Neglected Voices in Theology Editorial: Paul R. House

Paul R. House is Rogers Professor Introduction warn and encourage. It warns that of Old Testament Interpretation at The Throughout Christian history there have Schleiermacher and Toy still exert quiet Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. been enduring voices that have never influence that ought to be understood and He is the author, editor, or co-editor of been stilled nor neglected. Individuals addressed. It encourages readers to learn eight volumes and several scholarly such as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, more about Schlatter and the influences articles. His most recent publication is Calvin, Arminius, and Wesley are heard mentioned in the Forum section of the Old Testament Theology (InterVarsity and heeded generation after generation. journal. Perhaps the following brief intro- Press, 1998). House’s tenure as editor On the other hand, some theological ductions to these three figures will explain of The Southern Baptist Journal of voices are treasured for a time, only to why they deserve closer scrutiny. Theology ends with this issue. decrease in influence as time passes. Still others, such as Jonathan Edwards, Søren Friedrich Schleiermacher Kierkegaard, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Schleiermacher (1768-1834) was a pas- have been reclaimed after their deaths by tor, writer, and academic theologian who theologians who found their ideas com- stressed the importance of feeling in Chris- pelling and of continuing importance. tianity. Having rejected an orthodox view Depending on one’s point of view, certain of scripture during university days, he reclaimed voices may or may not need to sought ways to cling to Christianity. Partly be heard, but the value of reclaiming based on his reading of Immanuel Kant, voices can hardly be disputed. The value Schleiermacher concluded that religion lies not only in regaining truths with consists chiefly of intuition and feelings which we agree, but also in learning to that lead people to have a sense of and a hear forgotten voices that have had per- desire for the infinite, which he broadly nicious influence on theology. defined as . He explained the num- This issue of The Southern Baptist Jour- ber of world religions as being due to the nal of Theology focuses upon three ne- variety of religious feelings possible in glected theological voices, those of human beings. This emphasis on feeling Friedrich Schleiermacher, Crawford as the essence of religion remains his most Howell Toy, and Adolf Schlatter. We do enduring legacy. not highlight these individuals because Greg Thornbury discusses Schleier- all of them consider themselves to be macher’s thought in great detail. He also evangelicals. Far from it, in fact. Rather, stresses Schleiermacher’s ongoing influ- Schleiermacher and Toy are chosen ence. Thornbury rightly warns that a because they are persons who have faith based on feelings rather than God’s exerted influence that we neglect to our revealed word cannot endure. Evangeli- own theological peril. Schlatter, however, cal Christians of all persuasions need to was an individual who stood for the truth decide whether or not they will allow the in difficult circumstances. We need to pay scriptures to determine the validity of attention to him because his neglected their experience. writings will enrich evangelical theology. Thus, the goal of this issue of SBJT is to 2 Crawford Howell Toy for evangelical academicians. I am grate- Toy was the first faculty member that ful that Robert Yarbrough and Andreas the founders of The Southern Baptist Köstenberger have given so much of Theological Seminary added to their their own time to making Schlatter’s ranks. Serving from 1869-1879, Toy was a work available for the first time to English brilliant linguist. Sadly, he did not inte- readers. grate theology and history in his herme- neutics. Eventually he believed one could Conclusion and Personal Note hold to the religious feeling the No doubt other long-stilled voices called for without believing in the histori- ought to be heard again as well. This cal reliability of the scriptures. In time he issue seeks to be representative, not ceased to believe in the divinity of Christ, exhaustive. Still, if readers begin to con- though that decision was reached after he sider these and other neglected voices, resigned from Southern Seminary. then the church will become wiser, stron- Interpreters must realize the weight of ger, and better able to hear the voice of hermeneutics. One’s method of interpre- God himself. tation will determine what one believes This is the last issue for which I have the text teaches. Thus, students of the any editorial responsibility. The journal word must strive to have a sound, inten- will now be in the capable hands of Tom tional method of interpretation. Anything Schreiner. I am grateful for the help I have less leaves one’s teaching and preaching, received from the journal’s editorial and indeed one’s faith, at risk. advisory boards, and, even more, for the day-to-day aid given by Associate Editor Adolf Schlatter Heather Oldfield and Assistant Editors One of the encouraging trends in aca- Christi Sanders-Huskison, Kyle McClel- demic publishing during the past several lan, and Richard Bailey. We have been years has been the translation of Adolf blessed with good authors and a support- Schlatter’s writings into English. Schlatter ive constituency. For these and other (1852-1938) taught at Greifswald, . kindnesses I am extremely grateful. He published commentaries, popular books, and volumes on theology. Schlatter vigorously argued that biblical exegesis is the only sure founda- tion for Systematic Theology, that the New Testament is a reliable historical docu- ment, and that the church must preach and obey the Bible. Of course, he held these views during an era in which he was in the minority. Schlatter demonstrated that a conser- vative approach to historiography and biblical interpretation is intellectually defensible. His convictional teaching under stressful circumstances is a model 3