I happened to glance at the program for the upcoming 62nd Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and noticed something interesting. The theme for this year’s meeting is Justification by Faith. Not, mind you, Justification by Faith Alone as you would expect from an evangelical organization, but simply Justification by Faith.
According to the letter from the Program Chairman and President-Elect of ETS, Clinton E. Arnold,
This year’s meeting provides us with the opportunity to give renewed consideration to the meaning and significance of the doctrine of Justification by Faith. Thirty years have now elapsed since “The New Perspective on Paul” emerged and challenged the Lutheran and Reformed understandings of justification and a host of related doctrines. Some have argued that the newer views have compromised the integrity of the gospel. Advocates of the New Perspective, however, claim that their views more accurately reflect the teaching of the Bible and,specifically, Paul’s teaching on justification. The rich variety of papers devoted to this year’s theme will no doubt help us all to better understand the issues and help us think through the richness of this important doctrine.
This is a disgrace. The Apostle Paul refused “to yield submission even for an hour” to false brethren who taught a false gospel of faith and works. He hurled anathemas at them. He said of them they, “want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” But the folks at ETS are too gentlemanly for such language. No, instead they invite wolf, false brother and perverter of the gospel N.T. Wright (he’s one of the plenary speakers at the conference) to spread his heresy at the ETS annual conference, and all this without a hint of rebuke. Even the title of the conference “Justification by Faith” is a concession to Wright’s false teaching. The Reformation was all about justification by faith ALONE, but ETS can’t seem to bring itself to say the word. It seems to me that since the Roman Catholics also believe in justification by faith – it’s the “alone” part they choke on – ETS may as well extend a conference invite to Benedict XVI. I’m sure he’d feel right at home.
Lux Lucet 
Even Erasmus understood that “Justification is by Faith Alone,” only errant Protestants fail to see it in Scripture.
It’s amazing that at this late date JBFA is an issue at all. I agree with what John Robbins said about this situation. The reason the Evangelical chuch is confused about justificaion is due to its prior rejection of logic. When logic goes, all bets are off.
Hi Steve, I found your blog through the Trinity Foundation, and after poking around a bit, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be adding Lux Lucet to my blogroll. Keep up the good work sir!
Thanks, Patrick. You mentioned your blog roll, what blog is that?
It’s located at sovereignlogos.wordpress.com
Thanks, Patrick. I’ll check it out.
I saw on Facebook that Francis J. Beckwith will be delivering two papers at the ETS which is shocking on face value alone!
Yes it is, although I becoming less shocked all the time when that sort of thing happens.
Not every member of ETS believes in the doctrine of Justification by faith alone. There are members of ETS who belong to the Christian churches and churches of Christ (Campbellites). For those who know anything about this denomination its roots come from the Stone/Campbell movement of the 2nd Great Awakening and they have always denied that salvation is by grace alone. Membership in ETS is open to anyone who claims to be evangelical as long as they are able to subscribe to the doctrinal statement that the Bible is the word of God. It does not surprise me that the President of ETS would not use the language that we as Reformed people use.
Stephen, You’re right about the doctrinal Basis of ETS saying nothing about justification by faith alone. The statement in full reads,
“The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs.
God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.”
There’s certainly a lot of wriggle room in those statements to allow heretics like Wright or the Campbellites to slither through. But still, I’d like to think that, if an organization is going to call itself “Evangelical” – a word historically used to describe those who hold hold to sola scriptura and justification by faith alone – it might actually hold to evangelical doctrine. But then that would require the honest use of language, and that’s a rare thing among contemporary theologians.
“But then that would require the honest use of language, and that’s a rare thing among contemporary theologians.” “When logic goes, all bets are off.”
Exactly! The rejection of logic necessitates the rejection of language and therefore word meanings become very elastic. You wonder why they bother with a translation at all, might as well use the Reader’s Digest Bible.