NOTE: The content below expresses the views of the individual named as the author and does not necessarily reflect the position of the WRF as a whole.
Statement of Support for Dr. Doug Green
Introductory Statement by the Publications Committee of the WRF Board of Directors: Dr. Clair Davis, an individual member of the WRF, has requested the posting on the WRF website of the signed statement by numerous individuals and a similar statement by the Session of New Life Presbyterian Church (PCA; Glenside, Pennsylvania) both affirming the belief that Dr. Doug Green, also an individual member of the WRF, is fully orthodox and that his teaching is consistent with the Westminster Standards. Westminster Theological Seminary, at which Dr. Green taught for many years and from which he was “honorably retired” in June of 2014, is an organizational member of the WRF.
One of the purposes of the WRF website is to promote discussion as well as constructive exchanges allowing a legitimate expression of differing views of its members on some important issues within the Reformed community. The present debate has brought up the wider issue as to how to understand the notion of “Reformed” especially with regards to the Westminster Standards. A healthy and respectful debate between WRF members of good standing can only contribute positively to the clarification of this important question. Diversity within the unity of Reformed Faith should allow for a meaningful discussion that contributes to a better understanding of some important issues of our Faith. It is with these thoughts in mind that the Publications Committee of the WRF Board of Directors recommends including the Statement on the WRF website as requested. At the Committee’s suggestion, links are provided to selected sites such as WTS and New Life Presbyterian Church, where Dr. Green is a Ruling Elder, so that those who wish to better appreciate the significance of the debate at hand may do so.
Members of the Publications Committee of the WRF Board of Directors:
Pierre Berthoud, Chair (France), Matthew Ebenezer (India), Koos Richards (South Africa), Rob Norris, USA
____________________________________________
September 9, 2014
To the Evangelical and Reformed Christian Community -
We, the undersigned, wish to affirm the following:
1) We are aware of the "retirement" of Dr. Douglas Green from his position on the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. See http://www.wts.edu/stayinformed/view.html?id=1800
2) We are aware that two articles written by Dr. Green were cited by Westminster Theological Seminary on the seminary’s website on June 6, 2014, as the cause of that retirement and that those two articles are the following: "'The Lord is Christ's Shepherd': Psalm 23 as Messianic Prophecy," in Eyes to See, Ears to Hear: Essays in Honor of J. Alan Groves (eds. P. Enns, D. J. Green, and M. B. Kelly; 2010), 33 - 46; and "How to Read Old Testament Narratives" (online essay).
3) We have read these two articles carefully.
4) We find nothing in these articles which is, in any way, inconsistent with the Westminster Standards (The Confession of Faith, The Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism) as we understand those Standards.
5) We find nothing in these articles which is inconsistent, in any way, with the hermeneutical and exegetical tradition at Westminster Theological Seminary as we understand that tradition.
6) We believe that Dr. Douglas Green consistently upholds the authority and integrity of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments both in his teaching and in his life.
Signed by:
Rev. Suler D. Acosta - Westminster M.Div. 2003
Rev. Don Aldin - Westminster, M.Div. 1992
Dr. Dan Allender – Westminster M.Div. 1978
Dr. John H. Armstrong – President of the ACT3 Network and friend of Westminster
Rev. Steven Badorf - Westminster M.Div. 2001
Dr. Susan Baker - Westminster part-time lecturer 1991-1998; Westminster Adjunct Professor and Staff 1999-2008
Dr. William Barker – Westminster Faculty member 1987 – 2000; Academic Dean / Vice President for Academic Affairs 1991 – 2000
Dr. Tuck Bartholomew – Westminster M.Div. 1991; Westminster Board member 2005 – 2008
Mr. Joel J. Bassett - Westminster M.Div. 2013
Mr. Casey Bedell - Westminster student 2006-2009; Reformed Theological Seminary M.A. 2013
Ms. Elisabeth Berger – Westminster Ph.D. student 1997 – 2004
Ms. Cecelia J. Bernhardt - Westminster M.Div. 1996
Dr. John Bettler – Westminster M.Div. 1967; Westminster Faculty member 1974 – 2006
Rev. R. Nicholas Black - Westminster M.A.R. 1988
Rev. Jason Bobo – Westminster M.Div. 2009
Dr. Mark Boda – Westminster M.Div. 1991
Mr. Steve Bohannon – Westminster M.Div. 2011
Rev. Jonathan Bonomo – Westminster M.Div. 2011
Rev. Geoff Bradford – Westminster M.Div. 2000
Dr. Larry Bray – The North American Reformed Seminary, Administrator; The Urban Ministry Institute (World Impact), Academic Dean
Rev. Alex Burgess - Westminster M.Div. 1997
Rev. Bill Burns - Westminster M.Div. 2008; Westminster Teaching Fellow 2008
Mr. Ben Byerly – Westminster M.Div. 2001Mr.
Dan Cason - Westminster M.Div. 1996; Westminster Director of Admissions 2000 - 2008; Westminster Bookstore 2011 - 2014
Mrs. Keeley P. Chorn - Westminster M.Div. 2009
Mr. Daeil Chun - Westminster M.Div. 2012
Rev. Bo Cogbill - Redeemer Theological Seminary M.Div. 2012
Rev. Ben Coppedge – Westminster M.Div. 2013
Rev. Chris Currie – Westminster M.Div. 2012
Dr. Rob Dalrymple – Westminster Th.M. 2004; Westminster Ph.D. 2008; Westminster Teaching Fellow 2003 - 2006
Dr. D. Clair Davis – Westminster M. Div., 1956; Westminster Faculty member 1966 – 2004
Mr. Robert F. Davis – Westminster Director of Development 2008 – 2010
Rev. Kyle Dillon – PCA Teaching Elder, Faculty member of Theology at Westminster Academy in Memphis, Tennessee
Dr. Michael Emlet - Westminster M.Div. 2001
Dr. John F. Evans – Head of Department and Lecturer, Department of Biblical Studies, Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology, Africa International University
Dr. William B. Evans - Westminster M.A.R 1984; Westminster Th.M. 1986
Dr. Chris Fantuzzo – Westminster M.Div. 2001; Westminster part-time faculty member 2002 - 2005; Westminster full-time faculty member 2009 - 2014
Dr. Joseline Fugar - Westminster M.A. 2003; Westminster D.Min. 2006
Dr. E. R. Geehan – Westminster M.Div. 1968
Mr. Michael Gembola - Westminster M.A.R. 2012
Dr. Michael Goheen – Westminster M.A.R 1984
Rev. David Goneau – Westminster M.Div. 2001
Rev. Alex Graham III – Westminster M.Div. 2008
Chaplain Luke G. Heibel (U. S. Army) - Westminster M.Div. 2007
Dr. Craig Higgins – Westminster M.Div. 1989; Westminster Board member 2002 – 2008
Mr. Brian Hogan – Westminster M.Div. 2014
Rev. Michael Hollenbach – Westminster M.Div. 1998
Mr. Daniel Yongkee Hwang - Westminster M.Div. 2000
Mr. Peter Jansson – Westminster Board member 2001 – 2008
Mr. Nathanael Johnston - Westminster M.A.R. 2012
Dr. Paul C. Kemeny – Westminster M.A.R. 1986; M.Div. 1987
Dr. Laura Keyser - M.S. in Christian Counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University, Licensed Professional Counselor, Ph.D. in Human Services from Capella University
Rev. Andrew Kim - Westminster M.Div. 2012
Rev. Iron D. Kim - Westminster M.Div. 1994
Mr. Michael King – Westminster student 2009 – 2010; Redeemer Seminary M.Div. 2014
Rev. James C. Kirk - Westminster M.Div, 2002
Rev. Steven Ko - Westminster M. Div. 2011
Rev. Jean Young Lee – Westminster M.Div. 2010
Dr. Kyuboem Lee - Westminster M.Div. 1997; Westminster D.Min. 2006; Westminster Adjunct Faculty, 2006 – 2011
Rev. Rob Leverett – Westminster M.Div. 1991
Dr. Samuel Logan - Westminster M.Div., 1968; Westminster Faculty member 1979 – 2006; President 1991 – 2005
Dr. Tremper Longman – Westminster M.Div. 1977; Westminster full-time Faculty member 1981 – 1998
Dr. Kin Yip Louie - Westminster M. Div. 1993
Rev. James Lovelady – Westminster M.Div. 2009
Rev. Gregg MacDougall – Westminster M.Div. 1995
Ms. Rosalynn Mathews - Westminster M.Div. 2014
Dr. Dan McCartney – Westminster Ph.D. 1989; Westminster part-time Faculty member 1983 – 1987; Westminster full-time Faculty member 1987 – 2009
Dr. Gordon McConville, Professor of Old Testament Theology at the University of Gloucestershire; friend of the Westminster biblical tradition
Rev. John McCracken – Westminster M.Div. 1999
Mrs. Mindy McCracken – Westminster student 1999
Rev. Glenn McDowell - Westminster M.Div. 1980
Rev. Steve Meidahl – Westminster M.Div. 1993
Mrs. Kimberly Vinal Monroe – Westminster M.A.R. 1989
Dr. Philip Monroe – Westminster M.A.R. 1991; Westminster employee 1989 – 1994
Rev. Justin Moore – Westminster M.Div. 2007
Ms. Sara Morrison - Westminster M.A.R. 1988
Rev. Bob Myers – Westminster M.Div. 1988
Mrs. Elizabeth Lama Myers – Westminster M.A.R. 1989
Mr. Jack Murphy - Redeemer Seminary M.A. 2011
Ms. Frances Bragdon Nelson - Westminster M.A. 2005
Mr. Jeffrey McRobbie - Westminster M.Div. 2004; Westminster employee 2005 – 2006
Mrs. Nina McRobbie – Westminster M.A. 2004; Westminster Faculty Secretary, Educational Technologist 1998 – 2006
Ms. Arlene Navarro – Westminster M.A. 2007
Dr. Eko Ong – Present student at Redeemer Seminary
Dr. Iain Provan - Marshall Sheppard Professor of Biblical Studies, Regent College
Rev. Jacob Puckett – Westminster M.A.R. 2011
Dr. Meredith Riedel - Westminster M.Div. 2002
Mr. Austin Ricketts – Westminster M.A.R. 2004
Rev. Sean Roberts - Westminster M.Div. 2009
Mr. Jesse Robinson – Westminster M.Div. 2013
Dr. Ronald W. Scates - Former Senior Pastor of Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas and part-time student at Redeemer Seminary
Ms. Karen Schoch - Westminster MABC 2009
Dr. George M. Schwab – Westminster M.Div. 1994; Westminster Ph.D. 1999
Mr. Cameron Shaffer – Redeemer Theological Seminary, expected graduation 2015
Dr. Tim Sheridan – Westminster M.Div. 1999
Dr. Scot Sherman – Westminster M.Div. 1989
Dr. Jerry Shepherd -- Westminster M.A.R. 1985; Westminster Ph.D. 1995; Westminster Adjunct Lecturer in Old Testament 1987 – 1992
Rev. Jedidiah Slaboda - Westminster M.Div. 2005
Dr. Adrian T. Smith - Westminster Th.M. 1997; Westminster Ph.D. 2006; Westminster Lecturer, 1998 - 2003; Westminster Faculty member 2006 – 2009
Rev. Joel St. Clair - Westminster M.Div. 2009
Rev. Tony Stiff – Westminster M.Div. 2007
Rev. Stuart Stogner – Westminster M.Div. 1990
Rev. Bryan Stoudt – Westminster M.Div. 1999
Rev. Samuel Sutter, Westminster M.Div. 2006
Mr. Jon Marq Toombs – Redeemer Theological Seminary M.A.R. 2012
Rev. Ryan Tompkins - Westminster M.Div. 2004
Mr. Gene Twilley – Westminster M.Div. 2013
Ms. Jessica Wey – Westminster M.A.R 2010 and M.A.B.C. 2011
Rev. Benjamin Wheeler – Westminster M.Div. 2008
Mr. John Williams – Westminster student 1969 – 70; Westminster Board member 1994 – 2008
Dr. Michael D. Williams - Professor of Systematic Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary and Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at Redeemer Seminary
Mr. Thomas Wilson – Westminster M.A.R. 1981; Westminster Th.M. student 1982
Rev. Kenneth Woo – Westminster M.Div. 2004
NOTE: The matter immediately below should be regarded as separate from the matter above because the matter immediately below was NOT approved by the signatories listed above. However, the matter below is included here because it addresses the same issue as is addressed by the statement above.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2014, the Session of New Life Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Glenside, Pennsylvania, of which Dr. Doug Green is a member and a Ruling Elder, met with a representative of Westminster Theological Seminary to ask for a further explanation of the decision by Westminster that led to the announced “retirement” of Dr. Green from the Westminster Faculty. The Session then met with Dr. Green to explore with him the matters mentioned by the Westminster representative. On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, the New Life Session met again to discuss what they had heard and to try to reach some conclusion about the matter.
With the expressed written permission of Rev. Steve Smallman, Moderator of the New Life Session, we include here the unanimous conclusion of that Session:
We the Session of New Life Church, while fully respecting the right of the Board of Westminster Seminary to determine the bounds under which its faculty may operate, respectfully disagree with its judgment and are satisfied that Doug Green’s teaching does not fall outside the Westminster Standards.
The full statement by the New Life Session is available here – http://journal.newlifeglenside.com/2014/a-statement-from-the-session-of-new-life-presbyterian-church-concerning-the-retirement-of-dr-douglas-green-from-westminster-theological-seminary/