Plymouth Brethren
Perhaps Crawford can field this one. On p. 8 of ST by Dr Culver he makes the following statement: "Even some Plymouth Brethren have conceded that not every new 'assembly' comes to birth with all the spiritual gifts and those gifted to be 'pastors and teachers'. Very late they have 'discovered' that their founding Fathers were all thoroughly educated and theologically trained Anglican clergymen."
Is this an accurate statement with regard to some PB not being aware of the their found Fathers education and abilities?
Who were the early PB founders and how devoted to Christ and his word were they?
Is there such a thing as a PB systematic theology?
What do you believe to be the most lasting impact (good and bad) of the PB in Ireland and the rest of the world as far as you know?
Is this an accurate statement with regard to some PB not being aware of the their found Fathers education and abilities?
Who were the early PB founders and how devoted to Christ and his word were they?
Is there such a thing as a PB systematic theology?
What do you believe to be the most lasting impact (good and bad) of the PB in Ireland and the rest of the world as far as you know?
posted by Anonymous | 4:34 PM
4 Comments:
Phil,
Crawford's on holiday, but he told me that Darby wore clerical vestments and was a paedobaptist, while a Brethren. Let's hope the old foggy memory isn't spreading apocrypha!
Hope no-one minds me muscling in on this - this may be the only time we discuss something that I know about!
(Timothy - Not sure about the vestments - although if Crawford said it, it is most likely true. Spot on on the paedobaptism though.)
Couple of points could be made here, chief among them being just how unsatisfactory the term Plymouth Brethren is - Exclusives and the so-called 'open brethren' developed very differently.
To confine this to the questions raised:
- It would be difficult in the extreme to substantiate the statement about a lack of awareness of the training of the 'founders' of the PB. Both sides of the movement tend to be quite aware of its roots, and there is consicerable evidence that this used to be the case to an even greater extent. It may not be foregrounded at all times, but the awareness is very much there, in my experience, at least. (interestingly, while it is something of a truism that later Brethren distrusted higher education, there is quite a bit of evidence that suggests the contrary, but that's another day's work.
-'early PB founders' is problematic, but if you were going to mak such a list it would include names like J.N. Darby, C.H. Mackintosh, A.N. Groves and George Mueller (who had to scrape through life without a second initial!) A little later, but still important would be men like John Ritchie (founder of the eponymous publishers), V.E. Vine, and C.F. Hogg. In general these were men with the highest regard for God's word - apart from Mueller and Groves, who were arguably a slightly more pietistic strain, they published copious commentaries - most of which are still very much in use, in 'P.B.' circles, at any rate. Remember too that Darby produced, or oversaw the production of, his own translation of Scripture into English, German and French. We might also note the contribution of Thomas Newberry, and his bible with symbols designed to convey all availible textual data to the non-Greek reading reader.
-There are a number of works that approach ST, but they do tend to be short on the systematic bit. I don't have titles/authors off the top of my head, but can provide them if you want.
-Most enduring contribution? Hmm... Well, missionaries, from assembly backgrounds have worked in pretty much every country you choose to name, and are seeing considerable blessing in Africa and parts of South America. Ireland has a particularly fine record in this regard. Indeed, the missionary work of people like A.N. Groves and Dan Crawford has been enormously influential - see Rob Dann's excellent work on Groves for his impact on missiology, world-wide. Dispensationalism has also been a contribution of enormous impact - good or bad rather depends on where you're standing I think.
I think I'd go for the continued existance of assemblies in all parts of the world that are evangelically active, love the teaching of the word of gods, practice, as far as possible the Scriptural tenets of gathering, and look for the Lord's appearing. (Then, I'm biassed)
Hope this helps.
I think Mark's right on this! I understand that JND was wearing vestments sometime into the 1840s, when preaching for a French Reformed church somewhere or other.
Did you guys know that Norm Geisler gives Culver kudos in the acknowledgments to his strongly Arminian book "Chosen But Free: A Balanced View of Divine Election"?
Is Culver an Arminian? Sorry for the guilt by association, it's probably unjust of me.
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