Seminaries preached gospel

It is with some regret that I must respond to the Guest Column by Danny Akin in the May 14 (Biblical) Recorder, titled “Owens’ legacy to be remembered, celebrated at Southeastern Seminary.”

President Akin’s (column) alludes to “professors who doubted the truthfulness and inerrancy of the scriptures” at Southeastern.

He contradicts the article by Norman Jameson, who said, “(Owens’) work now goes almost unnoticed.” It seems that Owens’ resurrection to fame can be lifted up only by buying a chair of (New Testament) studies at (Southeastern) to keep his ideas alive.

I completed degrees at two SBC seminaries “in former times.” My wife and I served in pastoral and missionary roles for over 50 years. I’m sure Dr. Akin expresses opinions not true with my experience, along with many other faithful students.

I never sensed any professor or administrator ever teaching or preaching any other gospel than Jesus Christ.

Mr. Akin was not there, and he simply is misdirected in that accusation. We were free to ask questions of the Bible, and we normally got a deeper understanding of its meaning, rather than surface satisfaction. The New Testament I follow says, “Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.”

It also encourages us to “love one another, for God first loved us.”

Let us all do likewise, and let all this ugliness toward each other go away.

Let’s just tell our own story with Jesus in the center, not re-imaging the past of others.

It will honor God and Jesus Christ much more in the final analysis.