Some interesting commentary continues on this. Catholics are startled that some still consider them trapped in the snares of the Whore of Babylon. Many Protestants are embarrassed about those kind of fulminations and while not agreeing with Dr. Beckwith’s decision, express their gratitude to him for his work and assurance of their prayers.

On a deeper level, it reveals to us who don’t normally pay attention to such things the conversations still going on about two fundamental issues: sola Scriptura and justification, as well as what Dr. Beckwith said in his original post on this subject:

There is a conversation in ETS that must take place, a conversation about the relationship between Evangelicalism and what is called the “Great Tradition,” a tradition from which all Christians can trace their spiritual and ecclesiastical paternity.

If you’re following this, you probably know that Dr. Beckwith has now resigned from the Evangelical Theological Society. The Christianity Today blog posts the just-released response of the ETS board:

The work of the Evangelical Theological Society as a scholarly forum proceeds on the basis that “the Bible alone and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs.” This affirmation, together with the statement on the Trinity, forms the basis for membership in the ETS to which all members annually subscribe in writing. Confessional Catholicism, as defined by the Roman Catholic Church’s declarations from the Council of Trent to Vatican II, sets forth a more expansive view of verbal, infallible revelation.

Specifically, it posits a larger canon of Scripture than that recognized by evangelical Protestants, including in its canon several writings from the Apocrypha. It also extends the quality of infallibility to certain expressions of church dogma issued by the Magisterium (the teaching office of the Roman Catholic Church), as well as certain pronouncements of the pope, which are delivered ex cathedra, such as doctrines about the immaculate conception and assumption of Mary.

We recognize the right of Roman Catholic theologians to do their theological work on the basis of all the authorities they consider to be revelatory and infallible, even as we wholeheartedly affirm the distinctive contribution and convictional necessity of the work of the Evangelical Theological Society on the basis of the “Bible alone and the Bible in its entirety” as “the Word of God written and . . . inerrant.”

In recent years, Evangelicals and Roman Catholics have often labored together in common cause addressing some of the critical social and moral issues of our contemporary culture. We welcome this and fully expect it to continue. A number of publications have appeared comparing Evangelicalism and Roman Catholicism. Certainly, the two traditions share many common Christian doctrines. However there are important theological differences as well. We expect that the events of these days will bring a renewed discussion of these matters. We welcome and encourage this as well.

Fr. Al Kimel has a couple of pertinent posts – on authority and then baptism and justification.

Sort of related, from the other direction: InterVaristy Fellowship has been reaffiliated at Georgetown University.