September 10, 2001 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The following is excerpted from The Fundamentalist Digest, July-August 2001, edited by Don Jasmin (P.O. Box 2322, Elkton, MD 21922) --

The June 1998 issue of Theology, News and Notes, the official magazine of Fuller Theological Seminary contains the installation address of Donald A. Hanger as the "George Eldon Ladd Professor of N.T.," which he delivered on Oct. 4, 1993. Although this address was delivered several years ago, it is extremely significant since it confirms the sad departure of Fuller Seminary from the faith once delivered unto the saints.

Calls Inerrancy an "Unnecessary and Misleading" Doctrine

"There are those for whom it is not enough to affirm the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. One must also assert their inerrancy. It is hard to imagine anything more debilitating to the work of the Biblical scholar than the a-priori insistence on inerrancy. The faculty of this seminary, we may be thankful, saw how unreasonable, unnecessary and misleading this doctrine is, and in 1972 changed the seminary's statement of faith" (p. 7).

Claims Inerrancy Not an Imperative Doctrine for Evangelicals

"The point I want to emphasize here is that evangelicalism is not dependent upon a Fundamentalist view of Scripture. One does not have to affirm inerrancy to be or to remain evangelical" (p. 8).

Dogmatically States that Evangelicals Must Promote the "Historical Critical Method" of Study

"Ironically, it is evangelicalsthose who at the beginning were so slow to embrace the historical-critical methodwho now must become its advocates and defenders. Even the very possibility of historical knowledge must be defended" (p. 8).

"It is important to make it very clear that critical scholarship can be and should be a constructive tool that enhances the faith of Christians" (p. 10).

Admits that Fuller Seminary Repudiated Biblical Separation From Its Inception

"Fuller Seminary was never separatist in its thinking; it never desired to break with the big churches, or to found a new movement. It identified itself as evangelical over against other alternatives" (p. 10).

The above statements, straight from the "horses mouth," reveal that Fuller Theological Seminary is not sympathetic to historical Biblical Fundamentalism and never has been emphathetic with its aims and goals. While Fuller Seminary founder, Charles A. Fuller, was a weaker Fundamentalist, he probably never envisioned the apostate turn that the school would take so quickly after his decease.

[Note from Brother Cloud: Dr. Harold Lindsell, one of the early leaders at Fuller, documented the downgrade of biblical inerrancy at Fuller Seminary in his book The Battle for the Bible, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976.]