The Old School

Still clearing ...

I recently received a letter about a ministry desiring to work "only with Baptists who are from 'The Old School.'"

Their first "old school"criteria is those who have not "left the King James Bible for any other translation."

How is "King James Only" old school? Only historical revisionism could conclude such a thing. It is only about thirty years old at best. Fundamentalism never held to a "single version only" position until relatively recently, and a great many fundamentalists have rightly stood for the "old school" against "single version only." That is not to say that fundamentalists dislike the venerable King James Version. They simply realize that the Bible does not teach any form of "one version only" theology.

Their second criteria for "old school" is no "five point Calvinists." Do these people not realize that the particular Baptists date to the 1640s? I would think something almost five hundred years old would certainly qualify as "old school," but perhaps my evaluation of the passing of time is misguided.

Their third criteria is not "Armenian in theology." I have tried to figure out why a particular nationality is considered not to be old school. I have had no success. If some of you know why Armenians can't be "old school Baptists" please pass it along. Of course, Armenians are probably disqualified anyway since I doubt they use the King James Version.

I am all for people deciding their associations based on their personal beliefs and preferences. But at least have the decency to get your facts (and your spelling) straight.