I just heard about my friend Clark Pinnock\u2019s death on Sunday, August 15 at age 73.\u00a0 My heart is heavy for his family but full of joy for him.\u00a0 He was suffering from Alzheimer\u2019s disease and is no doubt now in the joy of the Lord\u2019s presence without pain or loss.<\/p>\n
I followed Clark\u2019s career and theological path over the years after first reading him while in seminary.\u00a0 I made note of his change from Calvinism to Arminianism and then to open theism and talked with him often about his journey.\u00a0 Even when I did not agree with him, I always found his reasoning Christ-centered and Bible-centered and therefore thoroughly evangelical.\u00a0 He was a model of what I call the postconservative approach to theology\u2013always willing to change his mind when convinced scripture requires it.<\/p>\n
He was a gentle soul who was deeply wounded by harsh and often unfair criticisms of him and his work.\u00a0 He was a prolific and creative theologian.\u00a0 I only wish he had written a summa.\u00a0 When I asked him to do that he honored and flattered me by saying \u201cYou\u2019ve done it for me.\u201d\u00a0 (He was referring to The Mosaic of Christian Belief which I do not think rises to the level of what Clark would have produced had he ever put his hand to writing a systematic theology.)<\/p>\n
I believe the evangelical and ecumenical worlds have lost a great thinker in Clark.\u00a0 He was a mentor and friend to many of us.\u00a0 My heart and my prayers go out to his wife and daughter and other loved ones and to his many friends and former colleagues.<\/p>\n
(A note to those who may be tempted to use this opportunity to criticize Clark\u2019s work at this time: I don\u2019t think it is proper or Christian to attack someone\u2019s life or work shortly after their death.\u00a0 Such attacks on Stan Grenz\u2019s theological career and contribution within days of his passing were extremely hurtful and distressing to his family.\u00a0 Save your criticisms for a later time.\u00a0 I will welcome constructive criticisms of Clark\u2019s work after 30 days from the 15th.)<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I just heard about my friend Clark Pinnock\u2019s death on Sunday, August 15 at age 73.\u00a0 My heart is heavy for his family but full of joy for him.\u00a0 He was suffering from Alzheimer\u2019s disease and is no doubt now in the joy of the Lord\u2019s presence without pain or loss. I followed Clark\u2019s career […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n