With a heavy heart this private letter to Gary DeMar has been approved for public posting by its signatories: Andrew Sandlin, Ken Gentry, Doug Wilson, Jeffery Ventrella, Phillip Kayser, John Frame, Ardel Caneday, Jeff Durbin, James White, Brian Mattson, Keith Sherlin, Jason Bradfield, Sam Frost, and Uriesou Brito
Please be in prayer for Gary, that he would return to orthodoxy on these important redemptive-eschatological issues. Here is the letter we sent twice to Gary in private:
Gary DeMar:
We are your brothers in the Lord, long-time friends, supporters, co-laborers in his Word, and co-promoters and defenders of the Christian worldview. We have contacted you privately twice in the last few months regarding our concerns, with the following:
We are writing to you once again with an earnest plea regarding your doctrinal transitioning that we are witnessing. Gary, we seriously and deeply hope that you will receive this as from deeply-burdened hearts and that you will respond to us as to those who love you in the Lord and have appreciated your public ministry.
As you know from our previous correspondence, we are deeply concerned over the eschatological direction you seem to be taking of late. Andrew Sandlin heard you speak at a conference in Texas about a year ago. At that time he was surprised that you would not acknowledge whether you believe in a future final judgment and a future physical resurrection of the dead. When asked, you also stated that you would not call full preterists “heretics.”
Due to certain statements you made publicly on Facebook recently, Ken Gentry asked you if you would affirm three simple, basic doctrinal positions. These questions have intentionally been kept limited and simple in order to avoid entangling interaction with the many variations within and permutations of Full Preterism (aka Consistent Preterism; aka Covenant Preterism; aka Hyperpreterism). Furthermore, they have also been confined to doctrines clearly declared in the American Vision Statement of Faith (https://americanvision.org/about/statement-of-faith/).
Those simple yes-or-no questions are now simplified and clarified even more:
Do you believe in a future bodily, glorious return of Christ?
Do you believe in a future physical, general resurrection of the dead?
Do you believe history will end with the Final Judgment of all men?
To refuse to affirm the future, physical resurrection, the final judgment of the righteous and the unrighteous, and the tactile reality of the eternal state is to refuse to affirm critical elements of the Christian faith. To contradict these doctrines is not merely to contradict a few specific biblical texts, it is to contradict indispensable aspects of the Christian faith and the biblical worldview.
As blunt as it might sound, it is to strike at crucial aspects in the very heart of the Christian faith.
This private letter of inquiry has been agreed upon by the signatories listed below. Please, Gary, receive this not as an attack upon you, but as a humble concern for your doctrinal orthodoxy and the integrity of American Vision. Please set the matter straight regarding these three fundamental issues so that we can lay this matter to rest.
We love you and are continuing to pray for you,
In the love of Christ the Lord,
Andrew Sandlin, Ken Gentry, Doug Wilson, Jeffery Ventrella, Phillip Kayser, John Frame, Ardel Caneday, Jeff Durbin, James White, Brian Mattson, Keith Sherlin, Jason Bradfield, Sam Frost, and Uriesou Brito
That is the end of the letter. Here is Gary’s response regarding interaction regarding the letter with his good friend, Andrew Sandlin (President, Center for Cultural Leadership): 
Postmillennial Worldview 
A very gracious letter. Gary’s response was typical of how he has responded to others when confronted. Barring a work of grace Gary has chosen to die on this hill.
I vividly recall a discussion with an old friend and hyper-preterist who could not offer an intelligible exegesis of 1 Corinthians 15:20ff. His bookstore ministry introduced me to Reformed theology, presuppositional apologetics and the Westminster civil ethic.
I’ve always wondered if what’s driving this heresy is a fear of the intermediate state, which although is unnatural it’s still far better!
IMHO, partial-preterism (PP) is a slippery slope to full-preterism (FP); it was for me. FP held me for 17 yrs. I remain postmillennialist (for lack of a better word) without being a PP.
I truly owe Gary DeMar a lot in terms of my Christian education over the past 20 years, leading me to being not only a joyful postmillennialist and preterist but a Calvinist as well, and so I am praying that he be led by the Spirit to find the answers to his questions and resolutions that overcome his uncertainties.
This is my prayer too. He has been a good friend and fellow-laborer with me in the gospel for 40 years. My heart is broken.
Saddened, but praying.
This is terrible! Why? He knows better than that.
I am shocked to hear this. He has been at the forefront of Reformed eschatology for decades. Why the change in this heretical direction. I simply don’t understand what has happened. I will be praying for him, that he slip no further and that he return to the evangelical faith.
Oh no! I had worried about some of DeMar’s statements, but never thought he would deny basic Christian doctrines. I am deeply grieved. May God have mercy on him.
What has happened to DeMar? I learned so much from him. How could he slip into hyper-preterism?
Tell me it isn’t so! I can’t believe Gary would deny his employer’s own Statement of Faith, much less the historic Christian faith. I am in utter disbelief.
This is almost pushing me into dispensationalism! At least there they expect things to go from bad to worse. I hate that Gary is now joining forces with Hyper-preterists. I think he will eventually regret it when he sees how they war and fight among themselves and cause church disruptions.
Tommy Ice warned you: partial preterism is a slippery slope to full preterism. This ought to turn off a number of PP’s adherents.
Gary has been on this path for a number of years but skillfully kept it under the radar. His 1994 book “Last Day Madness” was revised to eliminate numerous passages that affirm these cardinal doctrines. In the last year, he has become even bolder and many of us asked him the same three questions all of which he refused to answer. He has an eschatological guru by the name of Kim Burgess who he has known for 40 years. Burgess is a full preterist and Gary thinks he is the end-all and be-all in these matters. He now has a podcast with him featured and pushed by the American Vision website. It is obvious that the Board of AV doesn’t care as it has permitted him to violate their own doctrinal statement.
I routinely listen to Gary’s podcasts with Kim Burgess under the title of “Covenant Hermeneutics and Biblical Eschatology” where he is basically interacting with Kim’s viewpoints. I have yet to hear Gary deny the second coming or indicate that he has gone full-preterist. Is he being characterized as not being orthodox based only on his response (or lack thereof) to this letter?
Amen! to Gary Demar’s response. The Church needs to study eschatology with thoroughness in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
This is one of those things, from the creeds, that we need to profess. Don’t just go with the Bible and your interpretation thereof. Stay in line with the ancients creeds when you interpret the Bible. Prayers for Gary 🙏
There are plenty of PP who haven’t “slipped” into FP. One does not inevitably lead to the other. FPs are still a small minority who are hopelessly fragmented.
I am devastated. Gary has long been a source of instruction for me. No more!
Hyperpreterism is a new comer to the theological world. Most preterists are “partial” preterists, such as J. A. Gibbs, R. T. France, J. K. Brown, Alistair Wilson, Jay E. Adams, Greg Bahnsen, and other “big wig” preterists. The little guys who are trying to round up a posse to capture Christianity are not only few in number but low in esteem.
Yes, he refuses to answer the simple questions and engages in challenging those who critique hyperpreterism, unfortunately. Why would any Christian refuse to tell you what he believes?
I have yet to hear Gary deny the second coming or indicate that he has gone full-preterist. Is he being characterized as not being orthodox based only on his response (or lack thereof) to this letter?////
Did you read my post above? This letter is only a final attempt to get Gary to affirm his orthodoxy on these issues as he did previously. However, his refusal to answer these three questions in the affirmative by ANYONE who asks him should tell you all you need to know.
Tommy Ice warned you: partial preterism is a slippery slope to full preterism. This ought to turn off a number of PP’s adherents.///
That’s nonsense! One does not lead to other and there have been numerous PPs down through the ages who have not done so. So that’s a strawman.
Sets a bad precedent? Wow 🤦
I too, am grieved. To refuse to answer three questions on the principle of who has a right to ask what questions and who is next is to me a deflection away from the core issue of orthodoxy. Over many years, I have read American Vision blogs and Gary’s books. I have listened to podcasts and debates. I have never heard Gary shy away from tackling the tough questions others have asked him or debating comments from other writers. I cannot begin to comprehend what change has occurred within him. I only know from many years of pastoral experience that deflection is a tactic mostly used by those who are unsure of their position, and/or unable to confront and defend their position. I thank those of you who love Gary enough to address he recent positions, for maintaining a commitment to the orthodox faith passed down through the history and wisdom of the church, and for presenting clearly and concisely the truth of the gospel regarding the final coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment of the King of kings.
Gary DeMar’s Boot Camp series on PP on DVD was my introduction to the subject and gave me solid grounding in that hermeneutic. It pains me to hear about his drift from orthodoxy. I do not agree that PP is a slippery slope to the FP heresy.
As a certain writer once wrote:”The doctrine of eschatology, because of its theological complexity, historical breadth, and practical significance requires intense study and careful reflection.”
That is certainly true. In our day of “prophecy experts” on daytime TV and the novelization of eschatology (e.g., “Left Behind”) we see the danger of simplistic eschatology. Thankfully we have had some of Christianity’s greatest minds working on the fundamentals for hundreds of years. We don’t need any new “Latter-day Saints” or “Jehovah’s WItnesses” movements to confuse young Christians with new innovations that strike at the root of historic Christian orthodoxy.
Initially, that was so. Hence the way we framed the letter. But since then he has clearly denied these three doctrines, even while claiming he is not “full preterist,” in that he does not believe all prophecy was fulfilled by AD 70.
After 40 years of public ministry in the field of eschatology you would think he could answer the three basic questions. Believe it or not,, the church has historically answered them from some of the leading minds in Christendom. It has not been left to the year 2023 and for Gary DeMar and the hyperpreterists to finally answer. Gary’s my good friend, but I believe Gary is taking the wrong step in adopting the core principles of hyperpreterism.
I am going through Gary Demar’s Eschatology Conference on the Canon Press App from Doug Wilson’s ministry. It is unfortunate to see where Demar has landed in his views. I hope he comes around. I watched the video on postmillenialism they put out that you were a part of as well. Lots of great material on that app. Anyways, I thank you for your time and contribution to the Kingdom.
I appreciate the love and concern you brothers expressed. I’ve grown disheartened from all this, and I would love nothing more than for Gary to affirm the three questions. I hope this is all a misunderstanding, but I don’t think it is.
If Gary continues to claim he holds to partial preterism and postmillenialism we can no longer accept this as truth or even be graciously patient that he means what he says. He admitted to me in a public Facebook discussion on his personal page that revelation 20 is “I think fulfilled but I don’t have enough assurance to say how” and later says “I mentioned numerous times I don’t refer to myself as a postmilenialist”. I have the screen captures where he said this. He won’t be reasoned with so at this point I think continuing to pray for him is the only option left to us.
Normally, I would dismiss letters such as this. But in this case, it is certainly warranted. A denial of the final judgment and especially a denial of a physical resurrection is abject heresy.
The paradigm of salvation is built around the incarnation. The physical and spiritual world are not separate, they are joined together as Christ is eternally joined together as God and man. To deny this is to deny doctrines that are at the heart of historic Christianity. I rarely say something like this concerning these sort of correspondences, but the tone of this letter is entirely appropriate for the situation at hand.
Saying, “I cannot say things that scripture plainly states, because I need to study more”, shows either ignorance, apathy to truth, or intentional heresy. Somethings must be true. Gary Demar is not someone I know, and I am thankful.
Regarding the two comments above that characterized Partial Preterism as a slippery slope to Full Preterism: That is like saying Orthodoxy is a slippery slope to Heresy.
Regarding Gary DeMar: I am saddened and will begin praying for him. His book Last Days Madness was helpful to me years ago.
Regarding the letter to DeMar by Ken Gentry and others: Thank you for the effort to obey James 5:19-20. May the Lord grant Gary the grace of repentance.
Dr. Gentry, you said “But since then he has clearly denied these three doctrines” – could you direct us to any public record of that? I, like many, have been trying to figure out where he is on this, and so much of what’s out there is hearsay. I think we would all be edified to see a direct statement from Gary on this.
It’s on Facebook where the letter was initially presented. He is now providing podcasts explaining why he will not answer them.
Dr. Gentry, I see the letter posted here: https://www.facebook.com/ken.gentry.77/posts/pfbid034esQk8Nm6uAXtDDG2HFYiVhdEXEe1Fz8bSWM25ZcwLJ1uq7tbK9LnaMHaBauoqKel
But there are no responses from Gary on that post. I have also searched and read all the posts on Gary’s Facebook profile that seem to be chronologically relevant, and have not yet seen any thing that remotely resembles “clearly denied”. I will keep looking, but the purpose of my question was to ask for clickable links to specific comments or posts which are apparently informing the discussion.
I’m just getting caught up on what’s going on; I’ve gotta say I’m shocked this has been made public.
I’ve also not got any sense that Gary does not already affirm these 3 statements as “yes”, and I’ve consumed practically everything he’s offered in the last 2yrs… I’ve also listened to Gary explain why he’s yet not answered and so far I agree with him.
I affirm “yes” to all 3 questions and I also wouldn’t answer considering how this has all transpired.
Until more information is presented and with the information I have, I’ve got to say I’m embarrassed for the men who signed this letter.
In my FB Group “Always Ready” I have provided quote after quote where Gary revised his 1994 book “Last Day Madness” to eliminate practically all statements affirming the yet future, bodily Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the end of temporal history. Also, when asked to affirm prior statements in the 1994 edition he has refused to do so.
Dr. Gentry could take time to refute what Kim Burgess has actually said on the podcast rather than what Gary DeMar has not said. That would be much more fruitful.
I am interested in what Gary believes, not Kim Burgess. I know what hyperpreterists believe.
This all transpired in private. Twice. Over a three month period. When he refused to answer we went public, hoping that he would see the seriousness of our concerns and answer. I am honestly heartbroken over Gary’s new theology. Send him an email and ask him those three questions. See for yourself.
The reason there are no responses from Gary is because he won’t respond. But you can see from his changes in “Last Days Madness” that he is changing his former commitments. I had hoped he would answer the three very simple questions that affirm historic orthodoxy.
Is Gary an active member of a Local Church and Under their Authority or would he be considered a Parachurch Organization with American Vision? – This whole matter saddens my heart. – “… and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”
He is an active member of a local church. I am not interested in leveling ecclesiastical charges against him. I just want him to answer our three questions, since he is a well-known (in our small circles), public teacher. I wish he would answer them instead of side-stepping them.
I agree. Having your Signature on this Letter along with Doug Wilson, James White, Jeff Durbin, and Sam Frost elevated my concern for Gary. I will be praying for you and the other men as you pray and try to minister to Gary.
Thanks. Do keep the matter in prayer.
You obviously haven’t been following closely enough. He refuses to affirm the three questions posed by “The Letter” and before that to hundreds of us who posed the same question. And his exegesis of the relevant texts he interprets in a FP fashion. And if you listened to his responding podcasts he said this regarding Question 3.
Question 3 from the online letter to Gary DeMar:
Do you believe history will end with the Final Judgment of all men?
“I don’t know (I rarely say this) and I really don’t care. Whatever God decides to do with the end of history that’s fine with me.”