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Rediscovering the Root: A Positive Critique of the “Pronomian Paradigm” By Gregory Scott McKenzie

Rediscovering the Root: A Positive Critique of the "Pronomian Paradigm" by Gregory Scott McKenzie

By Domingo Cantu III

Reflecting on Gregory McKenzie's Case for a Torah-Honoring Christian Framework

In a theological landscape where antinomian interpretations of Scripture often go unquestioned, Gregory Scott McKenzie’s Pronomian Paradigm: A Pro-Torah, Christocentric Method of Theology and Apologetics offers a refreshing and intellectually rigorous call to re-examine our assumptions. His dissertation boldly challenges the centuries-old post-Torah paradigm that has shaped much of Christian theology since the early Church Fathers and argues instead for a biblically faithful return to Torah continuity as essential to New Covenant faith.

As someone who deeply values the holistic nature of God’s Word and the need for ongoing reform in the Ecclesia, I found McKenzie’s work both affirming and thought-provoking. In this blog post, I want to highlight some of the key strengths of his work and offer some thoughts on where the paradigm might be developed further to strengthen the case for a Torah-honoring way of life for all believers.

What McKenzie Gets Right

1. A Unified Framework for Theology and Apologetics

One of McKenzie’s most valuable contributions is his insistence that theology and apologetics cannot remain fragmented disciplines. By employing an abductive and cybernetic methodology, he demonstrates that Torah continuity not only makes sense biblically but provides the most coherent and consistent basis for moral reasoning. His use of Euthyphro’s Dilemma is particularly effective, reframing the Torah not as arbitrary law but as a necessary outflow of God’s immutable character. In doing so, he rightly exposes the philosophical weakness of theological frameworks that separate Jesus from the Law He embodied.

2. A Hebraic Reading of Paul

Perhaps the most crucial section of the dissertation is McKenzie’s deep dive into Acts 21. With meticulous care, he reframes the often-misunderstood actions of Paul as affirmations of Torah observance—not as cultural concessions, but as authentic covenantal loyalty. His “aut Paulos aut malus homo” approach echoes C.S. Lewis’s famous trilemma and challenges readers to reconsider whether Paul was truly Torah-observant or tragically misunderstood.

McKenzie also engages meaningfully with the historical context of first-century Judaism and the early Ecclesia, rightly noting that the "transitory theology" which undergirds many antinomian readings lacks textual support. He presents compelling evidence that neither Acts 15 nor Galatians supports a Torah-free life for Gentile believers—but rather introduces them to the path of sanctification rooted in the same Scriptures.

3. Integration of Historical and Philosophical Critique

By engaging not only Protestant but Catholic and Jewish traditions, McKenzie demonstrates the breadth of theological distortion that has occurred in regard to the Law. His critique of the Council of Laodicea, the rise of Sunday observance, and the antisemitic tendencies of post-Apostolic Christianity brings historical clarity to the discussion. At the same time, he graciously affirms where traditions have preserved truth, emphasizing that tradition must be tested, not rejected outright.

Where the Paradigm Can Grow

As with any constructive theological proposal, McKenzie’s paradigm opens new doors for further development. Here are a few areas where the Pronomian framework might be strengthened theologically and pastorally:

1. Further Development of Ecclesiology

While the dissertation offers important insights into the historical divide between Jewish and Gentile believers, the ecclesiological implications of a unified Torah-honoring body need deeper exploration. What does “One Law” look like in a practical, global context where Jewish and non-Jewish believers are coming together? How do we handle tradition, culture, and diversity within covenant unity? A more robust vision of the multiethnic Ecclesia—rooted in Torah and filled with the Spirit—could offer a hopeful alternative to both supersessionism and dual-covenant models.

2. A Fuller Doctrine of the Spirit and Sanctification

McKenzie begins to articulate how Torah provides the framework for objective morality, but a more developed pneumatology could enrich this paradigm. How does the Holy Spirit empower believers to walk in Torah? How does Spirit-led obedience differ from legalistic striving? Clarifying the relationship between Law and Spirit—without divorcing them—would strengthen the pastoral and transformational power of this theology.

3. Greater Engagement with the New Perspective on Paul

Though McKenzie acknowledges scholars like N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, and Mark Nanos, more dialogue with their work could enhance his argument. For example, the covenantal context of justification and Paul’s concern with inclusion—not legalism—align well with a Pronomian reading. Building bridges with New Perspective scholarship could further legitimize this approach within academic circles.

4. Practical Application for Today’s Ecclesia

The closing of the dissertation hints at a future application of Pronomian theology to politics, economics, and digital-age ethics. These are exciting and much-needed directions. However, additional treatment on the rhythms of Torah life—Sabbath, festivals, dietary laws, justice, and mercy—as practical expressions of faith would make the paradigm more accessible for laypeople and church communities navigating real-world discipleship.

A Paradigm Worth Testing

Gregory McKenzie’s Pronomian Paradigm is not just a theological paper—it is an invitation. An invitation to wrestle with Scripture, tradition, and conscience. An invitation to reform and recover a faith that does not divide Christ from His own commandments. An invitation to return to the foundation God laid for His people at Sinai, fulfilled in Messiah, and written on our hearts through the New Covenant.

This paradigm deserves serious attention from pastors, scholars, and disciples who hunger for deeper coherence between their theology and their obedience. And while no paradigm is perfect or complete, the Pronomian approach offers a powerful alternative to the status quo—a framework that upholds both grace and truth, covenant and calling, righteousness and redemption.

Let us test it. Let us live it. And let us continue reforming until Messiah returns.

Original Article: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5623/

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