This morning I have spent a considerable amount of time reading, researching and rehashing some of my Puritan notes from this past semester. Since I have written on the SBC a lot lately, I thought I’d change the programming a bit. (I have at least three more articles, however, concerning the SBC and will probably post them shortly.) As some of you know, I have been posting a series called “Addressing Omnibenevolence.” I am sharing some of my research on the topic of omnibenevolence, the central thesis of Ergun and Emir Caner’s debate with James White and Tom Ascol. I have scheduled at least 15 more posts on this series, including how it relates to hyper-Calvinism, Universalism, Pluralism, Hell, Intent of the Atonement, Open Theism, Anthropopathism, and a few other issues. Hopefully, I will be able to blog a couple more series before the summer is over.
One of the encouraging things I have noticed over the past year of blogging is the number of professors who have joined the blogosphere. This is encouraging because I know that in the minds of some professors the blogosphere is an unacceptable medium for communication as it does not carry the legitimacy of a theological journal or academic paper. However, those who have realized what blogging can offer are reaping the benefits of it with more students and readers than they could ever imagine from a classroom setting. While I disagree with some of these professors on many points, I applaud their efforts to bring academia where it should be–among the masses.
Although I have searched the blogosphere carefully to find evangelical professors, I know that I have left out some. If you know of one I missed, please include the name and blog in the comment section. Here are the blogging professors I have rounded up thus far:
- Scot McKnight – Jesus Creed
Religious Studies @ North Park University
- Denny Burk – Denny Burk
New Testament @ Criswell College
- Jim Hamilton – for his renown
Biblical Studies @ Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Ardel Caneday – Biblia Theologica and Wood Chips & Text Musings
New Testament & Biblical Studies @ Northwestern College
- Doug Wilson – Blog and Mablog
Senior Fellow @ New Saint Andrews College
- Andreas Kostenberger – Biblical Foundations
New Testament @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Darrell Bock – Darrell Bock
New Testament Studies @ Dallas Theological Seminary
- Michael Haykin – Historia Ecclesiastica
Principal @ Toronto Baptist Seminary
- William Dembski – Uncommon Descent
Philosophy @ Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Mark Devine – Theology Prof
Christian Theology @ Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Ray Van Neste – Oversight of Souls
Christian Studies @ Union University
- David Allen Black – daveblackonline
New Testament and Greek @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Douglas Groothuis – Culture Watch
Philosophy @ Denver Seminary
- John Frame and Vern Poythress – Vern-Poythress Blog
Frame: Systematic Theology & Philosophy @ Reformed Theological Seminary
Poythress: New Testament Interpretation @ Westminster Theological Seminary
- Ben Witherington III – Ben Witherington
New Testament Interpretation @ Asbury Theological Seminary
- Ryan Bolger – The BolgBlog
Church in Contemporary Culture @ Fuller Theological Seminary
- Michael Bird – Euangelion
New Testament @ Highland Theological College (Dingwall, Scotland)
- Mark D. Roberts – Mark D. Roberts
Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary
- Alan Streett – Already/Not Yet
Evangelism and Pastoral Theology @ Criswell College
- Nathan Finn – The Fullness of Time
Adjunct Instructor @ Southeastern College
- Clint Humfrey – Cowboylogy
NT Greek @ Toronto Baptist Seminary
- Spencer Haygood – View from the Hill
Adjunct Professor @ Brewton-Parker College
- Kirk Wellum – Redeeming the Time
Theology @ Toronto Baptist Seminary
- Barry Joslin – Barry Joslin
Greek @ Boyce College
- Alvin Reid – Books, Culture and the Gospel
Evangelism @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Brad Reynolds – Guardian Ministries
@ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Ergun Caner – Beyond the Pulpit
Theology and Church History @ Liberty University
After having looked at this list, my questions is, “Where are all the Southern Seminary profs?!” Toronto Baptist Seminary is leading the pack with three, and SEBTS and SWBTS have two respectively. Now, before SBTS gets a bad rap, let me be quick to mention that we do have what is called the SBTS metablog which currently has 80 blogs by students affiliated with Southern. Maybe we can start to rub off on our profs. Maybe not.
Last Updated: 07.12.06
Dr. Hershael York blogs at Confessions of a Pastor.
-LB
Thanks Laura Beth!
Great list. Your right about Southern Profs MIA. Maybe you can provoke them.
Does Dr. Mohler’s and Dr. Moore’s commentaries count?
Tony,
I thought about adding Drs. Mohler and Moore to the list, but my only deal is that their “blogs” are more articles on a website than actually blogs. I think what differentiates blogs with simple articles on the web is the ability to interact with the author and dialogue with others about the issue being raised. I am not saying that a blog must have a comments section to be considered a blog, but it sure would help.
I just checked out Dr. York’s blog as well. His last blogpost was dated Wednesday, April 19, 2006. I don’t know how active his blog is either. He was under some pressure back during the IMB Baptism issue as he weighed in on it as well as provided arguments from Ergun Caner (I wouldn’t write much either after having done that). Also, Dr. Sills has a metablog/blogs but I am not sure how active he is either.
Trust me, I am trying with some of our profs. They are in my estimation some of evangelical Chrisitianty’s greatest thinkers and writers. It’s too bad that the only outlet they have is an occasional journal article or book release. So far I have talked to at least five professors, all of whom I know read blogs but do not blog themselves. Maybe while Dr. Haykin is in town this week he can put a word in for blogging! He is fine example of how blogging and excellent scholarship can work together.
I wonder if the PC gap is partly the issue. Many profs still have use handwritten notes when they lecture.
I think a list of blogging pastors would be interesting as well. (Not to imply you are my personal research assistant – but . . . )
Well, technology might have something to do with it, but if it does, I don’t think it is a major factor. Rather, I think there may be some other reforms of restraint or restriction to professors blogging (not just SBTS profs).
Also, some think that if they start blogging it will legitimize blogging and bring greater credibility to bloggers, resulting in the leveling of the playing field. We are uncredentialed without degrees, dissertations, or an impressive curriculum vitae. To join the conversation is to elevate the status of the person you are talking to. This is, in my opinion, a great plague in the theological beltway. Too many profs are reading and writing to other profs and relegating their arguments to those of similar stature intellectually. Therefore, theology and scholarship becomes an intellectualize of one-upmanship and discovering the latest nuance in a theological position. It will be a great day when more profs take off their robes and put on some worn out jeans and get into the thick of it with the Average Joe who is just as passionate about knowing God and declaring the truth as they are.
Ironically, what is interesting about blogging is that 99% of the bloggers I know earn their readership and influence by what and how they write. In other words, if your posts are substantive, relevant, and profitable to the discussion, they will read. If you just ramble about what color Froot Loops you ate this morning, people will probably not be coming back.
Concerning blogging pastors, I think that list would be too large to compile (although it would be helpful nonetheless). But then again, these guys would be the whipping boys for not baptizing more people because of their blogs.
I have been working on finishing up a list of SBC bloggers. Eventually, I am looking to update my sidebar and blogroll. I have just been too busy shooting weddings, writing papers, preaching, etc. One of these days I will get around to it!