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gians. So, by God’s grace, I was able to “get in” on a highly significant discussion – one that would relate much to the openness controversy that was yet to spring onto the evangelical scene – and think through a web of important issues as one committed to biblical authority and deeply respectful of the tradition.
this, the authority and submission structure of the Trinity seemed nearly to jump off the page. About this same time, I was asked to speak at a pastors’ conference on the doctrine of the Trinity, so this allowed me the beginnings of my work in processing and writing up this material. How grateful I am to the Lord for helping me put on “Trinitarian glasses” to beMany people know you through gin to see what I had previously only your writing against Open Theism. read past. Where do you see the impact of Open Theism today? As a pastor what role does theology play in the local church? My sense is that the main body of literature on the openness contro- The whole of life as a believer – from versy – by both advocates and crit- initial conversion through the comics – has now been written. Yet, open plex process of sanctification to pretheism is not going away. Rather, paring to die well, to the glory of God now it is more of the “background” – is affected deeply by whether one theology of much other work that is knows theology, and what the conbeing presented, largely by those in tent of that theology is. A pastor who the emergent movement and on the downplays theology is either ignorant evangelical left. So, though it is not of what theology is, or he is deceived as prominent, it continues to exert a in thinking that the wisdom of our significant influence. world (e.g., pragmatism of some sort or other, in all probability) is the key You have spent years thinking about to our people’s betterment. But A. W. the Trinity. Why has this doctrine Tozer is right: What comes into our been so important in your own per- minds when we think about God is sonal life? the most important thing about us! About 15 years ago, while reading my Bible, the Lord began to open my eyes What challenges will young scholto begin noticing the pronouns used ars/pastors face in the next 20 years? of “God” in many of the books of the New Testament. What I began to see I suspect that more of the pressure is that these pronouns refer, not to of a growing hostile, secular, anti“God” generically, but rather to one or Christian culture will prompt even another member of the Trinity. I be- more “evangelicals” to depart from gan noticing the specific actions and central Christian convictions in order roles that each member of the Trinity to devise some warped and unfaithwere said to carry out, and along with ful version of the “Christian faith” that reflects ideals and intuitions of
the culture far more than anything deeply biblical. The divide between those who truly are Christian and those who are not, despite self-designations, will likely increase. Commitments to fear God, not men; to go with the Bible, not the culture; to remain faithful to the gospel of Christ, not the “gospel” of the “enlightened” – these are the commitments deeply needed for those who will lead the church forward. You speak and travel a lot. What city have you enjoyed visiting most? be honest, I hardly notice where I am when I travel, since what I LOVE doing when I’m there is sharing with others the glorious truths God gives me the privilege to teach and preach. But I must say, that when Jodi travels with me, my interest in seeing something of the place we’re at increases. She and I had the privilege of doing some conferences in the UK earlier this year, and our memories of preaching and visiting in Edinburgh (since you asked for one city – how difficult!) are especially dear. Bruce Ware is professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ware has coedited with Thomas Schreiner Still Sovereign. He also has authored God’s Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism; God’s Greater Glory: The Exalted God of Scripture; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance.
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