About Me

Ron Rothenberg is a systematic theologian and ethicist currently serving as an independent scholar. He is a contributing scholar for the Center for Baptist Leadership and the former associate editor of the Ethics and Political Economy Center, both Christian think tanks. Prior to those responsibilities, he served in local Asian Immigrant churches for nearly a decade. He is the author of two books and numerous peer reviewed articles. He received his Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, M.Div. (with honors) from Bethel San Diego, and B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Irvine (UCI). During his studies at UCI, he received the Lord through a second-generation Chinese church. During his time of church ministry, he met his wife, Joanna.

THEOLOGICAL POSITIONS

• Affirm biblical premodern metaphysical realism, against modern and postmodern nominalism and idealism (Lev. 19:2; James 2:26).
• Affirm the premodern grammatical historical method (GHM), against the modern historical-critical method (HCM) and the postmodern socio-critical method (SCM). 
• Affirm the premodern Classic Theory of Orthodoxy and Heresy, including the fixity of doctrine and heresy as novelty, opposed to the modern-postmodern theory of a diversity of doctrinal development (Jude 3; 1 Tim. 6:20 [cf. Vulgate]; 2 Tim. 1:14).
• Affirm traditional theism, against open theism (James 1:17).
• Affirm the orthodox classical doctrine of the Trinity as expressed in the premodern creeds, opposed to modern-postmodern so-called "social" Trinitarinism (Matt. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14).
• Affirm: Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (Ps. 12:6; 18:30, 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
• Affirm traditional "Lutheran" justification, against the New Perspective on Paul (Rom. 4:2-5).
• Affirm Calvinistic/Reformed soteriology, including monergism, against Arminianism (Eph. 1:4; 2:1; Rom. 5:8).
• Affirm the open but cautious view regarding spiritual gifts, with high caution and low openness (1 Thess. 5:21).
• Affirm traditional ecclesiology, including lay elders as the ruling and lay deacons as the service offices, against church staff as the elders and lay ruling deacons, the emergent church, the emerging church, the postmodern church, and the church growth movement (1 Tim. 3:1-13).
• Affirm humility in eschatological (millennium/tribulation) position, against dogmatism (Phil. 3:15-16).
• Affirm: The Cambridge Declaration. (Five Solas of the Reformation).
• ​Affirm the penal substitutionary atonement as the view enshrined not only in the Protestant confessions, but also in the three ecumenical premodern creeds (Apostle’s, Nicene-Constantinopolitan, and Athanasian) and the NT kerygma, against postmodern attempts to subvert this doctrine with a false honor and shame Gospel, the Christus Victor atonement, and so-called oral tradition preceding the written text of Scripture (1 Cor. 15:3; 1 Pet. 3:18).
• Affirm the orthodox view of particularist/exclusivist conscious eternal punishment (CEP) in hell, against inclusivism, pluralism, annihilationism, universalism, purgatory, and other similar views contradictory to CEP (Matt. 25:46; John 14:6).

ETHICAL POSITIONS

• Affirm: The Danvers Statement, affirming complementarianism and against feminism. (1 Tim. 2:11-15)
• Affirm the biblical doctrine of reconciliation, against the ideology of multiculturalism (Eph. 2:14-18).
• Affirm capitalism including the biblical virtue of justice, private (individual and church) voluntary charity accompanied by evangelism and accountability, and sin (including greed and unhealthy self-interest) as the basic problem of humanity, against the ideology of Marxism including the vice of social justice, state coerced wealth redistribution, and income inequality as the basic problem of humanity (Lev. 19:15; Eccl. 7:20; 2 Cor. 9:7; Rom 3:23).
• Affirm teleological virtue ethics, against deontological ethics (Lev. 19:2).
• Affirm traditional marriage, sexuality, and reproduction, against postmodern views of marriage, gender, and bioethics (Gen. 2:24; Lev. 18:22; Ps. 127:3; 1 Cor. 6:9).
• Affirm: The Nashville Statement, affirming traditional marriage and sexuality and against postmodern views (Gen. 2:24; Lev. 18:22; Ps. 127:3; 1 Cor. 6:9).
• Affirm: The Manhattan Declaration (CBMW Statement on Abuse), affirming opposition to abuse and against abuse.
• Affirm obeying the laws of the land that do not contradict the law of God or changing them to suit people's desires that do not contradict the laws of God, against illegal behavior falsely justified under the guise of love, compassion, or evangelism (Acts 4:19; 5:29; Rom. 13:1-7).
• Affirm: The Statement on Social Justice & the Gospel.
• Affirm the historic biblical doctrines of charity, reconciliation, and the creation order, strongly opposed to the false cultural ideology of the unholy trinity of Marxism, multiculturalism, and genderism.