I’ve known Dr. Dave Anderson, founder and President of Grace School of Theology (GSOT), for forty years. We were in the doctoral program together at DTS in the early eighties.
From the mid-nineties until 2006, Dr. Anderson was a regular speaker at our annual conference. In fact, according to the conference evaluations, he was the favorite speaker year after year.
Dave wrote for us as well.
After the 2006 annual conference, he separated from GES over doctrinal concerns. He disagreed with Hodges (see here) and Bryant (see here) that to be born again one must believe in Jesus for irrevocable salvation/life.i
Gradschoolhub.com (see here) says, “Grace School of Theology, established in early 2002, is a non-denominational, private institution of higher learning. Grace School of Theology, located in the Houston, TX metropolitan area, was founded on a free grace tradition…” (emphasis added).
The other day I talked with a Focused Free Grace friend, a pastor who trains pastors. He mentioned that one of the pastors he mentors is an international student taking online classes at GSOT. My friend said he did not know if GSOT is Free Grace.
Leaders of GSOT have taken a strong stand against GES and the Focused Free Grace position. Their most distinguished faculty member, Dr. Ken Wilson, published a book that is required reading in one of his classes at GSOT. That book is entitled, Heresy of the Grace Evangelical Society. In the book, he indicates that Zane Hodges and GES proclaim a false gospel that will not save.
Dr. Anderson, the President of GSOT, wrote a glowing five-star review of Dr. Wilson’s book (see here).
In Heresy, Dr. Wilson asks, “Where does Scripture state adding good works (that God produces in us) negates faith in who Jesus is for salvation?” (p. 133). He continues, “It is wrong, but it does negate faith in Jesus Christ as God and Savior for justification.” To make sure we understand what he is saying, he added, “Roman Catholics, Calvinists, Arminians, and other Protestants all add works,” yet are born again (p. 133, italics his). He says we must not “exclude persons adding good works from being Christians” (p. 133, note 16).
He went on to say that “if all Roman Catholics are non-Christians, then so are all other Protestants except those few believing in eternal security without works. That is the problem [with the GES position]” (p. 134).
Some Flexible Free Grace people agree with Drs. Wilson and Anderson that people holding to works salvation, Lordship Salvation, and sacramentalism are all born again despite their belief that good works are required to retain salvation or to win “final salvation.”
The evidence shows that GSOT is not a Focused Free Grace school.ii
Many Free Grace people believe that contemplative spirituality and spiritual formation are unbiblical. GSOT, which has been fully accredited since 2017, teaches spiritual formation.
I would describe GSOT as somewhat Free Grace-friendly. It is an Evangelical school that provides the typical training one would receive at other conservative schools.
Concerning accredited seminaries, I recommend Liberty and Southwestern Baptist over GSOT. Of course, my highest recommendation goes to our GES Seminary (see here), an unaccredited online M.Div. program.
Keep grace in focus.
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i For Anderson’s response, see this video and this journal article.
ii All GSOT students read Hodges’ Absolutely Free. They must also read MacArthur’s The Gospel According to Jesus. I think having students read both Hodges and MacArthur is a good idea. However, since Dr. Wilson says that Hodges taught a false, heretical gospel in Absolutely Free, and Dr. Anderson gave Wilson’s book a five-star review, it seems unlikely that GSOT students will come away with a favorable view of Hodges or Absolutely Free. For more information on the difference between Flexible and Focused Free Grace, see here and here.
