Theological news from the academic bubble

A calling to engage with the God hypothesis (THE, 31-Jul)

An encouraging article focussing on the work of a minister in the Church of Scotland to set up an academic Department of Theology within the University of the Highlands and Islands which is specified as an institution with an "evangelical and reformed ethos". The normal procedure is that specifically "evangelical" theological institutions are set up independently and then gain accreditation from a university. The BA course they offer looks really very good.

Wales spurns QAA advice to link up with unaccredited US Bible college (THE, 17-Jul)

The "normal procedure" is the way these things proceed in the States, too, and the American Trinity Theological Seminary has recently gained full accreditation from the University of Wales, which also accredits WEST (or ETCW, as I knew it). However, the American seminary, whose faculty—according to the all-knowing Wikipedia—once boasted John Warwick Montgomery (a regular on Issues, Etc.), is not formally recognised by any Federal or State educational organisation, bringing Wales in for no little criticism from academics whose idea of academic respectability is evidently, "Government-accredited". With the faculty composition including some LCMS and PCA ministers, I'm not so sure that the criticism is warranted, although of course, no-one this side of the pond (apart, one hopes, from the folk at Wales) really knows the quality of the degrees offered.

Leaps of faith and the gospel truth (THE, 17-Jul)

Kathy Ehrensperger, a senior lecturer in New Testament at the aforementioned University of Wales (one wonders what she thinks of some of the institutions they accredit?), reviews a new book flogging the old Christ -v- Christians delusion. And here's her second point of criticism—remember, she's a senior lecturer in New Testament, not just some random theology academic:

To present the Gospels as evidence, suggesting that this is "historical", is not sound scholarship.

Yikes.