Thread by @drantbradley

In Chapter 6, it becomes glaringly clear that Voddie Baucham does not understand what the "Sufficiency of Scripture" actually means. He straw mans the definition, divorces it from the Reformed Tradition, and then critiques David Platt, John O, Eric Mason, Ligon Duncan, & others.

This explains so much. Baucham's personal definition of the sufficiency doctrine is 1920s fundamentalism rather than Reformed. He says, "there's not a better book to address men on the issue of race in America than the Bible." But the "issue of race" includes economics, e.g.

The Sufficiency of Scripture is about faith. "The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture"(WCF 1.6).

In his book, his quotes the wrong part of the WCF to defend the doctrine. He seems to be out of his lane here. He says that the Bible is sufficient to address every issue of race in America. How is that possible when dealing with race which is not what the Bible is about?

Fact: the actual Reformed tradition will say that Bible is insufficient to address matters outside those of saving faith (like Presbyterians believe). Baucham's book is a departure away from the Reformed tradition & takes its readers back a century in biblicist Fundamentalism.

WCF: "and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, & government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, & Christian prudence..." (1:6). It's so bizarre that he'd quote section 1:1 not 1:6.

This chapter only further exposes that Baucham doesn't know what the doctrine actually means in the Reformed tradition. "The light of nature" includes "sociology, psychology, and political science." The disciplines he says Christians don't need. amazon.com/Rediscovering-…

Using Reformed doctrines as a proxy for American fundamentalism misleads readers. It's sad. Calvin, Vermigli, Althusius, Turrentin, etc. are all turning in their graves with Baucham's anti-Reformed, American fundamentalist understanding of the Sufficiency of Scripture.

You can't get more of the false distinction between sacred and secular than reading Chapter 6 of "Fautlines." It's simply Neo-fundamentalism masquerading as apologetics. The only thing it's defending in its attacks on Ligon Duncan, Eric Mason, David Platt, & others is biblicism.

It's too much to post here but Baucham's misunderstanding and misuse of the Reformed doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture would be helped by joining a confessionally connectional denominational where theology is practice in community & leaders are bound by confessionalism.

A great example of confessionalism on race is the Missouri-Synod Lutheran discussion of race. This conservative and Reformational denomination use "the light of nature" to discuss race. Baucham isn't representing confessional Reformation perspectives. files.lcms.org/wl/?id=2ZSjBpg…

Perhaps Baucham would have better theological application of the doctrine of sufficiency if he were in the PCA & could learn about the insufficiency of Scripture and put the straw men to death.😎 theaquilareport.com/the-sufficienc…