NowTHINK!AboutIt

Avoiding Hackneyed...Making Sense

Calvinism Misunderstands Motive

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Circular reasoning engages no discussion, offers no arguments.

Motive Is Determined By Character
Not Condition

The following was a comment on a blog post at Allkirk Network.

The comment made two interesting points which I wanted to explore a bit. One involves what the commenter referred to as a misunderstanding about a sinner’s motive for doing good works. The other involves his use of the word “Holy” which is a bit misleading.

Lutherans believe in Man’s freedom of will. As I understand it, as a Lutheran, man has freedom of will and can choose to do good works; but in our sinful condition our choices to do good are based on selfish reasons, not godly reasons. In this, humans always choose selfishly (sinfully), even though the work may outwardly appear good, they are not pleasing to God. Herein the Work of the Holy Spirit is paramount in changing our nature from sinful to holy. When the Holy Spirit works through us and guides our decisions, only then can we make good choices for God pleasing reasons, and do truly good and holy works. How does Cavlinism/Reformed view this?

To be clear, the post was aimed at settling the record regarding four myths about Lutheranism, apparently perpetrated by Calvinists. The four myths centered on free will, the Lord’s Supper, the use of the law and engaging the surrounding culture.

Those issues are not the focus in my response.

The post was on a Presbyterian website so it is was offered from a Calvinistic perspective. The topics being discussed were interesting but, again, that’s not the focus here.

I’m assuming the commenters understanding of Lutheran theology is correct. If it isn’t, the same idea is floated by other theological systems so addressing it has purpose.

The important thing is, even if he was wrong about Lutheran theology, he made a judgment call on the motives of sinners which can’t be justified. He was wrong and his comment serves as another example of Calvinist’s tendency to argue from the presumed rightness of their position. It’s circular. Calvinism is right so you must be wrong because what you say disagrees with Calvinism. No discussion engaged. No arguments offered. [Read more…] about Calvinism Misunderstands Motive

Book Review: After Evangelicalism by David Gushee

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All truth is God's truth no matter where you find it.

Negating Ideas
Is Neither Clarifying
Nor Helpful

Before I read this book, I’d never heard of David Gushee. I read it only because it was being used for a study group in a church I was familiar with. The church was progressive and the book was enticing.

The enticement was based on two facts. The number of people questioning and/or leaving evangelical churches particularly of the fundamentalist version and the title, “After Evangelicalism”, which seemed to imply an answer for why people were leaving and where they were going.

For the record, Pew Research reported that the number of US citizens claiming to be Christian dropped by 12% over the decade between 2011 and 2021. Most of the decline was among Protestants and fundamentalist Evangelicals had the largest share so the topic is certainly relevant.

People are leaving. The trend is visible. The book offers an answer to “Where should they go?”

Although I spent most of the last fifty plus years in fundamentalist circles, I too have concerns and have entertained them for quite some time. I still believe the Bible entirely and trust Jesus completely but I question the interpretations commonly taught in fundamentalist circles.

There was no single cataclysmic moment that dismantled everything I believed. It wasn’t an avalanche. My concerns developed slowly over time as situations arose.

The Jay E. Adams counseling books are an example. His teachings led us to believe any Christian is capable of unraveling the intricate and complex problems that plague the lives and disrupt the relationships of people. Influenced by Adams’ books, counseling became the craze for every person from the pulpit to the pew and since churches are often like echo chambers and public prayer is a great source of gossip, the result was pure chaos.

Since those days, I’ve come to believe that counseling is both a gift (some people have it, some don’t) and a qualification. It’s something you’re called to do and something you must learn to do but thanks to Mr. Adams, many won’t have it.

Another issue that created cracks in my fundamentalist advocacy was the hard fisted way churches handle divorce and remarriage. You expect that from Catholics but even protestant churches are taking up the Romish mindset.

That’s just two issues and they’ve been around for years but it only gets worse. In more recent times, it is the absolutist mindset about abortion and the heavy handed approach fundamentalists take to sexual orientation and identity issues.

For some of these issues, I’ve developed ideas I believe are helpful, clarifying. For others, I’m still thinking, but in every case I’m motivated by the hope that there is a better, more thoughtful response than the usual fundamentalist approach which is to sequester every uncomfortable topic behind closed doors.

Some might write me off as just another progressive but there is one very important way in which I differ. In every case, whatever the issue and whatever my conclusion, I take my cues from the Bible. The Word of God, which is what I believe the Bible to be, is still the source and foundation for every belief.

The sad part is progressives, the people we think could help, begin their arguments in most cases by attempting to dismantle the Bible. They don’t just excise a text here or there but the effort is more like evisceration. Once they’re finished, there’s not much Bible left to consider. [Read more…] about Book Review: After Evangelicalism by David Gushee

Review: The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr

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Truth, like food, is better received when better prepared.

A Clanging Cymbal Expresses Adamance
Not Meaning

Before the Scopes trial, which ultimately was a debate between creation and evolution, William Jennings Bryan famously said, “if evolution wins, Christianity goes.”

He, like many other absolutists before and after him, was wrong. In the end, neither side could claim victory and Christianity hasn’t gone anywhere.

But it makes you wonder. How many other tightly held biblical ideas could be moderated without destroying faith and the Christian community?

The truth is Faith isn’t easily obliterated and science is not static. I believe in a young earth and a seven day creation but I know I can’t prove those ideas any more than evolutionists can conclusively prove the 13.7 billion year history they claim for the earth.

When conflicts like this occur, the only reasonable response is to respect the rights of others to think differently, share in the discussion and keep digging for facts. Both sides keep digging but the sharing part resembles a barrage of artillery shells flying both ways. Everyone is firing and ducking.

Instead of clarifying, the discussion separates and divides. Neither side seems to understand that ideas aren’t weapons and would be better used to stimulate thought than cause injury.

I understand how uncomfortable some ideas can be but I still find it difficult to refuse the discussion.

Before you walk away, remember that religionists are often the unreasonable party. They don’t argue, they dismiss. Religious conservatives, like the Catholics who put Galileo under house arrest for teaching the earth revolved around the sun, accept only compliance and obedience. Arguments, any arguments, are viewed as an offense against God and there is a long history of burning opposing ideas at the stake.

I’m saying that as one who was raised in religious conservatism. I learned the doctrines well and zealously complied but compelling ideas should never be ignored even if those ideas seem to rub faith the wrong way.

We should never be satisfied to ignore those ideas and always be open to new arguments and perspectives.

The question is where do you find those arguments. [Read more…] about Review: The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr

Has The Great Commission Been Supplanted By Politics

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Religion teaches us what is decent. Politics allows us to choose for ourselves.

Religion encourages us to believe
Politics encourages us to respect the beliefs of others.
Religious beliefs divide us into groups.
Politics unite us around shared interests.

For most of history, churches and church groups were very diverse and, therefore, divided from one another. That division had a positive effect. It kept churches from uniting and dominating society.

With consensus around a few ideas, however, that has changed. Churches have become politically rather than spiritually driven. Instead of trying to save souls – the thing they were commissioned to do – they’re trying to police souls and clean the world up.

What I’ve just described feels good to the faithful. It has the ring of rationality to it. What can be wrong with standing for the right? Anything other than opposing wrong seems too much like cowardice but regardless how courageous it may seem, that approach is not a replacement plan for the Great Commission and it won’t work. The world is not going to change for the better because we treat it with a dose of Lysol. Things won’t get better and God won’t be pleased.

Politics vs Religion

Politics and religion are both important but for two very different reasons. Neither can replace the other but there is friction between the two. They didn’t get along in the past and they don’t get along now for very obvious and acceptable reasons.

The capstone of politics, the one thing that makes it work, compromise, is the one thing churches have a long history of not tolerating. The one thing churches have done repeatedly, divide and go their separate ways (remember the Pilgrims), is the one thing governments can’t do.

But it’s not a stalemate. The idea isn’t for the two institutions to blend or mirror one another or vie. Each has an important job to do. Each needs to respect and allow the free function of the other.

Churches, however, are not comfortable with that idea. The Great Commission is the answer to their angst but it’s apparently not enough to keep them from interfering. [Read more…] about Has The Great Commission Been Supplanted By Politics

9 Reasons You Won’t Find God At The Center Of Government

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What's the difference between atheistic totalitarianism and theistic totalitarianism.

Any Kind of Totalitarianism Is Abusive
And Democracy Is The Correction

There’s really no difference between Atheistic and Theistic totalitarianism but before we discuss the two, a clarification.

The question here is not does God have a place in government but exactly how does He fit in.

  • Is He completely uninvolved as if He didn’t exist?
  • Is He in complete control imposing His rule and will on every aspect of human life?
  • Or does He provide the necessary information to enable us to figure things out as we go.

Those are the only three options, two of which are totalitarian. [Read more…] about 9 Reasons You Won’t Find God At The Center Of Government