Saturday, November 11, 2017

Sam Storms' "Inclusion Theology"

Sam Storms recently penned an article titled Replacement Theology or Inclusion Theology? 

Here's an excerpt:
All biblical interpreters recognize that there is development between the Old Testament and the New. Some say the Old Testament is the seed to which the New Testament provides the flower. Others speak of the relationship as one of symbol to substance, or type to anti-type. The point being that we must strive to understand the progress in redemptive history. And when I look at the relationship between Israel and the Church I see something similar to the relationship between the caterpillar and the butterfly.
The butterfly doesn’t replace the caterpillar. The butterfly IS the caterpillar in a more developed and consummate form. The butterfly is what God intended the caterpillar to become. Likewise, the church doesn’t replace Israel. The church IS Israel as God always intended it to be...
There's nothing in Storms' apologetic article which hasn't been attended to by non-supersessionists. One can use a variety of alternative terms to Replacement Theology - Expansionist Theology, Fulfillment Theology, or something else. But they all logically lead to the conclusion that God's promises to ethnic-Israel have been modified. Storms' view is supported by consistently modifying the plain-sense meaning of biblical passages referring to Israel's future.

Dr. Paul Henebury has addressed the issues of the different forms of Replacement Theology on his blog HERE

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