Reformed Seminary, Orlando, FL Sells its Reformed Soul

          What’s the matter with Reformed Theological Seminary?  Does “Reformed” mean anything?  Confessionally?  The Westminster standards?  The Belgic Confession? The Scots Confession?  The Thirty-nine Articles?  This new move strongly suggests the “dumbing down” of Confessional commitments.

          Justin Taylor, John Piper, Acts 29 and Evangelical Free Churchmen at RTS?  Will Al Mohler establish “An Institute for Reformed Studies” at Southern (SBC) Seminary, Lexington, KY?  Will John Piper establish “An Institute for Confessional Anglican Studies” at his seminary in Bethlehem, MN?  John MacArthur frankly stated that he sought involvement with Ligonier Ministries to demonstrate that "Baptists were Reformed."  These parasites on Reformed studies proceed unilaterally and never bilaterally.

The Rev. Dr. Roger
Nicole, 1915-2010.

          The Rev. Dr. Roger Nicole was a family friend. He was kind, educated, humane, always a bit of a quiet jokester, and warm-hearted.  Was he a Christian?  He was pre-eminently Christian.  Why, of course.  Was he beloved?  Indeed and, in fact, more so than a good many crabbed Calvinists, especially the theonomic types...from such we pray, "Good Lord, deliver us!"  However, having said these few things about Dr. Nicole, he sinned by day and by night with his Anabaptistic errors.  As Robert Frost noted, "fences make for good neighbors."  Regrettably, American NAPARCers increasingly appear to have no fences and their Confessions are optional nice-to-haves, as needed now and then. 

            Further, RTS has now endorsed Anabaptist studies and must, of necessity, redefine their alleged Reformed Confessional commitments.   RTS, like Ligon Duncan and others, is suitably called Baptyerian.  Frankly, it is probably about market-share, finances, and advertising. 

http://www.rts.edu/virtual/newsevents/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1645

Details Announced for the Nicole Institute of Baptist Studies at RTS/Orlando

April 3, 2012

          Reformed Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the opening of The Nicole Institute of Baptist Studies on its Orlando campus for the 2012-13 academic year. The Nicole Institute was named in honor of Dr. Roger Nicole, renowned Reformed Baptist theologian who was a visiting faculty member on the Orlando campus from 1989-2000. He was part of a generation of scholars that led a renaissance of American evangelicalism in the mid-twentieth century. Dr. Nicole has long been regarded as one of the preeminent evangelical systematic theologians in North America.
          This institute provides Baptist and baptistic students the opportunity to learn the riches of Reformed theology and piety while also developing a robust Baptist vision of the church and its ministry. As such, it furthers the on-going mission of RTS: to prepare leaders for the church who are marked with “a mind for truth, and a heart for God.” The institute was approved last spring by the executive committee of the board of RTS.
          In announcing the institute’s launch, RTS Orlando President, Don Sweeting said, “RTS is unique as a seminary in that it is a non-denominational, yet confessional theological seminary that seeks to serve churches in all branches of evangelical Christianity. The Nicole Institute of Baptist Studies will be an important part of our campus in training pastors and leaders for the global 21st century church.”
          There are four primary aspects of this institute:
1) The M.Div. track substitute courses along with occasional electives
2) Campus visits by several Baptist pastors each year to interact with students about ministry
3) A Spurgeon Lectureship held biannually on campus
4) Mentoring partner churches at which these students could serve
          The speaker for the inaugural Spurgeon Lectureship will be Dr. John Piper, popular author and pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in the Minneapolis area. The lecture, which is open to the public, will be Wednesday evening, April 10, 2013, on the RTS Orlando campus. Dr. Piper will speak on “The Life and Ministry of Charles Spurgeon.”
          “To have John Piper speak on Spurgeon,” commented Sweeting, “well, it doesn’t get any better than that. And we are thrilled with the guest faculty who will be with us for the opening of the Nicole Institute.”
          RTS Orlando has posted the schedule for the initial core courses of the institute, which includes:
          • Baptist Confessions (January 14-18, 2013) will be the first class offered in     the January term and taught by Dr. Tom Nettles of the Southern Baptist       Theological Seminary. This class is a survey of the major Baptist   confessions and their Reformed backgrounds.
          • Baptist Theology of Ministry (January 6-10, 2014) will be taught the   following January term by Dr. Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in         Cape Coral, Fla. and founder of the Baptist Founder’s Movement. The         course seeks to familiarize students with different paradigms of Baptist ministry while promoting a Reformed Baptist understanding of the primacy of the church.
          • Baptist Polity (January 13-17, 2014) will be taught by Dr. Samuel        Waldron, currently on faculty at Midwest Center for Theological Studies and          pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Owensboro, Ky. This course surveys        different approaches to polity in Baptist life and seeks to promote a   distinctively Reformed Baptist governance that is both biblical and practical.
          • Baptist History (February 21-22, 2014) will be taught by Dr. Michael   Haykin of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. This is a survey of   Baptist history from its English roots to present day American expressions.
          The interim director of the Nicole Institute is Baptist pastor Andy Aikens, RTS Orlando alumnus and pastor of Grace Community Church in St. Cloud. Commenting on the institute Aikens said, “Ever since my days as a student under Dr. Nicole, I have dreamed of a more focused ministry to the Baptist students attending RTS. To that end, we have assembled some of the best Reformed Baptist pastors, theologians and historians to teach in this program. In addition, we are enlisting gifted Reformed Baptist, independent, Acts 29, Evangelical Free and other pastors to mentor incoming students. Join us as we seek to encourage and strengthen our Baptist and independent churches across Florida, the US, and around the world.”

          Others have commended the new institute as well. “When I first heard about the inauguration of The Nicole Institute of Baptist Studies, my heart leapt,” says Nicole biographer Dr. David W. Bailey, author of Speaking the Truth in Love: The Life and Legacy of Roger Nicole. “Reformed students in the Baptist tradition will now have the advantages of an RTS education coupled with an emphasis on their own historical and doctrinal distinctives. Dr. Nicole loved Reformed Theological Seminary, and he loved Baptist students. Naming the institute for this beloved father in the faith is a testament to the Seminary's enduring commitment to produce graduates who, like Roger Nicole, have 'a mind for truth, and a heart for God.’”
          RTS students such as Justin Taylor, well-known Gospel Coalition blogger, are equally as excited: “I thank God for the education I have receive at RTS, and I am thrilled at the launch of The Nicole Institute of Baptist Studies.”
          More information about the Nicole Institute can be found by going to the website: www.rts.edu/orlando/nibs.

Retrenchment and Joy: An Afternoon with Roger Nicole in a Season of Accumulation

Retrenchment and Joy: An Afternoon with Roger Nicole in a Season of Accumulation

It was with particular eagerness that Dr. Nicole recited from memory as I read the last part of the psalm. “My body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay…….


Most students I know are in a season of accumulation. Some are married with growing families. They need more furniture. They often need more space. They are also buying more books.

Since many of these students will be pastors, book and study tool accumulation is important. Books are a key part of a pastor’s workshop. Pastors need an adequate personal library to help them direct a church, study the Bible, and think through all kinds of issues.

Just as a first rate carpenter needs excellent tools for his craft, so pastors need a thoroughly equipped tool bench as well. Blessed is the church that gives their pastor a book buying budget so they can have a first rate tools for their craft.

Lately I’ve had the privilege of spending time with some senior saints nearing the end of their public ministries. Each of them reminded me of the limits of accumulation.

It started a few years ago with my own father who had been a pastor and then president and chancellor of Moody Bible Institute. In trying to downsize, he was giving away about a third of his library. I thought to myself—“dad, you can’t give away all those precious books!” But at his age and stage it was appropriate, and forced me to think about the seasons of life.

Not long after that conversation, I had the privilege spending time with John Stott after he ended his public ministry. Stott was a pastor, Bible teacher and according to Billy Graham “the most respected evangelical clergy men in the world today.” But in his 80s he was confined to an Anglican rest home for retired ministers. He had only one room with a bed, a desk and a sitting area for meeting visitors. His library was quite small. His eyesight was failing and he used a walker. Again, a sense of the seasons of ministry and their impermanence hit me.

Several weeks ago, I had the privilege of spending time with another great senior saint—Roger Nicole who lives in a retirement home in central Florida. Roger is professor emeritus of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Orlando. He is a native Swiss Reformed Baptist theologian. He has been long regard as one of the preeminent theologians in America.

Roger earned two doctoral degrees, one from Gordon and one from Harvard. He was a founding member and past president of ETS, and has authored or co-authored countless articles and fifty plus books. Roger once had a massive library with many rare books. Several years ago he gave a large portion of that library to the seminary. RTS now houses the Roger Nicole collection.

Dr. Nicole is now in his 90s. While he can’t hear well, his mind is extremely sharp. In our conversation he kept speaking about life’s “retrenchment.”

Used of an organization, the word “retrenchment” refers to a reduction in costs or spending in response to an economic downturn. But used more generally it refers to reducing something, scaling back, downsizing.

Roger spoke thankfully about the way God had blessed his life, but now he was in a season of retrenchment. He is still miffed that he was only allowed to bring 150 of his books into his assisted living room.

Then he spoke about the other things he has given up. He said, “I don’t have classes anymore,” (it was plain he missed his students). He added, “and I don’t have Annette anymore,” (his beloved wife who died several years ago). Then he spoke of losing some of his abilities—his hearing loss bothers him most.

For many of us, encounters with a senior saint like this can be wonderfully instructive.

For while this retrenchment business may not be our present experience, it will soon be. There is wisdom in occasionally looking down the road.

It is so easy to define ourselves by our stuff. Students building their libraries do so in their season of accumulation. Educators enjoy the pleasures of being surrounded by our books and take pride in our libraries. As I write this on Black Friday, we stand at the beginning of our annual season of accumulation—the Christmas shopping spree has begun. And it’s all about getting more.

Roger’s emphasis on “retrenchment” was a one word warning at the beginning of a new holiday season that soon all these things will be stripped away. For as Scripture reminds us, “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6.7).

Dr. Nicole spoke of his own retrenchment, not with deep complaint, but with a proper sense of realism and lament that comes from any loss. There was melancholy in his voice as he reminisced about days gone by and noted what he no longer had. But then he paused in the conversation. And with all the vigor of his French accented English emphatically exclaimed–“but I have joy.” And this, he said, could not be taken away! Not only that, but Dr. Nicole clearly understood that his present retrenchment is a season as well.

We ended our visit by opening up the Scriptures and reading together from Psalm 16.
That great psalm begins—“Keep my safe, O God, for in you I take refuge….I said to the LORD, “You are my LORD, apart from you I have no good thing…….You have assigned me my portion and my cup…….Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.”

It was with particular eagerness that Dr. Nicole recited from memory as I read the last part of the psalm. “My body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay……. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Seeing beyond our seasons of accumulation and retrenchment, Dr. Nicole clearly had his eye on yet another season, which for him, seemed just around the corner.

Another Tribute: Dr. Nicole, Professor Emeritus from both Reformed and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaries, Called Home to Glory

Hat tip to Reasonable Christian at: http://reasonablechristian.blogspot.com/2010/12/dr-nicole-professor-emeritus-from-both.html which yields the following:

Dr. Nicole, Professor Emeritus from both Reformed and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaries, Called Home to Glory

Lyn Perez, Chief Communications Officer for Reformed Theological Seminary has released information of the passing of Dr. Roger Nicole on Saturday evening, December 11.

Dr. Roger Nicole went to be with the Lord this evening December 11, 2010. Born in 1915, he was a native Swiss Reformed theologian with an M.A. from Sorbonne, a Th.D. from Gordon Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Harvard University,

Dr. Nicole has long been regarded as one of the preeminent theologians in America. As a bibliophile and distinguished librarian, his personal collection includes Calvin's Commentaries on the Gospels and Acts published during Calvin's lifetime and many other rare volumes from the 1500s and 1600s.

He was an associate editor for the New Geneva Study Bible and a corresponding editor for Christianity Today. He assisted in the translation of the NIV Bible, is a past president of the Evangelical Theological Society, and was a founding member of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. He has written over 100 articles and contributed to 50 books and reference works. Students esteem him highly for his approachability and wisdom.

Dr. Nicole was Professor Emeritus at both Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando Florida where his personal library of over 20,000 volumes make up a special collection at RTS.

The date and time of his memorial service will be posted on the Reformed Theological Seminary website when the information becomes available. See www.rts.edu

Be sure to read Dr. Don Sweeting's reflections on an afternoon visit with Dr. Nicole just two weeks ago at: http://theaquilareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3477:retrenchment-and-joy-an-afternoon-with-roger-nicole-in-a-season-of-accumulation&catid=49:people&Itemid=132

Roger Nicole (1915–2010) — A Reflection from R.C. Sproul by R.C. Sproul | Ligonier Ministries Blog

Roger Nicole (1915–2010) — A Reflection from R.C. Sproul by R.C. Sproul Ligonier Ministries Blog

Roger Nicole (1915–2010) — A Reflection from R.C. Sproul
from R.C. Sproul

One of the great titans of the Christian faith died this weekend. I’m speaking of Dr. Roger Nicole, who at age 95 ended his earthly pilgrimage and has now entered into the joy of his Lord. While no doubt joyful for him, it is a very heavy thing to hear, as Dr. Nicole is, as far as I’m concerned, one of the legendary voices for the Reformed faith in the past century.

I had the unspeakable privilege of serving with Dr. Nicole on joint faculties, at two different theological seminaries, Gordon-Conwell in Boston, Massachusetts and Reformed Theological Seminary, here in Orlando. In recent years, he and his wife Annette also worshipped with us frequently at St. Andrew’s.

The respect that Roger engendered among scholars and among students was unparalleled. The contributions that he has made are profound. Here was a man with encyclopedic knowledge of the things of God, a mastery of the classics, and a rapier mind that could penetrate to the depths of theological and philosophical considerations and also a man who was known for his remarkable irenic spirit. He was avuncular, with a vengeance; he was a kind and gentle man.

I could talk all day about anecdotes from my friendship and knowledge of Roger over the years. One of the things that I think captures him is when I once asked him if he agreed with a particular point and he said, “My dear brother, I think not.” I thought that was an unusual way to answer, and I asked him why he said, “I think not.” His reply was, “because I don’t want to say ‘I don’t think,’ I don’t want people to think that I don’t think.” That’s so typical of him. He always had a mischievous look in his eye, a kind of gentle impish spirit that so wonderfully accompanied his brilliance.

As his last hours on earth approached, I know that Roger wanted to go home, to be in the presence of Christ, to be again with his beloved Annette, who pre-deceased him by a couple of years. And so I hope that you will thank God for His grace in gifting the church with such a servant as Roger. He has gained heaven and the church has lost a choice servant.

Roger Nicole (1915-2010) – Justin Taylor

An excellent collection of resources on one of Israel's Field Commanders. This blog ever so rarely will post anything about a Baptist or by a Baptist, viewed as schismatics or sectarians. When exceptions are noted, they are noted. Dr. Roger Nicole is an exception including his egregious errors about baptism and the Prayer Book. Beyond that, this man was a gentleman's gentleman, well loved. A friend of this scribe's family. (Dad passed 23 Mar 2010, ten years the junior of his Professor...Dad loved Dr. Nicole.)

Roger Nicole (1915-2010) – Justin Taylor

Another Tribute to Dr. Nicole from Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk

Do You Know Roger Nicole?

"Speaking The Truth in Love: The Life and Legacy of Roger Nicole"
CES mentor Dr. David W. Bailey has written a biography of Roger Nicole. I had the privilege of reading the book while it was in manuscript form, and I asked Dr. Bailey if he'd like to share some of his book with my CT readers . . . He did . . . here it is below.

Do you know Roger Nicole? If you are a Reformed Baptist you might, though probably not. Southern Baptists, whose latter twentieth century denominational record was one of intense struggle over the nature of Scripture, owe a debt to Roger Nicole that most would not recognize.

If you have ever read from the NIV Bible, you have encountered him, for he was an assistant translator for that version.

He was a founding member of both the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy and the Evangelical Theological Society (of which he is a past president).

His family history, academic career, and Christian statesmanship are the stuff of legend. Perhaps most lists of influential twentieth-century theologians would overlook this remarkable “man of God,” a title conferred by no less an evangelical commentator than David F. Wells (he dedicated his 1985 release Reformed Theology in America simply “to Roger Nicole, a man of God”). If this oversight should occur, I am convinced it would be the result of a regrettable unawareness of the man and of his impact on Christian theology. I ask the reader to permit me a personal observation before I proceed.

A strange thing happens when I read William F. Buckley Jr. Since I am a political conservative, he is one of my favorite authors. But Buckley has this paradoxical effect on me: when I encounter his thoughts in print, I feel both more intelligent and less intelligent at the same time. His mind is massive, a fact that does not escape Buckley himself (John Leonard, in his introduction to a collection of Buckley essays, recalled the following exchange when the political analyst appeared on the television show Laugh-In: "Mr. Buckley I notice that on your own program you're always sitting down. Is this because you can't think on your feet?" Buckley paused for a moment, then replied, "It is hard . . . to stand up . . . under the weight . . . of all that I know." [Happy Days Were Here Again, xix]) One just feels smarter after reading Buckley. In fact, during the week prior to my oral comprehensive exam at the completion of my doctoral studies, I read Buckley to steel myself for the coming intellectual challenge. Encountering such a mind stretches one's own. But at the same time, there is a sense of humiliation when I read Buckley, for I realize that my own mental prowess is paltry by comparison. And what cerebral acumen I do possess I have not improved as I should.

This smarter/dumber paradox faced me whenever I was with Roger Nicole. His mind, like Buckley's, is legendary (though Nicole's own Christian humility would demur at the description). Pastor and author John Piper once quoted Nicole’s affirmation of John Owen as the greatest theologian who has ever written in the English language. Piper recalled that Nicole paused in the midst of his presentation and said that Owen was ‘even greater than the great Jonathan Edwards.’ “That really caught my attention,” said Piper, “because I am sure Nicole has read more of those two greats than most theologians and pastors have.” Nicole always assumed I knew more about whatever subject we discussed than was actually the case. I am not sure if my T.Q. (theological quotient) ever advanced more than a point or two, but I felt like a world-class scholar for having been in his presence. Simultaneously, as names, facts, figures, dates, and personages rolled effortlessly off Nicole's tongue, I was sure that no Ph.D., pastor, and sometime professor was as utterly ignorant as I!

Who is Roger Nicole? Why should one read his biography? These are valid questions. Until the summer of 1997, I, too, was unfamiliar with the nonagenarian Swiss theologian, mathematics devotee, world-class bibliophile (his personal library contains, among other gems, a copy of the first edition of Heinrich Bullinger’s Decades, published in 1552), and acknowledged expert in the thought of Reformation leader John Calvin. Nicole was for decades an avid philatelist, with an encyclopedic knowledge of the hobby and a personal collection of approximately one million stamps. He enjoys reading detective novels. He was named to Who’s Who, and served as Associate Editor for the New Geneva Study Bible and Corresponding Editor for Christianity Today. Nicole holds two earned doctorates (a Doctor of Theology from Gordon Divinity School and a Doctor of Philosophy from Harvard University). He helped draft the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and he is a biblical egalitarian. Nicole defies classification. Though you may not recognize the name, you have likely encountered him, indirectly if not directly. He has contributed articles to reference works that are probably on your library shelves or in your computer hard drive. The more I got to know Roger Nicole, the more I learned as a theological student and pastor. And the more I got to know the man, the more I knew his story must be told.

Nicole is an amiable man. His genuine love for persons is immediately evident. He converses as effortlessly with a five-year old child as with an academic colleague. This derives, in part, from his mature Christian humility. Speaking of several great theologians, Nicole quipped, “God works with big shots and with little shots, like me; He is not an elitist. God makes His people elite, but He does not demand elitism as a precondition for working with persons.” When I approached him about the prospect of a biography, his response was typical: “I don’t know if I am important enough, but if a biography were done, I would want it to glorify God rather than me.” The author’s prayer is the same: that the God Who molded and fitted and gifted Roger Nicole for kingdom service might be praised for His goodness. For, indeed, God was good to His church when He gave her this “mind in love with God.”

This is the story of a life, a Christian life, a Christian theologian's life. It traces the “footprints of God” throughout the lifetime of Roger Nicole, those providential connections in a life that form the basis of a valid Christian biography. The title, chosen by Nicole, is instructive, for it encapsulates the man and his ministry: speaking the truth in love. Fittingly, it is a biblical quotation (Ephesians 4:15), extracted from a context concerning Christian maturity. Nicole's existence has been marked by commitment to Scripture, progress in sanctification, and instruction of the church in the same. The title is also striking because it reveals the balance that is so characteristic of Roger Nicole. Truth is always expected of evangelical, Reformed theologians; love, sadly, is often neither found in nor required of them. In Nicole, the church and the academy have a happy mixture of both truth and love.

Dr. David W. Bailey's soon-to-be-released biography on Dr. Nicole can be viewed by clicking here: Speaking the Truth in Love: The Life and Legacy of Roger Nicole (Solid Ground Christian Books).



Here are just a few endorsements:

"This is a moving tribute to one who has been valiant for the truthfulness of God's Word throughout his whole life. Not only is the measure of the man included, but amazing story here is the way Dr. Nicole's life has intersected with almost all the major events of the evangelical world in the past three-quarters of a century. It is a vivid reminder of the faithfulness of God and the bold necessity of ever speaking the truth in love both to those both who are part of the household of faith and those who are not."—Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.

"Awesome for brain power, learning and wisdom, endlessly patient and courteous in his gentle geniality, and beloved by a multitude as pastor, mentor and friend, veteran Reformed theologian Roger Nicole comes beautifully to life in this warm-hearted biographical tribute. Thank you, David Bailey."—Dr. James I. Packer

"This enjoyable biography of Dr. Roger Nicole flows along in a novel-like way, which makes it more than simply a documentation of facts, dates, and events. Truly, this book is a page-turner, and one that--to my pleasant surprise--led me to many smiles and chuckles along the way. Surprisingly, this book is also a theology text. For although the author does not set out to simply list the theological propositions of his subject, the reader finds himself being theologically taught (or at least challenged) by Dr. Nicole as he takes, as it were, a long, leisurely stroll with him. Along with some well-stated tautologies that made me laugh out loud ("Among Protestants it ought not to be a terrible thing to be protesting"), this book was inspirational as well as educational. This is perhaps the most enlightening biography I have ever read and certainly one of the most entertaining. In a genre that this reader has not seen before, Dr. Bailey writes in such a way that one wonders at times where Dr. Bailey stops narrating and Dr. Nicole muses on certain fascinating events in his own life. This blending is seamless as we journey through The Life and Legacy of Roger Nicole, a man who indeed spoke and is still speaking the truth in love."—Dr. Rick Walston

"David W. Bailey has collected all the available material on Roger Nicole to write this biography in which he reveals to the reader a person of intellectual superiority who has been blessed with a photographic memory, a joyful disposition, and a pleasing sense of gentle humor. Bailey exposes the legacy of a man whose aim in life has been to teach and defend the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures. We are indebted to Bailey for sharing with us the influence of a man who as a master theologian in the Reformed persuasion has done more than many other theologians to promote sound biblical research."— Dr. Simon Kistemaker

Growing Grace-full: A Tribute to Dr. Roger Nicole

This is a most helpful reflection. Dr. Nicole has something to teach Anglican Bishops and other "title-mongers". "Brother" worked for Dr. Nicole as well as. Bishop Herter of the old REC. Bishop Herter, another godly brother (and Dr.) called us "brothers." We still called him "Bishop" but he was "brotherly" and we got it. Cannot say that for the REC lads and arrogant yahoos of the last decade. The "title-mongerer" is an understatement as these men scrambled for titles in their downward spiral. It was awful, but thankfully, we have better benchmarks like Drs. Nicole and Herter. Dr. Nicole, Requiescat in pace, nostra frater.

Growing Grace-full: Bénédictions sur Vous, mon Frère

A MOST BLESSED BROTHER AND FATHER in the faith died yesterday. There will be many places that one can find words on the contours of his life and the arc and trajectory of the ministry God gave him. But here you will find only a reflection.

Brother Roger Nicole (his title of preference) last wrote for Tabletalk this past February (we had hoped to have him interviewed for an upcoming issue—the request was out, but I don't think it was completed). Back in August 2009, he called me a few times regarding his February 2010 article; and a couple of times he left voicemails. I saved them, first, because the Roger Nicole was calling (and how often does one get such a thing from a theologian of his caliber?), and, second, I thought to myself, who knows how long he'll be around? So I wanted an audio record of him and his unforgettable thick accent (which grew thicker with age).

My experiences with Professor Nicole go back well before last year, however. When I arrived on the Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) campus in 2000, one of the first classes I signed up for was his seminar on the Westminster Assembly. Beyond that, and a few reading electives, I found myself often sitting across from him in his office (with his highly prized and ancient monographs behind him) discussing the contours of Christian theology, especially of the Reformation period, and especially on the doctrine of the atonement.

It wasn't at all unusual to be discussing this or that finer point of theology with him (me often struggling to make sure I got everything he was saying, because, seriously, he would ramble on in encyclopedic fashion—that and his aged accent made it difficult), and then suddenly he'd jump up directing you to follow him, at a quick pace, downstairs to the library, which library housed his personal library of some 20,000 volumes. At the time, his collection was uncategorized, except for in his mind. On these occasions, he'd lead you right to a book (or books) that dealt with the exact topic you've just been speaking about. (How he remembered where everything was, I'll never know. I have problems with my own 700-volume library.) His gift of a first-print edition of John Milton's De Doctrina Christiana in English (1825) stands as one testimony to such occurences (he also imparted his secret about how he obtained so many books without it breaking him).

As far as I could tell, he thrived in this atmosphere, spending genuine time with students, gently challenging their assumptions, and pointing them in directions he hoped they'd go. And he did this, it seemed, primarily because he loved the Christ of God and the people for whom that Christ atoned. I know he sometimes dreamed about writing more, but for whatever reason it never materialized. Quite incommensurate with his lack of celebrity status is his lasting legacy in Christ's kingdom, for he has touched the lives of countless would-be pastors and teachers who went on to serve God's people face to face.

May his love for Christ and his church—manifested in his passion for the Holy Scriptures, his exactness regarding the doctrine of the atonement, his allegiance to the God revealed in his Word, his desire for true Christian unity, the gentleness with which he dealt with doctrinal differences, and his concern for biblical equality among all people in the church—be ever true of us.

Modern Reformation - Dr. Roger Nicole, "What is the Future of Evangelicalism? A Personal History"

Modern Reformation - Articles

What is the Future of Evangelicalism? A Personal History
Roger R. Nicole

As the articles in this issue of Modern Reformation suggest, evangelicalism is experiencing a change in seasons: former evangelical statesmen are passing from the scene, new evangelicals don't seem to rally around the same issues and ideas as their forefathers, and it's increasingly difficult (if it was ever really possible) to identify clearly what an evangelical is. If you have any warm feelings at all about evangelicalism, you want some answers: Where is evangelicalism going? Who better to turn to for answers than the individuals whose lives and work helped create and shape evangelicalism. Modern Reformation is honored to include the reflections of these evangelical leaders, pastors, and scholars as we seek to understand our own time and the future of the evangelical expression of Christianity.

In the 1840s, my grandfather's grandfather was part of a movement to accentuate evangelicalism in Geneva, Switzerland. My grandfather, a Greek professor at the Geneva University, also favored this movement over the state church. My father, Rev. Albert Nicole (1873-1966), sensing God's call to the pulpit, studied in the evangelical seminary founded by Louis Gaussen and J. Merle d'Aubigne. My father went on to minister in evangelical churches in France, Germany, and Switzerland, becoming a well-known evangelical minister.

In 1915, I was born in Geneva; and as soon as I was capable to read, I received a New Testament and soon afterward joined the International Youth League for Reading the Scriptures. Before going to seminary, I gave special study to the inspiration and the sovereign decision of God and to the Gospel of John and to Acts. In 1935, I took the course of Bible study in the Institut Biblique of Nogent/Marne, and in 1937 received the M.A. in classical studies from the Sorbonne. In 1938, I went to the United States to study theology in a "school of faith" (Gordon Divinity School, which later became Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) instead of a "school of doubt," graduating in 1943 with a Th.D and later completing a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Two years after I became professor of evangelical theology at Gordon Divinity School in 1946, I prepared a statement of Evangelical Faith for Gordon and soon after became one of the founding members (I am now the last surviving one) of the Foundation of the Evangelical Theological Society. Years later, between 1978 and 1988, I was a member of the International Committee on the Inerrancy of Scripture, issuing in a carefully detailed statement on the nature of biblical inerrancy. I also produced written statements on biblical inspiration and on the atonement, many of which were republished in my collected writings, Standing Forth (Christian Focus, 2002). Finally, between 2002 and 2007, I was the major prosecutor in the discussion of the question whether "open theism" was compatible with biblical inerrancy.

Given my long evangelical history, here are some thoughts I would like to share:

•Do not embrace any modification of the strong expression of the ETS rule as supported by the Chicago Statement of 1978. This statement has served the ETS well and has permitted the rallying of sound evangelical forces against dangerous non-evangelical views.

•Over the past fifty years, many evangelical apologetics have been characterized by a hostile attitude and a strident tone. Neither of those is necessary, or even effective, in the maintenance or defense of the Christian truth.

•In attempting to evaluate why I was unsuccessful in my argument, I realized I was succeeding in winning a debate and failing in the process to keep some friends that I had. Thus, for the thirtieth anniversary of my occupation of the chair of dogmatics at Gordon-Conwell, I prepared questions I needed to keep in mind in order to be more congenial to those with whom I disagreed: "Polemical Theology or How to Deal with Those with Whom We Disagree" has now been published in at least three different journals and can also be found in Standing Forth.

•Evangelicals have too often chosen to deal with those who differ from them with personal hostility. The result has been meager success in the acceptance by others of their evangelical stance. In view of the remarkable growth and acceptance of the evangelical position as a possible option, it is time to concentrate on the winning over of heretofore disagreeing people rather than to make their position unacceptable. If we have a welcoming and winsome method for encouraging the acceptance of the biblical nature of our viewpoint, it is likely we will have better success of convincing them.

Dr. Roger R. Nicole is professor of theology (emeritus) at Reformed Theological Seminary.

Honoring the 95th Birthday of Dr. Roger Nicole by Karisa Schlehr | Ligonier Ministries Blog

My Dad's Professor for three years.

Honoring the 95th Birthday of Dr. Roger Nicole by Karisa Schlehr Ligonier Ministries Blog

Widely recognized as one of the great Reformed theologians of the last seventy years, we want to honor the 95th birthday of Dr. Roger R. Nicole.

A native Swiss Reformed theologian with an M.A. from Sorbonne, a Th.D. from Gordon Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Harvard University, Dr. Nicole has long been regarded as one of the preeminent theologians in America. As a bibliophile and distinguished librarian, his personal collection includes Calvin’s Commentaries on the Gospels and Acts published during Calvin’s lifetime and many other rare volumes from the 1500s and 1600s. He was an associate editor for the New Geneva Study Bible and a corresponding editor for Christianity Today. He assisted in the translation of the NIV Bible, is a past president of the Evangelical Theological Society, and was a founding member of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. Dr. Nicole is also professor emeritus of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., He has written over 100 articles and contributed to 50 books and reference works. Students esteem him highly for his approachability and wisdom.

Articles by Dr. Nicole:

“Christ, Our Righteousness”
From the February 2010 issues of Tabletalk magazine dealing with “What N.T. Wright Really Said”, Dr. Nicole addresses Wright on the pastoral irrelevance of Jesus’ active obedience to the Law.

“Dealing with Differences”
Writing from the perspective of an older Christian addressing the upcoming generation, Dr. Nicole offer thoughts on how to deal with those who differ from us.

“God in the Dock: The Apologetics of C.S. Lewis”
C.S. Lewis defended the faith both from within the church and without. From The Screwtape Letters to Mere Christianity, The Abolition of Man, and God in the Dock, Lewis showed himself to be a man preeminently concerned with the veracity and virility of Christianity. In this article, Dr. Nicole examines the apologetics of C.S. Lewis.