Dr. Yarnell sent me the following letter in response to my critique of his recent article in SBC Life and asked that it be posted on my blog.

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Dear Tom:

Your searching critique of what I have written is, as always, enjoyable and beneficial. You are correct in your surmise about editorial changes. However, the spirit of what I wrote, if not each particular word, is substantially contained in the attenuated piece printed in SBC Life. In light of the editor’s entirely appropriate concern for space limitations, a popular piece such as this should not be seen as finally definitive of this theologian’s systematic thinking but a very quick sampling indeed.

You may be interested in the fact that although Calvinism has not been a major concern of mine to this point, I do have an interest in the ultimately critical issue of God’s salvation of humanity. Although I am currently committed to a number of other writing projects, in the future, perhaps the Lord will lead me to devote more time to treating biblical soteriology in particular and in depth. At that point, perhaps we could converse some more. Until then, I must concentrate on the eager students enrolled here at Southwestern Seminary.

In the meanwhile, Tom, I hope you will join me in praying that God’s Spirit will compel all Southern Baptists–whatever our particular positions concerning Calvinism–to diligently unite our voices together to go and to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world, baptizing those who respond to God’s gracious offer, teaching them the entire counsel of Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Malcolm