Clark H. Pinnock(Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 3, 1937) is a Christian theologian, apologist and author. He is Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at McMaster Divinity College. Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English Flower White trillium Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 106 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water    (% of total)  Ranked 4th 1... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... It has been suggested that Christian theological controversy be merged into this article or section. ... Systematic theology is the study of Christian theology organized thematically (as opposed to historically, as in Historical Theology or Biblical Theology — according to some uses of the latter term). ... McMaster Divinity College is a seminary in Hamilton, Ontario. ...

Education and Career

Pinnock was born in Toronto, Canada on February 3, 1937. He grew up in a liberal Baptist congregation. Pinnock recounts that as a child he had little interest in the church. Even though he was brought up in Liberal Christianity, he later became part of the broad Evangelical tradition, and has explored Reformed, Arminian and Pentecostal streams of thought. 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church. ... For Christian theological modernism in the Roman Catholic Church, see Modernism (Roman Catholicism). ... The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of conservative Christianity, typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to cultural issues. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ... Arminianism is a Protestant Christian theology founded by the Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius. ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ...

Pinnock describes his shifts in thought as a pilgrimage: "So I do not apologize for admitting to being on a pilgrimage in theology, as if were in itself some kind of weakness of intelligence or character. Feeling our way toward the truth is the nature of theological work even with the help of Scripture, tradition and community …. A pilgrimage, therefore, far from being unusual or slightly dishonorable, is what we would expect theologians who are properly aware of their limitations to experience."

Pinnock studied in the Ancient Near Eastern Studies program at the University of Toronto and in 1960 he was graduated. Because he was very outstanding, he then was awarded both a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to Harvard and a British Commonwealth Scholarship to England. Pinnock decided to go to England to study under F.F. Bruce at Manchester University. The dissertation for his Ph.D was “The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit in St. Paul”. Several years later, in 1965, he joined the faculty of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1969 to 1974 Pinnock taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, and from 1974 to 1977 at Regent College in Vancouver. He taught at McMaster Divinity College from 1977 until his retirement in 2002. The University of Toronto (U of T), in Toronto, Ontario, is the largest university in Canada. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid... Frederick Fyvie Bruce (1910-1990) was a Bible scholar, and one of the founders of the modern evangelical understanding of the Bible. ... University of Manchester Motto: Cognitio Sapientia Hvmanitas Knowledge, wisdom, humanity. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) is a leading evangelical Christian seminary in Deerfield, Illinois. ... Regent College is, in its own words, An International Graduate School of Christian Studies, based near Vancouver, British Columbia. ...

Theology

The two most controversial elements of Pinnock's theology in recent years has been his affirmation of Open Theism and his affirmation of an annihilationist view of hell that says that the unsaved will experience extinction rather than eternal conscious torment. Norman Geisler and Roger Nicole questioned whether Pinnock's views are compatible with the Evangelical Theological Society's affirmation of biblical inerrancy. As a result Pinnock, along with John Sanders, the issue of whether they should be removed from the membership of that organization was brought to a vote in November 2003. Pinnock maintained that he did affirm the Society's doctrinal statement. After clarifying his views to the satisfaction of Nicole, the motion to remove Pinnock failed to reach the two-thirds majority for his removal (67.1% actually voted to retain him in the Society; Sanders was retained on a close vote). It is fair to say that Pinnock remains a controversial figure among evangelical theologians. Open theism, also known as free will theism, is a theological movement that has become popular within Evangelical Protestant Christianity. ... Annihilationism is one of several doctrines of hell in the Christian religion. ... Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) Hell, according to many religious beliefs, is a place or a state of pain and suffering. ... Dr. Norman L. Geisler is a scholar, contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, and the author or coauthor of some sixty books defending the Christian faith. ... The Evangelical Theological Society (est. ... Biblical inerrancy is the belief that the Bible is without error. ... John E. Sanders is an American evangelical Christian theologian. ...

See also

• Evangelical left
• Open Theism

Evangelical left is a term used to describe those who are part of the Christian evangelical movement but who generally function on the left wing of that movement, either politically or theologically, or both. ... Open theism, also known as free will theism, is a theological movement that has become popular within Evangelical Protestant Christianity. ...

External links

• Bio page at McMaster University

Critical Assessments

• Rex Koivisto, "Clark Pinnock and Inerrancy: A Change in Truth Theory?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 24 (1981)pp. 138-151.
• Gannon Murphy, "A Critical Analysis of the Openness Theology of Clark H. Pinnock Toward A Reformed Reconstruction of Divine-Human Relationality" Ph.D. Dissertation: University of Wales, Lampeter, 2006.
• Robert M. Price, "Clark H. Pinnock: Conservative and Contemporary," Evangelical Quarterly 60 (1988) pp. 157-183.
• Robert V. Rakestraw, "Clark H. Pinnock" in Baptist Theologians, edited by Timothy George and David S. Dockery, Broadman Press, Nashville, 1990, pp. 660-684.
• Bruce A. Ware, "Defining Evangelicalism's Boundaries Theologically: Is Open Theism Evangelical?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45 (2) (June 2002) pp. 193-212. [1]

And Pinnock's reply essay to Ware -- "There Is Room For Us: A Reply to Bruce Ware" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45 (2) (June 2002) pp. 213-220. [2]

• Nicholas Wolterstorff, "Is Reason Enough? A Review Essay," Reformed Review (April 1981)pp. 20-24.

Bibliography

• A Defense of Biblical Infallibility, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing, Philadelphia, 1967.
• Set Forth Your Case, Craig Press, Nutley, New Jersey, 1968.
• Biblical Revelation: The Foundation of Christian Theology, Moody Press, Chicago, 1971.
• and David F. Wells (eds), Toward a Theology for the Future, Creation House, Carol Stream, Illinois, 1971.
• Live Now, Brother, Moody Press, Chicago, 1972.
• Truth on Fire: The Message of Galatians, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1972.
• (ed), Grace Unlimited, Bethany Fellwoship, Minneapolis, 1975.
• Reason Enough: A Case for the Christian Faith, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1980.
• The Scripture Principle, Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1984.
• Three Keys to Spiritual Renewal, Bethany House, Minneapolis, 1985.
• (ed), The Grace of God, The Will of Man: A Case For Arminianism, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1989.
• Tracking the Maze: An Evangelical Perspective on Modern Theology, Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1990.
• and Delwin Brown, Theological Crossfire: An Evangelical-Liberal Dialogue, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1990.
• A Wideness in God's Mercy: The Finality of Jesus Christ in a World of Religions, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1992.
• The Openness of God, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1994.
• and Robert C. Brow, Unbounded Love: A good news theology for the twenty-first century, Paternoster, Carlisle UK/InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1994.
• Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1996.
• Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God's Openness, Paternoster, Carlisle UK/Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2001.