Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 02:2 (Summer 1959)
Article: An Open Letter To Local Churches
Author: Warren Vanhetloo

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CenQ 2:2 (Summer 1959) p. 43

An Open Letter To Local Churches

Warren Vanhetloo

Richard V. Clearwaters

January 30, 1959

Rev. John Weidenaar
Calvary Baptist Church
172 5 S. Jackson
Casper, Wyoming

Dear Brother Weidenaar:

Thank you for your recent letter inquiring about the position of Central Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary in regard to present-day practices of compromise with liberals and modernists. We are happy to send you the following clear and categorical answers to your ten questions.

Inasmuch as we emphasize the ministry of the local church, and recognize our responsibility to local churches of the movement which we seek to serve, we wish to commend you for this forthright inquiry. Would to God that every pastor took a similar interest in the sound and safe training of Christian young people in this day of rising compromise among Bible believers under the guise of ecumenical evangelism and new evangelicalism,

You may use this reply in any way you see fit in your local church or elsewhere. We probably will also make it available to other pastors and local churches since it treats of a subject of such tremendous importance in this day.

1. We at Central C. B. Seminary have absolutely no qualms about using the label fundamentalist, as frequently evidenced in our publications, for it clearly identifies a distinct area of biblical convictions in opposition to the heresy and inclusivism of this century. If further defections require use of “ultra-fundamental” to identify a position true to the Bible, we shall proudly so identify ourselves.

2. New evangelicalism (also frequently treated in our literature) is so enamored of scholarship that it redefines offensive areas of historical Christianity to make them more palatable to educated paganism of the day. It endeavors to obscure the sharply defined outline

CenQ 2:2 (Summer 1959) p. 44

3. Sherman Roddy has warned that new evangelicals maintain a vast area of silence lest their true feelings be known. No hint of sympathies toward the new evangelical position has appeared at Central and faculty members have openly opposed it. Rest assured that sympathy toward this or any area of inclusivism will not be countenanced by the Administration or Board of this School.

4. One who, in whole or in part, openly or by clever redefinition and mental reservation, denies any of the fundamentals of the faith places himself thereby outside the realm of true Christianity.

5. Central C. B. Seminary does not approve of any cooperation with modernists or liberals or any other form of unbelief.

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