Response to TGC re: Matthew Bates, Beyond the Salvation Wars

A recent article posted on the TGC website by Harrison Perkins claims to be a review of Matthew Bates’ recent book, Beyond the Salvation Wars, but only succeeds as a ‘hit piece’ intended to highlight the specific theological camp encouraged in the TGC community. Perkins claims that “Bates’s gospel and his arguments for it have several significant flaws.” Perkins does not list the flaws by number, but I’d like to address five specific criticisms he makes of Bates before providing some concluding thoughts. I’ll pose these as questions to be answered as I do not believe the claims accurately represent Bates’ positions.