases, more hesitant.
3. I hope that all Christians would find in this volume a model of peaceable ecumenical dialogue. (pp. 223–24, formatting added)