Roger Nicole On A Distinguishing Mark Of Shepherdite Theology

In attempting to claim a fundamental cleavage between Reformed thought and Lutheranism, evangelicalism and other movements on the point of justification, Shepherd appears to abandon the traditional view that there is substantive agreement among all evangelical Protestants concerning this topic. The fact that Shepherd perceives a basic diversity where those in the Reformed stream were happy to acknowledge a common heritage and understanding appears rather ominous. Rather than to think that Calvin, Beza, Turretin, Owen, Buchanan, Cunningham, Hodge and others failed to perceive the full impact of their own view, and its fundamental difference from that of other Protestants, would it not be more likely that it is Shepherd’s construction which is at odds with all of these, including the Reformed thinkers?

—Roger Nicole, quoted in O. Palmer Robertson and Paul G. Settle, “Report of the Board of Trustees of Westminster Theological Seminary by the Special Board-Faculty Committee on Justification: Minority Report” (May 13. 1980), 9.

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  • R. Scott Clark
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    R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.

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