Thanks Jack. i appreciate your feedback. and the time you took as well as taking the time for the video. Although i am no longer in the reformed camp, i like to frequent Gordon Comwell Theological Seminary videos (this is not one of them) because of their studious level of investigation. So naturally when Gavin with a PhD in Historical Theology makes something like this, and delivers it with a genuine passion, it just speaks to me at some level i reckon.
Although name dropping does not amount to much, i was interested to find that Gavin was endorsed by some pretty established names:
William Lane Craig
D.A. Carson
Sean McDowell
I never really looked into any of this beyond a Ken Ham Seminar. I just assumed the global flood was the right view and calling it local, to me, seemed a way to make it not biblical or non-miraculous. You seem to have dabbled in the controversy a bit. I agree though that with what actual evidence there is out there of a global flood, it did not seem like this video or format is where it would be presented–at least maybe in how Gavin might prep stuff…not used to his sytle yet. I mean I guess if I were hot on this subject for evangelism/apologetics, i would yes for sure see the contouers and contrasts and strong/weak arguments. i don’t recall what those are at the time.
The reformed perspective from my experience will tend to move away from the miraculous. Although DA Carson (a scholar who endorsed Gavin) is a reformed Charismatic. As far as the accounts in scripture I did not get a sense that Gavin was wanting to explain biblical text by minimizing miracles or something to that extent. For me, there would be miracles either way. But if there were less miracles after creation in world animal population, yeah, the creation/miracle question does come into play. If it were local, i guess finding ways to convey that to some who might feel Christians might overdue a sense of blind faith (I mean like if someone we are witnessing to has issues with where some Christians might not have an informed faith as much as where it might be blind faith–something like this might be helpful).
Ok so I am surprised that i was willing to consider a local flood. I always associated that with unbelief. You bring up some good points regarding the global flood perspective. But even like a conversation concerning this kind of approach i think is pretty cool. Like if unbelievers got a sense of Christian inquisitiveness within our own culture, it might be a way to help people take interest into a discussion like that. It might remove some of their bias too toward how they might not know that Christians started the major Universities in the USA. There is a stigma of sorts i believe.
Thanks again for watching the video and taking the time to write about it. On my post earlier i put “It changed my mind or view/stance.” I admit I associate global flood now with some experiences with the discernment ministry churches i don’t exactly trust as much anymore these days. But what this conversation with you has encouraged in me is to consider why it matters. Because that is a good question. For you it would seem to be about Gavin limiting perhaps the miraculous in the word. And what matters perhaps strongest for you is just taking God at His word. For me i would consider like, “does it matter?” I mean before i would think if it is not global then the canapy over the earth that allowed people to live longer–would that be an issue? Or like how or would it matter if it is global or local? And is our understanding of what we perceived the word to mean…what it means…in places. Good things to chew on. I would say i would not just walk away sold!!! Like on how the word might mean different things than we think. But the way Gavin brought it, it made me hungrier for historical/cultural senses of scritpural meaning. This has always fascinated me.
Jack i am reminded from a previous conversation that you are not so much into things like this, where you might see as you used the word “nitpik” approaches in some cases. Or other areas where it would appear to you a person may not be trusting in God in what is written so much. So thank you brother then doubly for taking the time here because it might not be the most edifying for your tastes.
One point i wanted to land on though in light of your observations is that I believe it is the gospel of John (or certainly one of them) that if the miracles Jesus did while He was on earth were recorded, there would not be enough room for the earth to store the books written about them. Hyperbole, but still definately means that when Jesus came there were a ton more miracles than what we were told about. What you mentioned reminded me of this. Perhaps Noah’s period was a period of creation miracles as well. These ways of looking at things certainly have me considering other ways to look at some things. Thanks. Blessings.
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ABOUT THE CONTENT CREATOR
Gavin has a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary in historical theology, and an M.Div from Covenant Theological Seminary. He is the author of eight books as well as numerous academic and popular articles. His Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn’t won numerous awards. For a list of publications, see his CV.
Gavin is a fellow of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, a fellow of The Center for Baptist Renewal, a fellow of Credo, a member of St. Basil Fellowship of The Center for Pastor Theologians, and a Visiting Scholar at Reasons to Believe. He regularly speaks at churches and conferences around the country.
Blessings.
