Knox Theological Seminary

Knox Theological Seminary is an evangelical seminary in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida founded in 1989 by D. James Kennedy in cooperation with the South Florida Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America.

History

The founding faculty were Joseph Hall (Professor of Church History), George W. Knight III (Dean and Professor of New Testament), Robert L. Reymond (Professor of Systematic Theology), R. Laird Harris (adjunct Professor of Old Testament), and David Winecoff and Bruce Fiol (homiletics). The first president was Cortez Cooper with D. James Kennedy as chancellor until his death in September of 2007. Knox is governed by a board of directors operating under the auspices of the session of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Knox graduated its first class of Master of Divinity students in 1993.

Viewpoint

Knox's theological viewpoint was originally Calvinist, reflecting the views of its founder, Dr. Kennedy, and his former faculty. The seminary also originally sought to reflect the tradition and values of "Old Princeton" for a new generation in order to fulfill the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate. The seminary is now committed to "prepare and equip Christian men and women to serve under the lordship of Christ and the authority of God's Word, to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and to obey the Cultural Mandate (Genesis 1:28)." [cite web|url=http://www.knoxseminary.edu/pages/page.asp?page_id=22037|title=Knox Seminary Website|accessdate=2008-09-15] Classical education, Christian apologetics, and a commitment to biblical inerrancy are important aspects of the Master of Divinity program.

Leadership

During Dr. D. James Kennedy's lifetime, he served as the chancellor of Knox Theological Seminary. In 2008, several months after the passing of Dr. Kennedy, a new board of directors was appointed due to the resignations of several board members. The new board is now comprised of Rev. Dr. P. David Nicholas, "senior pastor, Spanish River Church (PCA), Boca Raton, FL"; Mr. William E. Ashcraft, Esq., J.D., "ruling elder, The Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (CRPC), Fort Lauderdale, FL"; Mr. Clark J. Cochran, J.D. "ruling elder, CRPC"; Dr. Richard M. DeVos, "member of LaGrave Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI and CRPC, Fort Lauderdale, FL"; Rev. Thomas J. Hendrikse, J.D., M.Div., "senior pastor, Rio Vista Community Church (PCA), Fort Lauderdale, FL"; Rev. Richard Kalehoff, M.Div., "minister of marriage and families, CRPC"; Mr. Ronald Kovack; Dr. Ann McClintock, Ph.D., "member of CRPC"; Rev. Ronald L. Siegenthaler, M.Div., "executive minister, CRPC"; Mr. Daniel Smith, P.A., "ruling elder, Rio Vista Community Church (PCA)"; Mr. Everett Sorensen; and Rev. Stephen Van Eck, M.Div., "minister of congregational life".. [cite web|url=http://www.knoxseminary.edu/pages/page.asp?page_id=25161|title=Knox Seminary Board|accessdate=2008-09-15]

In 2008, the board elected Dr. P. David Nicholas, senior pastor of Spanish River Church in Boca Raton, as president and CEO of Knox. It also appointed Dr. Buzz McNutt as vice president.

Additionally, with Dr. Fowler White's resignation from Knox in 2008, Dr. Samuel Lamerson was appointed as the dean of faculty. [cite web|url=http://www.knoxseminary.edu/pages/page.asp?page_id=21720|title=Knox Seminary Faculty|accessdate=2008-09-15]

Controversies

Federal Vision

The faculty of Knox Seminary led a colloquium on the Federal Vision in which theologians from each side of the debate presented their views. Prominent Christian leaders presented ideas about covenant theology, the objectivity of the covenant, the sacraments, and the relationship of faith and obedience that they believe will address both errors afflicting the presumptuous and comforting the afflicted. Essay and material presented at the colloquium was published in 2004 under the title "The Auburn Avenue Theology Pros & Cons: Debating the Federal Vision". [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Auburn-Avenue-Theology-Debating-Federal/dp/0974947709/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221580670&sr=8-2|title= Federal Vision Colloquium Publication|accessdate=2008-08-01]

The Hermeneutics of Dr. Warren Gage

In 2007 a controversy concerning the hermeneutics of Knox Seminary's Old Testament Professor, Dr. Warren Gage, [cite web|url=http://www.knoxseminary.edu/pages/page.asp?page_id=21720|title=Knox Seminary Site|accessdate=2008-07-01] came to the surface. The Knox Theological Seminary board of directors in 2007, lead by the efforts of Dr. R.C. Sproul, Rick Philips, Dr. Cortez Cooper, Gladys Israels, Richard Penny, and Greg Miseyko, [cite web|url=http://imaginingavainthing.wordpress.com|title= Imagining a Vain Thing Blog|accessdate=2008-09-11] expressed concerns to Dr. Gage about his approach to interpreting Scripture [cite web|url=http://www.luke2427.com|title=Dr. Warren Gage's Blog|accessdate=2008-09-18] -- they were concerned that it had much in common with the medieval hermeneutic known as the Quadriga (four-fold interpretation of Scripture as opposed to the grammatical-historical interpretation of Scripture). [cite web|url=http://www.messiahskingdom.com/hermeneutics/hermeneutics.html|title=Quadriga Overview|accessdate=2008-09-05] Specifically, they believed Dr. Gage was in violation of the Westminster Confession of Faith 1.9 (WCF 1.9). [cite web|url=http://www.drsamlam.com/entry/knox_seminary_and_dr_warren_gage_what_happened/|title=Knox Professor's Site|accessdate=2008-08-01] However, no formal charges were ever brought against Dr. Gage by the board of directors. Dr. Gage appealed to the Presbyterian session of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (CRPC), of which Knox Seminary was an autonomous commission (per the PCA's Book of Church Order, section 15, paragraph 1). The session of CRPC dismissed the concerns of Dr. R.C. Sproul and the other members of the board of directors and stated that Dr. Gage's hermeneutic was in accord with the WCF. [cite web|url=http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com/2007/10/06/on-dr-warren-gage-coral-ridge-presbyterian-church-and-knox-seminary/|title=Greenbaggins Site|accessdate=2008-08-21]

As a result, several Knox board members resigned, to include: , Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, and Dr. Fowler White), and the movement from Presbyterianism to a more non-denominational, Baptist position (two Baptists are now on the faculty-Dr. Buzzwell McNutt and Dr. Thomas L. Kiedis) [cite web|url=http://www.knoxseminary.edu/pages/page.asp?page_id=21720|title=Knox Seminary Site|accessdate=2008-07-01] . [cite web|url=http://www.puritanboard.com/f55/knox-seminary-fiasco-continues-26205/|title=Puritan Board|accessdate=2008-09-11]

The Trinity Foundation has just published a book titled, "Imagining a Vain Thing: The Decline and Fall of Knox Seminary", by a former Knox Seminary student. The book purports to be an exposé of Dr. Gage's hermeneutic: "This exposé by a former Knox student demonstrates how neglecting the historical grammatical interpretation of the Reformation can lead to all sorts of fanciful eisegesis and ultimately heresy. A case in point is Warren Gage and the controversy surrounding his medieval interpretation taught at Knox Theological Seminary." [cite web|url=http://www.trinitylectures.org/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=170|title=The Decline and Fall of Knox Seminary|accessdate=2008-09-01]

Academics and accreditation

Knox first received accreditation in 2005 through Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. ^{[http://www.ats.edu/member_schools/knoxtheo.asp]} ATS accreditation is recognized by the "United States Department of Education" and the "Commision on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation" for the accreditation of graduate professional theological education. ["Knox Theological Seminary Academic Catalog: 2006-2007", p. 5] However, it does not have regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Knox offers the Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, Master of Arts in Christianity and Culture, Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies, and the Master of Arts in Evangelism degrees. ^{[http://www.knoxseminary.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=22185]} Current faculty include Samuel Lamerson, Warren A. Gage, James Garretson, and Michael Morales. Former faculty include R. Fowler White, E. Calvin Beisner, Joseph Hall, D. James Kennedy, George W. Knight III, Robert L. Reymond, O. Palmer Robertson, and R. C. Sproul. Adjunct faculty have included Robert Evans, George Grant, John Guest, Laird Harris, David W. Hall, ["Knox Theological Seminary Academic Catalog: 2006-2007", p. 10] Michael A. G. Haykin, ["Knox Theological Seminary Academic Catalog: 2006-2007", p. 10] Michael A. Milton, and Collins Weeber.

References

* [http://www.ats.edu/member_schools/knoxtheo.asp Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada - Knox Theological Seminary]
* [http://www.chea.org/search/actionInst.asp?CheaID=168989 Council for Higher Education Accreditation - Database of Institutions Accredited By Recognized U.S. Accrediting Organizations - Knox Theological Seminary]

External links

* [http://www.knoxseminary.org/ Knox Theological Seminary] - official site