Houston Baptist U. Meets Orthodoxy

By Rod Dreher • February 28, 2012, 10:31 PM

The philosopher John Mark Reynolds, founder and director of the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola, is moving to Houston Baptist University to become its provost. Why is this so interesting, at least to me? Two reasons:

1) JMR is a convert to Orthodox Christianity. An Orthodox Christian is going to be one of the top figures at a Baptist university in Texas. Think about that.

2) He was recruited by HBU president Robert Sloan, a far-thinking Baptist who had to leave the presidency of Baylor because of internal Baylor/Texas Baptist politics, but who managed in his tenure to bring some high-caliber Roman Catholic intellectual firepower (e.g., Thomas Hibbs) to Waco. Sloan is a man who understands better than many in religious higher education the cultural situation Christians find themselves in, and why creative alliances with small-o orthodox Christians — Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox — have to be made. He’s just hired as his provost another Christian intellectual who gets it.

31 Responses to Houston Baptist U. Meets Orthodoxy

Chad Rushing says:

February 28, 2012 at 11:56 pm

Dreher wrote, “Sloan is a man who understands better than many in religious higher education the cultural situation Christians find themselves in, and why creative alliances with small-o orthodox Christians — Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox — have to be made.”

Haven’t each of those three groups strongly questioned the small-o orthodox status of the other two for centuries now? For example, it seems highly dubious that serious Protestants would be willing to call a doctrinal truce with the Catholic and Orthodox Churches merely to make some minor headway in the American culture war which would likely be temporary at best without true societal repentance.
Dimitry Aleksandrovich says:

February 29, 2012 at 12:17 am

For serious Christian thinkers it is impossible not to be drawn back toward traditional Christianity be it High Church Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. When I was 16 and soul searching I was torn between Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Due to personal relationships it was far easier for me to become Roman Catholic and I was baptized Roman Catholic at twenty years of age. I would leave the Roman Church at the age of 28 and be chrismated Russian Orthodox while I was in the former Soviet Union. I do miss the Roman Church and the rosary, but I know I am home in the Orthodox faith.

Why did I convert from the Roman Church? That is a complicated question, but to make it simple I would just say that I never understood why the Roman Church abandoned the Tridentine mass and I didn’t understand how the Novus Ordo mass (post Vatican II) could have been so different from the Tridentine mass and that the Church had become liberal in terms of offering communion without making sure that the individual had made confession first or allowing Sunday to become a fashion show rather than the modest conservative dress that was demanded in the Tridentine mass.

Eventually these questions made me so perplexed along with the abuse scandals (which involved two parishes that I had personally attended) and the last straw was that Pope Benedict did not stand up for Serbia when Kosovo was allowed to declare its independence under the Bush Administration. The silence from the Roman Church was deafening and I couldn’t stand it any longer. That led to my conversion to Orthodoxy.
Orthodoxdj says:

February 29, 2012 at 1:20 am

Reynolds is a very good man. One of my former students is in the Torrey Honors Institute. I her nothing but good things. I first heard him speak in 2007 at a C.S. Lewis conference in San Diego. I didn’t know he was Orthodox until the conference was over. His talk was on beauty. I was expecting another Biola Calvinist to bore me with dry apologetics. He won me over with his words and once I learned that he is Orthodox it made a lot more sense to me as to why he was interested in more than just arguments.

He let me interview him for my radio show, Mere Christian Radio, last year. It was excellent. I’ll miss having him somewhat close to my hometown.
savia says:

February 29, 2012 at 1:35 am

Chad,

One can disagree on doctrinal issues and still agree on moral ones. The reformation was over theology, not a culture war, since the views on moral issues was the same.
savia says:

February 29, 2012 at 1:51 am

Dimitry,

Thanks for sharing your story. The Novus Ordo, can be celebrated with reverence. It just depends on the parish one is in.

I never personally encountered any of the abuse scandals, but I understand your distress.

I am not familiar with the situation between Kosovo and Serbia in terms of who was really at fault.

I do think we need to be honest about the ethnic cleansing of Muslims. We can’t just support Christians blindly.
Teresa says:

February 29, 2012 at 2:44 am

Rod, I’m betting you already get the journal published by Houston Baptist University. A Sloan project if I understand correctly. For the rest of you – the journal is called The City. Great thoughtful articles, and worth paying for the print version – but the print version is free. http://www.civitate.org/
JonF says:

February 29, 2012 at 5:52 am

Re: the Church had become liberal in terms of offering communion without making sure that the individual had made confession first or allowing Sunday to become a fashion show rather than the modest conservative dress that was demanded in the Tridentine mass

I’ve never attended an Orthodox Church where confession is required for Communion, except of course yearly at Lent. IMO, placing too many barriers in the path of Communion is a mistake, and runs the risk of inculating clericalism in the Church. As for “fashion shows” while people may have dressed more formally in the past, didn’t women always like to show off their new togs, assuming they were modest enough for church?

Re: the last straw was that Pope Benedict did not stand up for Serbia when Kosovo was allowed to declare its independence

Why in the world should the Pope get involved in political tussles like that? Yes, he should preach peace not war, and yes he should denounce atrocities with his voice ringing off the dome of St Peters. But (IMO) one of the bad old features of the Papacy we are better to have left behind was the politicized Papacy meddling in every set-to the European powers could devise.
PDGM says:

February 29, 2012 at 9:01 am

Interesting. I am Greek Catholic with strong tendencies toward Orthodoxy and family members who range from OCA to serious Roman Catholic. I enquired about a faculty job at Biola some time ago, and was told that they would only hire evangelical Christians. I suppose if you have a job and convert while there, the situation is different.

I once was in the running for a faculty job at another evangelical school and was asked to provide a statement of faith; I gave them the Nicene creed without, of course, the filioque clause. When in an interview they asked me about my personal relationship with Jesus, I told them that unlike many evangelicals, I thought that the process of accepting Christ as Lord and Savior took a lifetime, rather than being accomplished in a quasi-immediate way. I did not get that job.
Rob says:

February 29, 2012 at 9:03 am

But more importantly, I hate academic poaching, and I hate academic celebrity.
Fr Mark says:

February 29, 2012 at 9:17 am

This is very interesting – and, I hope, good news.

I certainly appreciate the abiding and wearying controversies amongst Orthodox, Protestants, and Catholics. And yet, it is always a great joy to see Protestants and Catholics present at our services – especially Vespers. Many express no interest in “converting,” yet they coming seeking Christ.

And when we draw closer to Christ, we inevitably draw closer to one another. Glory to God!
Mike says:

February 29, 2012 at 9:57 am

This also circles around to when can an expensive college also be the “church” for exemption from public policy. If you say you are Baptist but your chief academic officer is Orthodox, why should the expensive college be allowed to be called ” the church” and exempt from many laws. You cease being a Baptist educational institution and the church if your top academic is as far from Baptist as possible.
economista says:

February 29, 2012 at 9:59 am

Hey Dimitry,
I think you can pray the rosary as an Orthodox… Check with your priest of course, but I can’t think of anything in the “Hail Mary” that is objectionable to Orthodox theology. Of course, we also have lots of beautiful prayers to Mary in Orthodoxy like the Hymn to the Theotokos (“It is truly meet to call thee blessed… etc.”) and the Angelic Salutation, and you could pray those prayers in a rosary style using a prayer rope. Just some thoughts.
economista says:

February 29, 2012 at 10:05 am

Hi Rod, and all,

I have a question. Is it true that some Christian denominations (e.g. Episcopalianism, non-denominational Evangelicalism) view Orthodoxy with anxiety and suspicion because of the tendency of Orthodox converts to come from those denominations? Or is Orthodoxy not even on their radar? I am not a participant in the Christian blogosphere, let alone the Evangelical Christian blogosphere, so I have no idea how Orthodox converts are viewed by their former denominations, if they are even recognized at all.

Speaking from personal experience, when I go back to my childhood United Methodist church and explain to the new pastor that I am now an Orthodox Christian, I always get a blank stare. I started talking about the Great Schism and she looked very confused. I think my aunts and uncles think that I’m Catholic. Whatever.
PDGM says:

February 29, 2012 at 10:43 am

Mike,
You say “You cease being a Baptist educational institution and the church if your top academic is as far from Baptist as possible.”

Three points: this is an assertion; and not a well thought out one at that.

Second: a huge number of smart people, including tax and non-profit and religious liberty attorneys would disagree with you. Catholic universities, even conservative ones, have often had non-Catholics on their faculty and staff.

Third: Any particular reason you think that the Orthodox are “as far from Baptist as possible” ? I would think that enlightenment secularists are far further from Baptist than any member of the OCA. Like your general assertion, this seems poorly thought out.
tmatt says:

February 29, 2012 at 11:34 am

MIKE:

A growing number of schools define themselves by common doctrine and lifestyle covenants, not denominational ties. There are fine, well-worded doctrinal statements that can unite various Christian bodies on the basics.

Once again, an area in which the Supreme Court has refused to meddle — with good cause.

Here is one link to ponder:

http://www.emnr.org/lausanne.html#Lausanne

President Sloan almost certainly has many of these kinds of statements bookmarked.
Siarlys Jenkins says:

February 29, 2012 at 11:45 am

I would say outrage over sale of indulgences was a moral issue. It was, or was not, established as God’s Own Truth that the virtue of the saints provided a savings bank from which withdrawals could be made to get your grandmother out of Purgatory, upon payment of hard cash to the Pope’s Representative, for the purpose of building a bigger, better, St. Peter’s Basilica.

Also, whether there are duly constituted representatives of God walking the earth who can tell us falliable mortals definitively what exactly God would have us do in any given situation is a moral question, not an amoral theological question.

I know there are totalitarian currents among Protestants as well as among Roman Catholics, and probably among the Orthodox as well. I admire the fact that the Orthodox have a more collegial leadership pattern than Rome, and are less prone to accept any fool running a dog and pony show who came out of nowhere than are certain Protestant tendencies.

But in the end, I am unimpressed by those of various faiths who think they need to speak with Authority, rather than with a still small voice, getting together to establish some semblance of Dominion.
Mike says:

February 29, 2012 at 12:06 pm

I appreciate your employer is concerned about this, TMatt, as any good trade association should be. But how are you “the church” and Baptist if your top academic isn’t Baptist? Can you still say you are “the church.”

I understand that religious institutions can wrap themselves up in all sorts of gauzy “common doctrine” language, but than that means anything with the word “Christian” on it is suddenly the church and deserving of First Amendment protection (and an array of special rights, as we’ve seen recently). Common doctrine may unite a prayer group, but it doesn’t mean you are THE CHURCH’ and therefore immune to public policy.
Christopher says:

February 29, 2012 at 1:31 pm

I seem to recall that Biola went on a McCarthy-esque witch hunt against faculty who had converted to Orthodoxy. The school created a commission to discover whether Orthodoxy and Biola’s statement of faith were compatible. The conclusion that the two were incompatible seems a foregone conclusion. I seem to recall that the faculty in question were possibly subject to termination. Biola has a well respected psychology program but I lost an enormous amount of respect for Biola after their inquisition against Orthodoxy.
savia says:

February 29, 2012 at 4:53 pm

Jenkins,

Selling indulgences got replaced with the prosperity gospel in many Protestant churches.

After the Martin Luther thing blew up, the Pope launched an investigation. It was kind of a fiasco, which exonerated Fr. Tetzel. Yeah, it was a mess! John Pacheco says this:

The pope (or the bishops in Germany) did not approve of the “selling of indulgences.” … there were abuses that priests and bishops did not correct and check. However, the Church has never taught that money remits temporal punishment for sin .
MattSwartz says:

February 29, 2012 at 5:07 pm

They’d hire an Eastern Believer sooner than they’d hire a Calvinist, that much is for sure.
savia says:

February 29, 2012 at 5:15 pm

Jenkins,

Orthodox may also have different views on Matt:16:18, but they do claim that their official teachings are infallible.
JonF says:

February 29, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Re: Any particular reason you think that the Orthodox are “as far from Baptist as possible” ? I would think that enlightenment secularists are far further from Baptist than any member of the OCA.

If one restricts the field to Christian churches, I would say the Orthodox and the Baptists are pretty far apart, though I would put the Pentacostals still farther.
Hugh Benson says:

February 29, 2012 at 10:28 pm

We can always learn from Robert Sloan. He has been the most creative and courageous administrator in Christian higher education for some years now. He may be gone from Baylor, but his mark is everywhere on that institution–and he is turning Houston Baptist into one of the most interesting Christian colleges around. Intellectual life at Wheaton, Calvin and Biola is atrophying largely because of the stultifying impact of dry as dust analytic philosophy of religion dominant at those schools. Robert Sloan may once again be showing all of us the way forward.
Siarlys Jenkins says:

February 29, 2012 at 11:14 pm

savia… did they give the money back?

I’m no more welcome at Lutheran communion than I am at Roman communion, and I’m sure not at Orthodox communion either, but I’ve always thought the indulgence fiasco was a classic case of, if it happened on your watch, it’s your responsibility.

You notice I didn’t say I am joining the Orthodox church, I said there are features I admire about it. There are also features I admire about the Roman Catholic church. I just don’t accept it as a comprehensive package.

Matt, there are Calvinistic Baptists, just as there are Calvinistic Methodists — not my favorite variety of either. I prefer the Baptists of whom it is said, if you get two Baptists in a room, you have three opinions.
savia says:

March 1, 2012 at 1:42 am

Jenkins,

RE: did they give the money back?

“in 1567 Pope Pius V canceled all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions” (Catholic Encyclopedia).

Yes, individual priests, Bishops were responsible.

The Council of Trent addressed what should be done about them.

The issue, I have with Luther is that he hijacked a crisis to create his own religion. IMO, this was low.

This marked a break in theology from Apostolic Christianity, in ways that the schism with the Orthodox did not.
economista says:

March 1, 2012 at 8:37 am

Christopher said:

“I seem to recall that Biola went on a McCarthy-esque witch hunt against faculty who had converted to Orthodoxy. The school created a commission to discover whether Orthodoxy and Biola’s statement of faith were compatible. The conclusion that the two were incompatible seems a foregone conclusion. I seem to recall that the faculty in question were possibly subject to termination.”

Hmm, thanks for addressing my question. The fact that there were enough “witches” to “hunt” says something, I guess. I am always happy to see more people taking an interest in Orthodoxy, in any case!
Siarlys Jenkins says:

March 1, 2012 at 11:27 am

So the Pope put everybody’s grandmother back in Purgatory, but the money was already spent on gold plating for the Basilica? Sin piled upon sin!

I’m being a little bit absurd here, but only to point out that the entire thing was an unholy mess, which strongly suggested that no human being or earthly office should have anything close to the final, authoritative, word. Yes, that is also a reason I’m not Orthodox — I don’t think I could join a faith that named churches after a homicidal egoistical monster like Constantine.

From my viewpoint, Luther didn’t hijack a crisis, rather, a serious moral lapse at the highest levels removed the scales from his eyes. He had been an Augustinian monk, after all. His greatest accomplishment had nothing to do with faith vs. good works. What I appreciate him for was simply that the monopoly of power of the Bishop of Rome over western Christianity was broken, and the way was open for a hundred flowers to bloom. To me, that is a good thing. To a sincere Roman Catholic, it is something to be regretted.
savia says:

March 1, 2012 at 4:41 pm

Jenkins,

I made it clear that the money could not be used to get anybody in or out of purgatory. This was not a Catholic teaching.

Luther did create a new religion, based on Sola Scriptura and faith alone, both positions being unhistorical and un-biblical.

The canon of scripture was also decided by the Catholic church.

So to be consistent, you would have to admit that the canon itself is a fraud, since the church that complied it is also a fraud.

You can’t have it both ways.
Siarlys Jenkins says:

March 1, 2012 at 10:06 pm

savia, this is really degenerating when all you do is post some sanctimonious axioms without any reason whatsoever that anyone else should accept them as true.

You are evading the question… did those who were wheedled out of their money get a refund? I didn’t think so.

I often attend a Lutheran church, where I am no more welcome at communion than I am at a Roman Catholic church. They ask questions when extending the right hand of fellowship to which my honest answer would be “no.” And communion IS limited to communicant members. I can say, however, that Lutherans believe that Sola Scriptura and faith alone are the most historical and Biblical positions in Christianity.

You don’t agree. So what? That’s why we have the First Amendment.

I don’t recognize ANY “canon.” I don’t need one to recognize Scripture as Scripture.
savia says:

March 2, 2012 at 12:10 am

Jenkins,

RE: did those who were wheedled out of their money get a refund? I didn’t think so.

I still need to look into this.

Yes, thank God for the first amendment, but this a different discussion.

Scripture itself does not teach Sola Scriptura or faith alone.

Once saved always today is held by certain churches.

Lutherans no longer subscribe to it, since they now agree with Catholic views on justification.

The reason you don’t need a canon to recognize scripture as scripture is because someone already did it for you.

How would you have known how many books should have been in the Bible?
Siarlys Jenkins says:

March 4, 2012 at 5:17 pm

I know some Lutherans who would be very surprised to hear that they now agree with Catholic views on justification. Maybe that’s a Canadian thing.

I’m still looking into how many books should have been in the Bible. Catholics say 72, most Protestants 66, Coptics 83. An Orthodox rabbi says the Apocrypha are “apocryphal,” and since these pre-date Jesus Christ, I take his word for it.

Since I do not use Scripture to beat other Christians over the head with, does it really matter?