A Statement from Dr. Kenneth Talbot of Whitefield Theological Seminary
Filed Under (dee dee's posts, hyperpreterism) by dee dee on 22-01-2009
Tagged Under : Samuel Frost, wts
Back on December 9, Dr. Talbot wrote me to ask me to post some official statements from WTS on the blog for the benefit of the readers, and I dropped the ball and completely forgot. Dr. Talbot kindly wrote me today to remind me, and I was deeply mortified that I didn’t do it back when I said I would. So now I do wish to make good on my promise. A brief summary is in order first. Hyperpreterist Samuel Frost until very recently taught a course at Whitefield Theological Seminary, and in our opinion, consistently used that fact as tool to try to validate his heresy. Some correspondences were written to WTS expressly concern and opposition to having an unorthodox teacher at an orthodox school even if his subject matter was Hebrew and not eschatology. Since that time, I have been in some very kind exchanges with Dr. Talbot which have been slow due to both of our busy schedules. Here is what I had promised, and should have, posted back in early December. Even though I already apologized for my forgetfulness in private, I also apologize to Dr. Talbot publicly for that oversight on my part. Here is what he wished to be published:
“Mr. Edwards:
My answer to you was representing WTS when I stated: “”Whitefield Theological Seminary does not promote Full (Hyper) Preterism. Whitefield Theological Seminary maintains that Full (Hyper) Presterism is a ‘very dangerous’ theological error.” Now if you are Reformed and Calvinistic as you say you are, then you must know that since WTS publically states that our Seminary holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith 1647, that it would be impossible for us to support Full (Hyper) Preterism. We have a published statement in our Confession that clearly opposes any theological views held by Full (Hyper) Preterism. That is what confessionalism is all about. You have the official statement from WTS as given by its President.”
Whitefield Theological Seminary does not promote Full (Hyper) Preterism. Whitefield Theological Seminary maintains that Full (Hyper) Preterism is a ‘very dangerous’ theological error. Further, some Full (Hyper) Preterists may be heretical pending on their other doctrines as it relates to God, Christ, Man, and Salvation. Each individual would need to be interviewed for me to make that determination.
Dr. Talbot also wishes it known that Samuel Frost decided on his own to use Roderick’s email to WTS as a public issue and that WTS did not ask Samuel to do that.
While some of these issues are moot are Samuel Frost has resigned from WTS, Dr. Talbot and I are still in ongoing exchange over what my particular objections were from the beginning. Our conversations are private and shared with no one, including Roderick. I presume that Dr. Talbot is or has also corresponded with Roderick and those are private, between those to. I fully intend to honour the privacy of those emails and only post what Dr. Talbot says I may. I look forward to further discourse.
Thanks for posting this Dee Dee but now it demonstrates even more that Sam Frost is a liar, because here is what Frost said about this issue:
Yet here you say Dr. Talbot said:
How many times will these guys be caught in bold-faced lies before even their little cronies start questioning their character???
Although I appreciate Dr. Talbot trying to distance WTS as far as it can from Hyper-preterism, perhaps they should have considered that BEFORE allowing a hyperpreterist to work on developing their programs. Could you imagine if you paid money to a seminary to learn something & then later found out the material was designed by say a Mormon???
Anyhow, as you said the point is now moot. And as you said, Frost was only doing in an effort to validate his heresy.
P.S. Even some Hyperpreterists claim they hold to the WCF (although they modify all the parts that speak against hyperpreterism)
And sometimes people really don’t see the seriousness of it at first. The mp3 on my site and even Steve Atkerson’s testimony on Iron Sharpens Iron shows that sometimes it takes a bit of time for things to sink in.
I went back and read Dr. Talbot’s email to make doubly sure that I did not misread what he said regarding Samuel and the posting of your email, and I did not misread it. What I said accurately represents what was told to me and that I was given permission to share.
Yes, you are right. I hope Dr. Talbot is beginning to understand the seriousness of this & how to separate his personal affinity for Frost from what Frost is actually teaching. Remember Dee Dee, even though you would speak to me while I was a hyperpreterist, you in no way would let me think my views at the time were valid. That is all I’m asking of WTS.
Mrs. Warren:
Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ:
As you know, I don’t blog and this will be most likely my first and last experience at it for reasons of the 9th commandment.
However, I wanted to publically thank you for fulfilling your promises to post my statements. You have kept your word and I accept your apology for the lateness. Please know that through our private e-mails I have come to consider you a friend and I have a great appreciation for your work in defending the truth of Scripture in these matters. I know that you have desired to attend seminary for some time now. Since you alone have taken the time to find out some things about myself and the 34 years of ministry and 29 years in the Seminary, I would like to make you a one time offer. I will offer you a ‘tuition free Presidential scholarship’ towards the Master of Arts in Christian Studies degree program. You will need to buy your own books and the lecture CDs for each course (there are twelve courses). I want to do this for three reasons: (1) I want you to become even better at what you do in this apologetic ministry. You are good and I want you to be one of the best. I consider this a good investment for the Kingdom. (2) You can report on WTS and what we are teaching first hand rather than having Whitefield and myself continued to be misrepresented by individuals who have never met, and do not know me or anything about the Seminary and its work and ministry. (3) I would also like for you to have the opportunity to get to know Dr. Gentry personally, as well as, other professors, ministers, and graduates who have been battling for the truth of Christ and the Scripture that have been my friends and colleagues for many years. Whether you accept this offer or not it will not affect upon our continued dialog.
Again, let me thank you for you kind words and apology. It was most gracious.
Your servant in Christ,
Rev. Kenneth Talbot, Ph.D., Th.D.
President
Whitefield Theological Seminary
Lakeland, Florida
Dee Dee, what a gracious offer by Dr. Talbot. I hope you take him up on his offer. But please, please — once you obtain the degree, don’t post it at the end of your name all the time, even during times when it is irrelevant like a certain M.A.R. does :-).
Dr. Talbot, you probably won’t interact with me here but let me just point out here is the text I originally sent to you.
As you & readers can see, there was nothing abrasive or personal in the text. I didn’t even mention Sam Frost.
Shortly AFTER I sent that to you & your board/regents I see a response, not by you or your staff, but by Sam Frost that said:
Hmmm, Don’t you find that odd? Why didn’t you write me back??? Why did you share my email with hyperpreterists who claimed YOU asked them to respond???
Dr. Talbot, don’t you think I at least deserve an apology??? That perhaps you handled all of this in the wrong manner? Probably what happened is that you already knew about Sam Frost’s hyperpreterism & so you knew who I was referring to, so you contacted Sam & he lied (as we caught him red-handed doing here) & told you all sorts of things about me that made you think I am just some nut. So, you thought you’d just let Sam handle it.
Dr. Talbot. My original questions still stand. Whether your instituion does or doesn’t hold to the WCF doesn’t change the fact that your institution WAS allowing a hyperpreterist to help design your programs. I was just asking about the validity of that. I don’t need to know you personally to ask such a question do I???
Thanks again for your time
Roderick
Dear Dr. Talbot, I will be writing you over the weekend, God willing. Your gracious offer genuinely moved me to tears, that was very kind. I will have to really prayerfully consider as I am already this month dedicating myself to seeking the will of God for what I should do next as certain doors have been opening up for me, both in world of theology, and in the “secular” (I don’t think there is such a thing, everything a Christian does is under Christ) world. I have been having some great successes in bringing down some walls with some non-believers with my quirky fun attitude that lets me share the Gospel. Thank you so deeply. We will talk soon.