by Theological Commission

Recently the Commission for Theological Integrity was pleased to be a part of the 2016 FWB National Association meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. This was the 80th meeting of the National Association, and the first time the Convention had met in Kansas City since 2004.  Below are just a few of the highlights from the Commission’s ministry to our Free Will Baptist people.

• The Commission released the sixth edition of Integrity: A Journal of Christian Thought. Complimentary copies are mailed to all ordained pastors serving in the denomination, though pastors who attended the Convention were able to begin picking up their copies there. Additional copies of the journal can be requested for $7 (includes s&h) by emailing mattpinson@welch.edu. Readers will find this edition shorter than previous ones, though this has been done in the hopes of producing the journal more frequently in the future. The journal consists of four substantial essays and eight book reviews.
• The Commission sponsored its annual Theological Trends seminar. This year Welch College professor and registrar Matthew Bracey gave a presentation entitled, “Legal and Religious Liberty Implications of the Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage.” Bracey put the court decision in its proper social and legal context, then discussed the theological, legal, and practical aspects of religious liberty. He also offered some insight into what a faithful response by the church might look like in our current cultural moment.
• During the Commission report on Wednesday morning, Chairman Matt Pinson recognized Mr. Leroy Forlines for his 50+ years of service to the Theological Commission, as well as his service to the denomination as a whole. Jackson Watts and Matthew Bracey presented Forlines with a recently-completed festschrift entitled The Promise of Arminian Theology: Essays in Honor of F. Leroy Forlines (Randall House Academic).
• The Commission announced its 2016 Symposium, to be held on the campus of Welch College in Nashville on October 24-25. The theme of the Symposium will be “The Theological Legacy of F. Leroy Forlines.” The event, aptly, will take place only weeks prior to Forlines’ 90th birthday. The program will feature a range of presentations that deal with aspects of Forlines’ thought, as well as a panel discussion. Paper proposals and submissions may be sent to fwbtheology@gmail.com. The deadline for receiving proposals or submissions will be August 15th.
• Finally, W. Jackson Watts was re-elected to a second term on the Commission to expire in 2021.

In the months ahead, we hope you will continue following the Commission’s work here at fwbtheology.com, and follow us on Twitter @fwbtheology