Against Liberal Theology: Putting the Brakes on Progressive Christianity\u201d (Zondervan)<\/a>. If you want to participate, read the Introduction. You may comment if you read it but only ask questions if not.<\/p>\nBefore diving into the book, though, I want to say why I wrote it and why I think I am qualified to write such a book.<\/p>\n
I wrote it because: 1) Too few people who use the term \u201cliberal theology\u201d (or \u201cliberal Christianity\u201d) actually know what it is. In the book I argue that it is a tradition of theology and not a vague, amorphous \u201canything to the left of me\u201d kind of theology. \u201cProgressive Christianity\u201d is not a tradition; it is an ethos, a mindset, which, if followed to its logical conclusion, leads to liberal theology.<\/p>\n
2) Liberal theology as I mean it is inimical to robust Christianity and may not even be Christian at all. It may be a different religion. I demonstrate that possibility in the book with many quotes from well-known liberal theologians. (I quote only from theologians who acknowledged being liberal or who are generally acknowledged by scholars to be liberal in their theology.)<\/p>\n
I believe that liberal theology is a major reason why the so-called \u201cmainline Protestant churches\u201d are dying. It is, as one of my students said, \u201cweak sauce.\u201d There is really no life in it. It is dull, overly-intellectual, and, of course, unbiblical. Taken to its extreme, it is disconnected entirely from historic, classical, orthodox Christianity.<\/p>\n
There is genuine diversity within the liberal theological tradition, but there is also much commonality. The main common feature is what theologian Paul Welch called \u201cmaximal acknowledgement of the claims of modernity\u201d in theology. I would rephrase that as \u201cmaximal accommodation to modernity\u201d in theology.<\/p>\n
In the book I focus almost exclusively on American liberal theologians. Yet, I cannot avoid mentioning German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher who is widely acknowledged as the \u201cfather\u201d of liberal and modern theology.<\/p>\n
I wrote the book because of what I call the \u201ctrickle down theory of theology.\u201d By that I mean that pastors and lay people and students are influenced by theologians they have never heard of or studied. The influence of liberal Protestant theology is pervasive in the so-called \u201cmainline churches\u201d of America (and Europe). Church historian Martin Marty prefers \u201cold line\u201d to \u201cmainline\u201d and I agree with him. \u201cOld\u201d in the sense of \u201ctired.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, what are my credentials for writing about liberal theology and critiquing it? I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian form of life that had very little theology. We had doctrines, but not theology in the sense of critical or constructive reflection on revelation and doctrines. My college experience was pure indoctrination; critical reflection was frowned on. My seminary experience was a mixture of critical and constructive reflection and gentle indoctrination.<\/p>\n
During my seminary years I stepped out of the seminary and took courses at a Lutheran (ELCA) seminary (be extension) about process theology and liberation theology. Process theology is, of course, a major form of liberal theology. During seminary I read a lot of liberal theology. Then I earned my Ph.D at a secular university but studied under several Christian theologians there. At least one of them, probably two, was\/were liberal theologically. I was exposed to liberal theology there. I really began to study liberal theology there. Then I studied theology at the University of Munich in Germany and was exposed to more liberal theology.<\/p>\n
Later, I joined a theological professional society and rubbed shoulders with liberal theologians. I became president of that society. I organized liberal-evangelical dialogues. I read more deeply in liberal theology, spoke at liberal churches, responded to liberal theologians in theological meetings. I read both primary and secondary sources about liberal theology\u2014as you will see if you read Against Liberal Theology. I was a member of at least two, maybe three, liberal Protestant churches\u2014two Baptist and one Presbyterians. I invited self-identified liberal pastors and theologians to speak to my classes in the universities where I taught.<\/p>\n
Anyway, if you want to know what liberal theology really is and why it is pernicious to Christianity, read the book with me. Start with the Introduction. I will post some comments on the Introduction here on or around Monday, January 20.<\/p>\n
*Note: If you choose to comment, keep it brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.*<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why I Wrote \u201cAgainst Liberal Theology\u201d This coming Monday (give or take a day) I will open discussion of my book \u201cAgainst Liberal Theology: Putting the Brakes on Progressive Christianity\u201d (Zondervan). If you want to participate, read the Introduction. You may comment if you read it but only ask questions if not. Before diving into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":11870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8951],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-against-liberal-theology"],"yoast_head":"\n
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