In the tension-filled room full of systematic theologians and biblical theologians, it is perilously easy to juxtapose “timeless truths” to “story.” But this is not necessary, and this is another plea to all get along. It should go without saying that I affirm what the Reformed systematicians have distilled out behind their magisterial barn. And when they are serving up Old Turretin (200 proof) I drink it down gladly. Nevertheless, I have great sympathies with the biblical theologians also.
But in the current debates, since I am more or less aligned with the latter group, let me just say this as an admonition to our guys. A lot of what goes out as biblical theology, marketed as “Story Theology” is actually “Literary Criticism Theology.” And those are not the same thing at all.