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Because of the return of the Grudem, people are talking about eternal subordination and social trinitarianism. I have been a longtime critic of the latter and a more recent--only bc more recently acquainted--critic of the former.
But I think a lot of people oversimply things.
But I think a lot of people oversimply things.
First, Social Trinitarianism was all the rage for at least 50 years. I'm glad the tide has turned against it, but we shouldn't act like it was only a couple of odd Baptists who made this error.
TONS of popular Reformed preaching uses the Trinity in really questionable ways.
TONS of popular Reformed preaching uses the Trinity in really questionable ways.
Second, many Reformed and Evangelical theologians have engaged in minor-to-substantial revision with regards to the Trinity. You see this in folks like Hodge and Dabney, but a bit of Warfield. It definitely shows up in the late 20th cent. Systematic textbooks.
Third, so many people use the Trinity to explain marriage and gender roles. It's really everywhere. You can see it in CS Lewis. You can see it in Robert Farrar Capon. You can see it in Tim Keller. It's all over the place.
It's also supposed to re-enforce equality.
It's also supposed to re-enforce equality.
The argument is not simply "This is how we can ground hierarchy in God" but rather "This is how we can reconcile hierarchy with equality. The doctrine of the Trinity!"
A bad argument, but still worth understanding how and why it is made.
A bad argument, but still worth understanding how and why it is made.
Just to be clear: I think all of the above is bad. But I still think we need to be honest about our history (and our present). It's not fair to toss a couple of guys (who you already dislike for other reasons) under the bus while ignoring the larger picture.
So Yay! for resourcement theology, but let's do it for real and not turn it into a tribal/political spat. Be honest about the scope of the present problem and then be helpful in fixing it.
And maybe start with Ursinus' Commentary on the Heidelberg!
And maybe start with Ursinus' Commentary on the Heidelberg!
