by Kevin Bauder | Dec 8, 2023 | In the Nick of Time
In Finding the Right Hills to Die On, Gavin Ortlund develops a theory of doctrinal triage. In this theory, second-rank doctrines are not fundamental to the gospel, but they are important to some level of Christian fellowship. To illustrate how second-rank doctrines...
by Kevin Bauder | Dec 1, 2023 | In the Nick of Time
Through the fourth chapter of Finding the Right Hills to Die On, Gavin Ortlund has been discussing primary or first-rank doctrines—the doctrines that are traditionally known as fundamentals or essentials. His thesis thus far has been that when these doctrines are...
by Kevin Bauder | Nov 17, 2023 | In the Nick of Time
[This essay was originally published In the Nick of Time on August 12, 2005.] The doctrinal core of all biblical religion—the most fundamental of all fundamentals—is the shema. It affirms the existence of one and only one true and living God, Yahweh. Since any object...
by Kevin Bauder | Nov 3, 2023 | In the Nick of Time
In chapter four of Finding the Right Hills to Die On, Gavin Ortlund makes the case that primary doctrines are worth fighting for. The first part of the chapter is a discussion of how to distinguish primary (fundamental) doctrines from doctrines of lesser importance....
by Kevin Bauder | Oct 27, 2023 | In the Nick of Time
Gavin Ortlund has written Finding the Right Hills to Die On to work out a theory of doctrinal triage. While I have expressed reservations over the analogy to triage, I am all in favor of every thoughtful attempt to weigh doctrines for their importance. Like Ortlund, I...
