Breech of the Ninth Commandment

Posted on by Douglas Wilson
“If you have been in controversy like this one for five years, as I have, and have written hundreds of thousands of words about it, as I have, it is impossible to read through those Westminster quotations above and say, ‘Yep. I sure did all of that right.’ Specifically, I can say (and do say) that my purpose and intent was not to accuse any of the named individuals in this controversy with the sin of purposefully lying. But because I did not make this qualification carefully at that time, I believe that it would be quite reasonable for a reader not to see this, and that problem was my responsibility. I was not making a blanket accusation (for example) of flat-out lying against the men at Mid-America or Westminster West. I don’t believe that accusation to be true, but since my words could reasonably be construed that way, I need to seek the forgiveness of any FV critics affected by it. In short, any of the named Christian leaders, critics of the FV, who believed I was calling them liars simpliciter, please forgive me for my breech of the ninth commandment in this” ().

TheAuburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 671

Yet Another Disconnect

Posted on by Douglas Wilson
“How is it possible to disagree politely with giants in the faith on doctrine x, but when doctrine x appears in modern garb, denounce it as heresy? . . . We can’t claim to be Reformed and in the next breath reject half our fathers in the faith as heretics and scoundrels. And so we don’t reject them outright—we keep their names carved in marble in places of honor, and we keep their books on our shelves, and we reprint these commemorative editions to keep them in honorific libraries (without intending to actually read them). One of the central points that I made at the infamous Auburn Avenue conference was something I had learned from my Banner of Truth edition of John Murray’s works, which set had been given to me as a gift of gratitude by certain saints who now view me as a heretic—for having read and believed what they gave me as a present. Ah, well.”

The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, pp. 664-665

Denying It By How They Affirm It

Posted on by Douglas Wilson
“So the doctrine of justification by faith alone is as glorious as it ever was. It needs to be confessed, believed, cherished, and preached. But there are some who deny it by wearing it around their necks as a talisman; they are in grave peril because when the gospel is declared to them, they mutter to themselves that they are already children of Abraham and have never been in bondage to anyone.”

The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 658