The Kingdom Come

According to the official website, Dr. Kenneth Talbot is the president and dean of unaccredited Whitefield Theological Seminary located in Lakeland Florida. Dr. Talbot founded the seminary in 1980.

Prompted by the continual use of Dr. Talbot's and WTS' name by heretical hyperpreterists as tolerant and supportive of the heresy and one of the hyperpreterist movement's leaders, Samuel Frost; in October of 2008, Roderick Edwards wrote an email to Whitefield Theological Seminary inquiring if the seminary considered hyperpreterism to be a heresy and if WTS would have a problem if someone claimed they concluded hyperpreterism by employing the principles taught by WTS; and further if WTS was allowing a hyperpreterist to help design the seminary's Hebrew program.

The email contained no names of any hyperpreterists. However, Dr. Talbot did not respond to the inquiry but instead sent it to his hyperpreterist student (and the one purportedly working with the seminary on the Hebrew program), Samuel Frost wherewith Frost posted on his hyperpreterist website the full content of the private email. Frost claimed:

"I was asked by the President of the Seminary, Dr. Kenneth G. Talbot, to reply to the e-mail done so entirely with his approval." -- source

Several follow-up inquiries to Dr. Talbot as to why the private email was released to a hyperpreterist went unanswered.

After the follow-ups, Frost added a comment to his original posting:

"I was asked by the Seminary to print this response. Dr. Talbot approved of the statement. He did not, however, approve of me adding the e-mail."

However this doesn't change the fact that Dr. Talbot had a hyperpreterist respond instead of he or the seminary. It is true that neither Dr. Talbot or WTS was obligated to respond to the original email, however it does appear rather suspect that Dr. Talbot would instead encourage a leader of a known heretical group to voice a response.

Finally on December 9, 2008 Dr. Talbot pens a response, via another website. The response was not posted until January 22, 2009 -- source.

In the initial response Dr. Talbot makes a defense that because WTS holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), it must be concluded that WTS therefore cannot promote hyperpreterism. This is an ironic response since on hyperpreterist's Frost's own website he too claims to adhere to the WCF.

"We affirm our historical link to the Councils, Creeds, Confessions, and Reformed Standards. We affirm, with those works, that they are not infallible, but “may and have erred” (WCF 31:3)" -- source

So, as you can see Dr. Talbot's appeal to adherence to the WCF not only isn't that convincing since Dr. Talbot's own hyperpreterist pupil claims to utilize the WCF, but in reality that wasn't the question that was posed to Dr. Talbot and WTS.

The questions were not vaguely, "Does WTS promote hyperpreterism?" The questions were very specific. Thus, the answer was not really an answer.

But it is this portion of the response from Dr. Talbot that is very disturbing:

"Whitefield Theological Seminary maintains that Full (Hyper) Preterism is a ‘very dangerous’ theological error. Further, some Full (Hyper) Preterists may be heretical pending on their other doctrines as it relates to God, Christ, Man, and Salvation. Each individual would need to be interviewed for me to make that determination." -- source

Not only does Dr. Talbot specifically call out that WTS merely considers hyperpreterism a 'very dangerous' theological error, Dr. Talbot further cast a vague pale on the issue when he claims "...some Full (Hyper) Preterists may be heretical...Each individual would need to be interviewed for me to make that determination."

Here is the problem, it is now obvious to Dr. Talbot that it is hyperpreterist Samuel Frost being referenced in the original email, otherwise how would have Dr. Talbot known to send the email to Frost? Further, Dr. Talbot at this point has known Frost as a friend and a student for over 10 years. Has he not interviewed Frost? Why can't Dr. Talbot make a "determination" if what Frost advocates is heretical or not? Why the obfuscation?

To be fair, at later times Dr. Talbot has openly called Frost's teachings heretical but only after much prompting. Yet, purportedly, Dr. Talbot still calls Frost and other hyperpreterists, "brothers". So, while there is no doubt about the eventual verbal condemnation by Dr. Talbot of the heresy of hyperpreterism, his actions seem conflicted.

The reader should also know that Frost STILL has on his website a blurb about how he "edited A Student's Hebrew Primer for Whitefield Theological Seminary." I would like to see Dr. Talbot and WTS either openly disclaim this or to place this disclosure plainly on their website that a known hyperpreterist was utilized in the development of the seminary's materials. I think that potential WTS students have a right to know that their study materials were influenced knowingly by someone even Dr. Talbot at some point has labeled as heretical. It is only fair to the students.

In conclusion, it is disturbing that it took the email of an unknown and nobody layman from Indiana to prompt the president of a Christian seminary to finally address the seminary's close association and utilization of a known heretic. What does this say about the honor and responsibility of seminaries if they run their institutions more like business opportunities rather than a serious safe-guard of biblical truth?

I have not written this to intend harm to Dr. Talbot or WTS, indeed if there is any harm at all it has been done by the long delay of Dr. Talbot and WTS to address the facts of this issue. I am thankful that Dr. Talbot has personally tried to correct this issue since 2008 but much has been construed by Dr. Talbot's supporters over the years to make it appear as if Edwards initially had no right to question WTS or to futher prompt Dr. Talbot to clarify. This can be seen even in the posting of Dr. Talbot's initial defense wherein Dee Dee Warren states:

"I have been in some very kind exchanges with Dr. Talbot which have been slow due to both of our busy schedules...Dr. Talbot and I are still in ongoing exchange over what my particular objections were from the beginning. Our conversations are private and shared with no one, including Roderick." -- source

It is irrelevant whether the exchanges were "very kind" or not but it is not irrelevant and without notice that Warren assumed that she is to act as the lead on the issue when it wasn't even her that asked the initial questions.

Lastly, the entire issue of Warren's involvement was made suspect when Dr. Talbot on that very day offered Ms. Warren free tuition to the seminary:

"I wanted to publically thank you for fulfilling your promises to post my statements. You have kept your word and I accept your apology for the lateness. Please know that through our private e-mails I have come to consider you a friend and I have a great appreciation for your work in defending the truth of Scripture in these matters. I know that you have desired to attend seminary for some time now. Since you alone have taken the time to find out some things about myself and the 34 years of ministry and 29 years in the Seminary, I would like to make you a one time offer. I will offer you a ‘tuition free Presidential scholarship’ towards the Master of Arts in Christian Studies degree program." -- source

Though it is perfectly within Dr. Talbot's right to offer this free tuition, it appears suspect and as if a payment for posting the defense article.

The way Dr. Talbot was publicly silent on Frost's involvement in the heresy of hyperpreterism and how Frost was being utilized in the development of the seminary's materials, coupled with Dr. Talbot's peculiar actions once approached about these issues and his offer of a free tuition to one of his apologists seems to cast a pale over his seriousness to deal with hyperpreterism among his close association and seminary.

I pray for and ask the readers to pray for Dr. Talbot and WTS that they both may have more the fortitude of Athanasius in his life-long opposition to Arianismⁱ than in George Whitefield's seeming surrender to John Wesley. God bless and keep.