In the course of seeking to honor God through the accurate handling of His truth and through the defense of the faith, one at times steps on toes you didn’t even know were exposed. Such is the case of late. I began a short series of articles replying to just a few pages of Mark Seifrid’s book, Christ, our Righteousness, and now the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary of Louisville, Kentucky has produced an entire response, one that alleges that I have misunderstood and misrepresented Seifrid. And while scholars of the rank of Robert Gundry and John Piper have likewise understood Seifrid just as I have, evidently this little blog addresses a more relevant audience than their published books do, hence bringing this statement.
I have provided a reply, not because I relish engaging Southern Seminary over the issue, but simply because the issue is too important to allow confusion to reign and questions to be unanswered. Southern’s statement does not answer the important questions. Not a single one of Seifrid’s troubling statements in his published works are quoted or explained. The great doctrine of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to His people is not served by allowing these questions to go unanswered.
I have reproduced the entire text of the statement in the body of my reply. As of this writing, the statement itself has not been linked to a main index page of Southern’s website. I was going to wait until it was linked, or the search engines picked it up, but the link has been discovered by enterprising young minds that figured trying something as basic as Dr. Seifrid’s name at the end of the URL might bring something up. It did, and the link immediately began circulating.
It is my true and heart-felt prayer that my reply will bring clarity to the issue.
Update 12/30/2014: This review eventually became a major series of posts. For those interested in reading the entire series in order I post the links below. RP
Dr. Seifrid on Imputation July 9, 2004
More in Response to Southern Seminary Professor’s Denial of Imputed Righteousness July 9, 2004
Continuing Review of Mark Seifrid’s Views on the Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness July 11, 2004
An Interesting Expansion in the LBCF, 1689 July 27, 2004
The Abstract of Principles on Justification July 30, 2004
The Imputation Controversy August 25, 2004
Imputation Controversy #2 August 26, 2004
Why I Care About “Christ, our Righteousness” August 28, 2004
Imputation Controversy #3 August 30, 2004
Southern Seminary and Dr. Mark Seifrid September 4, 2004
A Response to Southern Seminary and Dr. Mark Seifrid September 4, 2004
Listen to Today’s DL for a Full Discussion of the SBTS/Seifrid/Imputation Issue September 7, 2004
From the 1994 WTJ September 7, 2004
A Word of Rebuke to the Firebrands September 8, 2004
And Verily It Got Nuttier September 11, 2004
Yes, I Have a Copy, Thank You September 13, 2004
An Open Letter to Dr. Mark Seifrid (Part 1) September 14, 2004
Seifrid Response, Part II September 15, 2004
Seifrid Response, Part III September 18, 2004
Open Letter to Mark Seifrid, Part IV September 21, 2004
Open Letter to Mark Seifrid, Part V October 2, 2004
If I Misrepresented Dr. Seifrid, then…. December 3, 2004