Journal: Southeastern Theological Review
Volume: STR 06:2 (Winter 2015)
Article: Introduction To The Volume
Author: STR. Editor

STR 6:2 (Winter 2015) p. 149

Introduction To The Volume

STR. Editor

This edition of Southeastern Theological Review (STR) arises from interaction with Michael Bird’s Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013) and Curtis Freeman’s Contesting Catholicity: Theology for Other Baptists (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2014). Both volumes are significant contributions to ecclesial conversation about God, his purposes in the world, and the identity and mission of the church.

On the one hand, the essays that engage Bird’s Evangelical Theology originated from a review panel in the “Reformed Theology” section at the 66^th annual Evangelical Theological Society national meeting in San Diego, California on 19 November 2014. The contributors to this edition of STR at that panel session were: Michael Bird, Kelly Kapic, Michael Horton, Amy Peeler, and Marc Cortez. The impetus for inclusion of that discussion in this volume of STR comes from the gracious offer of Dr. Mark Bowald, who convened the group and chaired the session.

Nathan Finn’s engagement with Curtis Freeman’s Contesting Catholicity arises, at least in part, from a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Ph.D. Colloquium with Steven Harmon (Gardner-Webb University), Curtis Freeman (Duke Divinity School, Duke University), and Nathan Finn (Union University). In the colloquium, Dr. Harmon gave a lecture to Ph.D. students, faculty and friends entitled “A Free-Church Magisterium?” on 12 March 2015. Drs. Freeman and Finn responded and then the discussion turned broadly to the themes that Dr. Finn addresses in the current review in this volume. That was a lively and constructive engagement and is available online to those interested in the discussion.1 Dr. Finn has thought long about the Bapto-Catholic movement in Baptist life, and it was a pleasure to have him as a contributor to that conversation with Dr. Harmon then, and it is a pleasure to have him as a charitable interlocutor to Dr. Freeman in the context of this edition of STR.

STR 6:2 (Winter 2015) p. 150

The essays in this volume are followed, in normal order, by an international team of reviewers. It is our hope that the essays and reviews will be of benefit and enrichment to our readers. Our readers should also be aware that this will be the final volume of the current editor and STR 7/1 (2016) will find Dr. Benjamin L. Merkle, Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary installed as the new editor of STR. I am thrilled that he has agreed to take this post, and I know that the journal will thrive...