Apr

09

2010

Justin Taylor|9:52 am CT

On Theistic Evolution and Professor Waltke’s Resignation (updated)

Inside Higher Ed has the most complete round-up on the controversy regarding Bruce Waltke’s Biologos video on theistic evolution, which led to his resignation as professor at RTS-Orlando.

Here’s a brief recap of what happened:

  1. At a Biologos workshop, they recorded two videos of Dr. Waltke explaining his position, which is a defense of theistic evolution (as he has explained in his chapters on Genesis 1-3 in his Old Testament Theology).
  2. On March 24 Biologos posted one of the videos, where Dr. Waltke said, “If the data is overwhelmingly in favor of evolution, to deny that reality will make us a cult . . . some odd group that is not really interacting with the world. And rightly so, because we are not using our gifts and trusting God’s Providence that brought us to this point of our awareness. . . . To deny the reality would be to deny the truth of God in the world and would be to deny truth. So I think it would be our spiritual death if we stopped loving God with all of our minds and thinking about it, I think it’s our spiritual death.”
  3. After discussions with RTS, Dr. Waltke asked Biologos to pull down the video, and he issued a clarification (scroll down). Dr. Waltke and Darrell Falk also issued a joint statement about it.
  4. Dr. Waltke tendered his resignation at RTS, which was apparently rejected at first—or at least not initially accepted.
  5. On April 6, RTS announced that they had accepted the resignation.
  6. Update: Dr. Waltke has now been hired by Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale to teach their Winter and Spring terms (as he did at RTS-Orlando). No announcement is yet online.
  7. More updates here.

| PRINTABLE VERSION

 
 

10 Comments

  1. The Evolution of Bruce Waltke « Near Emmaus: Christ and Text
    April 10, 2010 at 9:32 am

    [...] apparently rejected at first—or at least not initially accepted.” Thus far his story line (here) is the first one that I have seen that implies that Waltke initiated the split with RTS. Taylor [...]

  2. Theistic Evolution and Professor Bruce Waltke’s Resignation from Reformed Theological Seminary – OrlandoRTS-Orlando | Christian News New Zealand
    April 11, 2010 at 6:52 am

    [...] Theistic Evolution and Professor Bruce Waltke’s Resignation from Reformed Theological Seminary – OrlandoRTS-Orlando 12 April 2010 No Comment http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/04/09/on-theistic-evolution-and-professor-walt... [...]

  3. Theistic Evolution and Professor Bruce Waltke’s Resignation from Reformed Theological Seminary – OrlandoRTS-Orlando | iamjonnyking.com
    April 11, 2010 at 6:54 am

    [...] Nano-Blog link here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/04/09/on-theistic-evolution-and-professor-walt... [...]

  4. Bruce Waltke – Why Must the Church Come to Accept Evolution? « v02468 – Kingdom Props
    April 12, 2010 at 9:12 am

    [...] at ancienthebrewpoetry.typepad.com.  For more up to date discussion and posts go there.  Also, Justin Taylor updated the Dr. Waltke has been hired by Knox Theological Seminary. Possibly related posts: (automatically [...]

  5. Sola Scriptura » Blog Archive » Bruce Waltke resigns from RTS
    April 12, 2010 at 9:49 pm

    [...] In a startling turn of events, Dr. Bruce Waltke has resigned from his position at RTS after the airing of a controversial video at the Biologos Foundation. The video has been removed but austensibly it contained an interview with Dr. Waltke in which the he admitted that evolution could or might be compatable with orthodox Christianity and has admitted that he is committed to a theistic evolution theory of origins. According to Waltke, science explains the “when and  the how” of creation while Genesis describes “the who and the why”. For a more detailed explanation of the issue, click here. [...]

  6. Hanging on the blog shelf: 4-12-10 - Think Theology
    April 12, 2010 at 10:06 pm

    [...] I’m simply not sure exactly what he believes! However, Justin Taylor provided a summary (here), and Brian Fulthorp had some good thoughts (here). Trevin Wax, as always, also offers some [...]

  7. Brandon Withrow » Blog Archive » (Update) Bruce Waltke no longer with RTS after statements on evolution
    April 13, 2010 at 9:19 am

    [...] Christianity Today is reporting (with a HT: to Justin Taylor who originally broke the news) that Bruce Waltke is (for now) heading to Knox Theological Seminary [...]

  8. The Evolution of Theologian Bruce Waltke - Science and Religion Today
    April 13, 2010 at 10:48 am

    [...] Bruce Waltke heading to Knox Theological Seminary? Apparently so, according to Justin Taylor of Between Two Worlds. (Christianity Today is working on confirming the rumor; there’s no announcement from Knox as [...]

  9. Reformed Rants « A Chorus of Echoes
    April 14, 2010 at 8:21 am

    [...] happenings such as what happened to Bruce Waltkey recently, the news about Rick Warren appearing on a reformed conference, the resignation of Peter [...]

  10. A Divine and Supernatural Light | Miscellany Mondays: “Miscellany 1336.”
    April 20, 2010 at 7:58 pm

    [...] Evangelical world regarding the creation vs. evolution debate (a summation of the latest episode can be found here), I was reminded of this Miscellany entry. It is one of Edwards’s last Miscellany entries and [...]

Comments are closed.