Dr. Stanley Grenz

We can still pray for his family.

 

There's an interesting Baptist Press story about him:
http://www.baptistpress.com/bpnews.asp?ID=20348

 

I was tremendously shocked by the death of Dr Grenz. I serve in a Baptist Union of Western Canada church and he was well known to our congregation. I was looking forward to seeing him at the end of April.

His writings have been influential, like his conclusions or not he, always tried to bring theological discussions into the pews.
Sadly his passing came on the same day that we (of the BUWC tribe) held the funeral for Shirley Bentall - another leader in our ranks.

Miigwec

 

Dr. Dockery is a great, conservative scholar. I don't see how prolific writers and scholars like him also have time to be presidents of universities. I have neither heard Dr. Grenz speak nor read any of his works, so I have to plead ignorance about him.

 

This is an excellent article. I commend it to everyone.

Blessings,
Bill

 

Rhetorician,

I too was at that conference. Grenz' paper sent a buzz through the conference attendees and the students (I was a student then). I disagreed with his conclusions, but I did get the chance to have lunch with him and found him to be a very inviting person. I must say, though, he seemed like a very intense person, like he took his work and what he did very seriously. That is not a knock on him, just an observation.

In any event, Grenz' passing is definitely a loss for the greater conversation in evangelical theology.

Lon

 

With regards to Dr. Dockery's article in the Baptist Press: I like Doctor Dockery. Neverthless, I must say that this particular "eulogy" lacked class. Whether or not a particular Baptist veered off orthodoxy, one should not begin picking apart his theology in the Baptist Press just two days after his death. It is also most unfortunate to begin quoting other scholars who have publicly critized Grenz in the past in this present situation. It makes these scholars look just as classless. All of this appears to be a great kick in the bottom as he leaves to be with the Lord. Was this evangelical Baptist so dangerous that we have to quickly pollute his memory two days after his death so that no one mistakes praise of character for acceptance of doctrine? I certainly hope Dr. Grenz's family doesn't read the Baptist Press. For shame.

 

Your point is taken, but I didn't read Dr. Dockery's article in the same vein as you did. It didn't appear negative or a "great kick in the bottom." Rather, I thought it was a compassionate and forthright "first person" article from one theologian about a theologian-friend with whom there was a recognized difference.

Blessings,
Bill

 

Again, I like Dr. Dockerey. He is a family friend. I am sure that he and Dr. Grenz were friends. Also, I have no problem with two good scholars "duking it out" over differing theologies. I simply think that it was tactless of Dr. Dockery to write an article about a fried, two days after that friend's death, that criticizes that person's theology and questions that person's orthodoxy. Waiting a few months would have been preferable. I am sure that Dr. Dockerey was not intending on being "classless", I simply believe that he was not thinking. It appeared that he was more interested in critizing his theology than celebrating his life or ministry.

 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Blessings,
Bill

 

No problem.