The Burning Bush - Far Eastern Bible College

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The Burning Bush 16/1 (January 2010)A CRITIQUE OF ROLLAND MCCUNE’STEACHING ON BIBLE PRESERVATION IN HISSYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY OF BIBLICALCHRISTIANITYPaul FergusonDr Rolland D McCune is Professorof Systematic Theology at the DetroitBaptist Theological Seminary (DBTS) inAllen Park, Michigan. In 2009, DBTSreleased the first of four volumes of ASystematic Theology of BiblicalChristianity by McCune. 1 Dr McCune hadalso previously written a well receivedbook entitled Promise Unfulfilled: TheFailed Strategy of ModernEvangelicalism, released in October2004. 2 This first volume on SystematicTheology deals particularly with threemain areas: the doctrine of Scripture, thedoctrine of God, and Angelology. Like DBTS, McCune holds to atraditional dispensationalist Baptistic perspective on theology and this isapparent throughout. However, he does have a somewhat distinctiveapproach as he seeks to weave his dispensationalism with a Calvinistsoteriology, pretribulational premillennialism in eschatology, a singlesource (Scripture) as the only rule for theology, cessationism ofmiraculous gifts, and a decidedly Van Tilian presuppositional approach toChristian philosophy and apologetics.In general, this is a well written and a helpful addition to thevolumes on Systematic Theology. McCune is gifted in setting forth manydoctrinal themes in profound yet clear language. He utilises different46
ROLLAND MCCUNE’S TEACHING ON BIBLE PRESERVATIONdefinitions by a diverse range of other theologians in different categorieswith hundreds of footnotes saturating this work. There are many aspectsof this first volume that are particularly illuminating such as McCune’sdefence of inspiration and inerrancy. However, there is one section thatcauses concern to those of the historic Reformed Faith—Biblepreservation.Given the longstanding DBTS hostility to the KJV and the ReceivedText, it is no surprise to note McCune’s position on this issue.Throughout this book, he cites uncritically many corrupted versionsincluding the NIV and the New Living Bible. It should be noted andwelcomed that he does break ranks with his former colleague EdwardGlenny in at least accepting that there are “explicit” scriptural promisesfor perfect preservation of the “written” Words of God such as Psalm119:152 and Psalm 119:160. He also accepts that there are “implicit”promises such as Matthew 5:17-18. McCune additionally argues that inpassages such as Proverbs 30:5-6, Daniel 12:4, Revelation 22:18-19“there is an assumption of a preserved message, which itself requiressome sort of vehicle for preservation, namely a text” (53). Whilst,discussing the possibility of a lost canon, the author correctly observes,“texts on preservation must be explained in a manner compatible with themutual and reciprocal dependence of inspiration, canonicity andpreservation” (54-55). However, although he claims to believe incanonicity, McCune notably fails throughout this volume to set forth atheological framework for the doctrine of canonicity.Despite his inchoate, but commendable, biblical presuppositionalapproach to theism and inspiration, McCune inexplicably switches to anevidential and rationalistic approach to the doctrine of preservation. Heasserts that “preservation does not necessarily mean availability inwritten form” (53) and “most scholars recognize that not every word ofthe original has been preserved” (54). McCune offers superficial andtheologically reckless arguments that willfully ignore the wide range ofBible promises that God would make His Words generally available toevery generation of believers (Deut 30:11-14; Ps 147:19, 20; Isa 34:16,59:21; Matt 4:4; 2 Pet 3:2; Jude 1:17). He also ignores the Biblicalprecedents which show that God keeps and protects His Words (Deut10:2; Jer 36:28). In the Neo-fundamentalist worldview, to question therationalistic evidential approach is tantamount to scientific heresy. The47
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