R.K. McGregor Wright

Dear Cheryl: Subordinationism is a heresy of very long standing, that re-entered the protestant movement soon after the Reformation through Socinianism.  These people inherit the argumentaton of the Arians of the fourth century.  This is why they have similarities with the JWs.  I don’t know how much historical background you have been able to consider for the forth-coming DVD, but this issue is also tied up with the Socinian assertions about libertarian freewillism.  They argued that if freewill is essential to personhood, it follows that the Persons of the Trinity must also have this kind of freewill, and this makes the Trinity a committee of voluntary members.  The only question then is who is the most powerful member, and naturally they held that the Father holds this position.  Mormons reason similarly.  Arians also used this libertarian freewill argument to change the Bible’s doctrine of salvation through Grace alone.  Read the book Early Arianism on this topic of Arian salvation theory, by Gregg and Groh.  It’s on BookFinder.com for less than $20 including S&H.  Libertarian freewillism is also the guiding principle behind Openness Theology, as I argued in “No Place For Sovereignty” (IVP, 1996).  The error of Subordinationism was long ago declared a heresy by historic Christianity in Church Councils, and the result is summarized in the “Athanasian” Creed at articles 25-26.  THe argument for eternal subordination of the Son and Spirit is only made plausible by abandoning the orthodox distinction between the ontological Trinity (as it was in Eternity before creation) and the economic Trinity (as it is viewed during the drama of redemption in time.  To blend time and eternity is a philosophic disaster for Christian theology, and leads to pantheism in which the world and God are part of the One Ultimate.  The appeal to an eternal subordination of the Persons in the Trinity is probably the most dangerous heresy to reappear in many years, and will decimate the Evangelical movement.  There can be no compromise with it.  It just goes to show how far redeemed sinners will go to protect their male supremacy stance.  If Bruce Ware became an egalitarian he would be fired immediately by Mohler.
Love,
Bob K. Wright