Introducing Bob Wilson!

[JasonPratt]

Bob Wilson is a founding member of our forum (and father-in-law to one of our other founding members, Gene Pineda, aka “Auggybendoggy”), and I’m honored to introduce him for his new “Corner” here in the Featured Hosts category!

Bob holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of California (Los Angeles), and earned a Masters of Divinity and Doctorate of Pastoral Theology at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena. (His dissertation was A Critique of John Wesley’s Doctrine of Sanctification.)

Bob grew up in a conservative Baptist home in Los Angeles (there are conservative Baptists in LA??? Well, I guess we go where the mission field is… ) and was ordained as a minister into the American Baptist Churches in 1972. After serving a few years as youth minister, he became pastor of First Baptist Church of Chino, California; and remained pastor there for 25 years, through the 70s, 80s and 90s (ordaining 6 other men and women to full time ABC ministry along the way). He retired in 1998, from the stress of active pastoral duty–and (he suspects) from anxiety over tensions within beliefs about the character of God that he was expected to endorse; but he still worships and teaches Sunday School there. After retirement, Bob came to support universalism after feeling freer to re-evaluate what he personally believed.

It’s probably best to just quote him next, from his own introduction to the forum as a whole, a couple of years ago (autumn of 2008).

Vocational freedom seems to have let me admit that some ideas long appeared incoherent or perverse. These included reconciling God’s power to achieve his sovereign purposes with human freedom and responsbility, God’s commitment to righteous life and character as well as grace to ‘overlook’ sins, the tendency to feel the key to escaping God’s wrath was cognitive assent to one tradition’s formulations, and especially relating without superiority to all non-believers with any true hope that their deep worth would ultimately be validated in God.

It seemed to me that our teleology reveals much about what we ultimately value. Though it had never occured to me as a live option, I began to realize that a universalist outcome might alleviate some of my tensions. Then Thomas Talbott’s articles and book encouraged me that a thoughtful engagement with the biblical vantage point might provide room for such a hope.

I am excited that this site is welcoming many with diverse views who are interested in addressing similar questions about Reality, and the kind of evangelical universalism that Gregory MacDonald has presented in such a stimulating way. I look forward to much dialogue concerning its’ difficulties and possibilities.

Husband of a wonderful wife, Carol; father of two daughters in their mid-thirties, grandfather of 4 grandchildren; son-in-law of Auggy: I present Bob Wilson!

[puddy]

If Bob Wilson, is a founding member, then I would like to take my cap off and thank him, for allowing a diversity of opinion. I am not against a more closed format, when founders decide to go that route, but I admire the fact, that though Bob and I disagree on many topics, He has allowed me to be annoying.

Your stand for universalism, would not have been easy for someone in your shoes

Grace to you sir!
Puddy

[Bob_Wilson]

Thanks, Puddy! I gotta be in favor of allowing diverse views, since mine are pretty diverse themselves

Grace be with you too,
Bob

[KelliKae]

but I admire the fact, that though Bob and I disagree on many topics, He has allowed me to be annoying.

I add my thanks. I love the diversity of this group. Thanks, Bob (and all the founding members) for giving us a place to explore freely and with the help of others.

Kelli

[Sobornost]

I’d like to say thanks too Bob You are a mensch (and I don’t even speak Yiddish )

[amy]

Aw, you all are so sweet! It’s nice to see my dad appreciated. He’s taken such a hard hit with former church members, that say they must’ve never known him, feel so betrayed, but he’s the same, stand up guy he’s always been. He’s my dad, so I can’t brag, but I’ve really realized what a rarity it is to have someone that isn’t threatened when questions are asked and allows diversity. I feel so fortunate to have him as my dad.