Grace Evangelical Society

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The Grace Evangelical Society (GES) is a small evangelical Christian advocacy organization based in Irving, Texas whose purpose is to promote Free Grace Theology. Founded in 1986, it stages national and regional conferences, local seminars, publishes evangelistic material, commentaries of New Testament books, more general Christian books and videos on salvation and discipleship, and a semi-annual scholarly journal, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society. Its core staff is its executive director Bob Wilkin and Kyle Kaumeyer. [1]

Contents

[edit] Significance

Despite the relatively small size of the organization, it is included in two major CD's containing Evangelical scholarship, The Theological Society CD and the The Trinity CD, showing that GES advocacy on issues of a foundational soteriological nature makes the organization both unusual and relevant. (See Robert Sandeman[2] and Anne Hutchinson[3], and the Marrow Controversy[4] and to a lesser degree John Cotton[5] and John McLeod Campbell[6] for GES-like historic antecedents.) John Piper (conservative Evangelical theologian) has articulated the view that this organization is dangerous. [1] There are many free grace ministries but only this and the Free Grace Alliance engages directly on the soteriology that defines the movement, critiqueing certain Christian evangelism and theology (esp. strains of Reformed, Puritan and Lordship).

[edit] History

The GES was founded in June of 1986 when dispensationalist Bob Wilkin sent out newsletters to likeminded associates regarding soteriology within conservative American churches [7] Art Farstad was the first editor of the JOTGES [8] That same year, conservative Christian Publishers, Zondervan, would publish The Gospel According to Jesus by Dr. John MacArthur Jr., a work which would crystallize the influence of Lordship salvation Theology in Dispensational circles.[9] In 1994, The GES began one of its two Commentary projects when it published The Epistle of James, Proven Character Through Testing by Zane Hodges, the first title in a project conceived as single book length commentary for each NT book. [10] As the representative of the GES in public debates, Dr. Wilkin has engaged Progressive Dispensationalist and former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dr. Darrell Bock, and the Calvinist apologist, avid debater, and writer James White.

[edit] Semi-Annual Journal

The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society (JOTGES) was first published in 1988, and is published semi-annually. JOTGES has been included in the Trinty Journal CD [11] and The Theological Journal Library CD [12]. JOTGES examines issues relating to the GES core orientation toward the Gospel. Its contributors include Art Farstad, Robert N. Wilkin, Zane Hodges, Rene Lopez, Philip F. Congdon, James Townsend, Frank Carmical, Frances A. Mosher, Charles C. Bing, Frank B. Minirth, Earl D. Radmacher, John F. Hart, Keith Ward, David R Anderson, Sidney D. Dyer, Doros Zachariades, Ken Keathley, John W. Robbins, Michael D. Makidon, Laurence M. Vance, Bob Bryant, Anthony B. Badger, Jeremy D Myers, Gary W. Derickson and Lorne Zelyck.

[edit] Commentary Projects

The GES has two commentary projects. The first is a long term effort in publishing verse by verse commentaries of each book in the NT (The Epistle of James: Proven Character Through Testing, Hodges, 1994. The Epistles of John: Walking in the Light of God's Love, Hodges, 1999).[13] The other is a one-volume New Testament Commentary.

[edit] Annual and Regional Conferences

The GES promotes networking and its theology through annual conferences [14], and through several regional conferences within the United States. Also staged by the GES are numerous local church-wide seminars.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Grace Evangelical Society, official website
  2. ^ Robert Sandeman, Encyclopædia Britannica, 2007
  3. ^ David D. Hall, The Antinomian Controversy 1636-1638 : A Documentary History, 1990]
  4. ^ M. Charles Bell, Calvin & Scottish Theology, The Handsel Press, Edinburgh, 1985
  5. ^ R.T. Kendall, Calvin and English Calvinism to 1649 2nd ed., Paternoster Press, UK, 1997
  6. ^ M. Charles Bell, Calvin & Scottish Theology, The Handsel Press, Edinburgh, 1985
  7. ^ Grace Evangelical Society, official Website, Click on "About GES" Link
  8. ^ Wilkin obtained his BS at the University of California at Irvine in 1973, and his PhD at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1985. <ref>[[http://www.faithalone.org/journal/1988ii/Farstad.html Art Farstad, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society], official Website, </li> <li id="cite_note-8">'''[[#cite_ref-8|^]]''' [http://www.faithalone.org/journal/1989i/Butcher.html The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society], official Website]</li> <li id="cite_note-9">'''[[#cite_ref-9|^]]''' [http://faithalone.org/bookstore/books.html GES Online Bookstore]</li> <li id="cite_note-10">'''[[#cite_ref-10|^]]''' [http://www.trinity.edu/ Trinity] Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois</li> <li id="cite_note-11">'''[[#cite_ref-11|^]]''' [http://www.logos.com/products/details/1685/ Libronix Digital Library Systems], a subsidiary of Logos Research Systems, Inc.</li> <li id="cite_note-12">'''[[#cite_ref-12|^]]''' [http://faithalone.org/bookstore/books.html/ Hodges Commentaries] official website</li> <li id="cite_note-13">'''[[#cite_ref-13|^]]''' [http://www.faithalone.org/conference/2007/information.html/ Official Website], Annual Conference</li></ol></ref>

[edit] External links