Monthly Archives: January 2016

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Seven Things I Wish all of Them Would Stop Doing:

Dressing alike

Mocking one another and then saying they still like so and so.

Saying, “I’m the only one on stage to do thus and such.”

Quoting the Bible

Fearing that an admission of an error in judgment is a sign of weakness

Calling a thoughtful change of mind, “Flip flopping”

Telling jokes

 

WHEATON COLLEGE: WONDERING ABOUT DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS

In early December of last year I had the good fortune to speak at Wheaton College.  The invitation to do so came from my friend, Vince Bacote.  Vince teaches there and heads up the Center for Applied Ethics.  It was one of those ideal teaching trips: terrific students, wonderful time catching up with Vince, great accommodations, and ample down time to explore what the area has to offer.

About a week after I got back home the brouhaha broke over the Facebook comments posted by Professor Larycia Hawkins of Wheaton College, especially these: “I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God.”

Like all who teach at Wheaton College, Professor Hawkins signed the statement of faith.  Here is Wheaton’s statement of faith with respect to monotheism:

WE BELIEVE in one sovereign God, eternally existing in three  persons: the everlasting Father, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit, the giver of life; and we believe that God created the Heavens and the earth out of nothing by His spoken word, and for His own glory.

The issue at hand is what implications flow from that statement of faith.  In what way(s), if any, is the Christian God the same as the Muslim God?  Much ink has been spilled parsing the word “same.”  For the record, I side with the reflections Scot offered here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2015/12/16/the-same-god-12/.  

This debate got me thinking afresh about doctrinal statements.   I taught for four years at a classical, Christian school.  In their statement of faith mention was made that the Holy Spirit is integral to salvation.  As the school expanded new teachers signed the statement of faith, but had no idea what the decidedly Calvinist drafters meant by it.   The drafters of the statement believed the Holy Spirit could not be resisted, a particular doctrinal implication they thought was crystal clear from what they had written.  To say the least, others disagreed!  Which brings me back to Wheaton College.

Perhaps it would be wise to unpack a few significant implications which are understood by the drafters to inhere in church and school doctrinal statements.  It would not have to be terribly long.  Further clarification in adding a few “What we mean by this is…” seems like it would prevent some of the controversies we now see being played out at Wheaton College. 

Since it seems likely that Wheaton’s current challenges will not be unique among Christian institutions, others may also need to consider adding a few lines of clarification to their doctrinal statements.

BARBECUE AND THE CHURCH

 

Image result for RUDY'S BARBECUE

Here in Texas we enjoy great barbecue. Among the many options, Rudy’s bills itself as the “worst barbecue in Texas.” It actually is very good.

Perhaps local churches could take a cue. When the leadership of the church gives the impression that they are really doing the deed, and yet the reality falls far short, it sets people up for disillusionment. Perhaps more people would be at peace with their local church if the cheer leading and triumphalism were replaced by more humility and true, servant-leaders.

LEARNING…A POEM

Learning

By David George Moore

Learning requires unlearning

That’s why so few are educated

It’s more than concerning

To find cherished beliefs overrated

But go past the pain

Of admitting error

And you will discover great gain

Wisdom is a worthy standard-bearer

DALLAS SEMINARY GRADUATES DON’T PREACH THE BIBLE

First, let me say that I know a number of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) graduates who are careful students of the Bible.  Among the faithful, I have recently been blessed to meet Jon Davies, the new teaching pastor at Brenham Bible Church.  Jon handles the Word with reverence and diligently applies himself in the study.  Last, and certainly least, is the fact that I myself am a graduate of DTS.  Though I am “agnostic” on certain, secondary doctrines other DTS graduates hold, I remain grateful to God for the indelible impact of both professors and students.

Back to the subject line of this post…That is what I overheard from a theologian who some would say holds to a less than “conservative” position of the Bible.

I was in the bookstore of the seminary where this particular theologian teaches and could not help but eavesdrop on the conversation.  The theologian said to her friend, “I was just on vacation and so we went to the church my in-laws attend.  A Dallas Seminary guy was preaching.  It is amazing how poorly he handled the Scriptures even though he believes in the inerrancy of the Bible.  I don’t believe in inerrancy, but I treat the text of the Bible much more carefully than him.”

Holding to inerrancy is no safeguard against handling the Word of God in a sloppy manner.  Holding to inerrancy also won’t keep you out of bed with another man’s wife as the evangelical landscape makes painfully clear.

Do you hold to inerrancy?  For a few brave souls out there, you may want to declare that you don’t even know what it is, but you have heard it is important!

REPOST FROM APRIL 23, 2013.