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Walter Thomas Conner
1877-1952Both Conner's life and theology were grounded upon an abiding confidence in the validity of evangelical Christian conversion. He was baptised by W.M. Reynolds and received into the fellowship of Harmony Baptist Church at Caps, TX.
As a professor at Southwestern Theological Seminary, Conner used A.H. Strong's Systematic Theology. From 1918 until 1922 he used The Christian Religion in its Doctrinal Expression by E.Y. Mullins. In 1922, Conner began to use his own notes in mimeographed from and in 1926 shifted to his book, A System of Christian Doctrine. In later years he required the reading of his Revelation and God and The Gospel of Redemption. Conner basically agreed with the position of John Calvin and Emil Brunner that general revelation is not salvific but the basis for human accountability and preparatory for the revelation in Jesus Christ. Following Strong, he did not attempt to espouse a specific theory as to the process of divine inspiration of the Bible, and, following Mullins, he utilized the concept of progressive revelation.
Redemption, a major theme in Conner's theology, includes election, the work of Christ, becoming a Christian, the Christian life, the church, and last things. But it is not the self-election of believers by repentance and faith or merely God's foreknowing who would repent and believe. God is responsible for faith, but not unbelief. Hence, Conner has been classified under "modified Calvinistic predestination."
Conner taught one general resurrection of all humans at the time of the second coming of Jesus, whereas in 1945 he, following T. P. Stafford, inclined toward the view that resurrection bodies are received at death and resurrection itself will accompany the second coming. In 1924 Conner inclined toward postmillennialism, but in 1945 he identified himself generally with Amillennialism.
Bio from "Baptist Theologians", Timothy George and David S. Dockery
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