Should I tone it down a bit?
I acknowledge that my speaking often has a polemical edge to it. So does my writing. In fact, I chose to publish my first book directly through Amazon because while several conventional publishers expressed interest in it, they wanted me to soften my critique of evangelicalism (I’m guessing not to alienate their customer base) and I wasn’t prepared to do that.
But I admit their suggestion did make me question my tone. Was I being too harsh? Could I be more charitable? Am I being unnecessarily divisive? Is this good for the church?
I often wonder these things. I don’t want to add to division in the church. I hate the thought that someone out there refuses to join a church because he or she perceives the church can’t love its own people.
That being said, I like to think my critiques are prophetic in the sense that I offer them as an insider (I critique evangelicalism as someone who grew up inside of it) and for the purpose of reforming whatever it is I’m critiquing. I don’t want to see evangelicalism crumble. If you’ve read my book, you know I think it will accomplish that all on its own. I want to see it reformed. I want to see the beautiful spirit of evangelicalism directed by a more informed approach to scripture and tradition.
In addition, I don’t see how the church moves forward in healthy, God-honoring ways without its members critiquing one another. The truth is that people within the church often have ideas or develop beliefs that are not in keeping with traditional Christian faith and are damaging to its healthy development. When that happens, for the sake of the church it is necessary for other Christians to call it out.
This has always been the case. I’ve been reading through Paul’s letters the last month or so and what has stood out to me more clearly than any other time I’ve read through Paul is how consistently and directly he calls out people he perceives to be damaging the church by their false teaching. Here’s a sample.
If you’re keeping score, that’s every one of Paul’s letters minus Philemon. And I’ve only included one verse from each letter. He rarely limits his critiques to one sentence. One of the biggest issues in the early church was distinguishing between what was true and right and good for people’s faith development from what was false and damaging. There were a lot of different people traveling around teaching all kinds of different things. Paul had no choice but to publicly challenge what he believed to be false and harmful. He did it for the sake of the church and its future. He wasn’t trying to be divisive. If anything, he was railing against those who were.
And he would go so far as to say in his letter to the Corinthians that this kind of infighting is necessary to ultimately prove who’s right.[1] The Corinthian church was beleaguered by quarrelling and division. Its members were siloing off based on their preference for certain speakers. “I follow Peter.” “I follow Paul.” “I follow Apollos.”
One of the main reasons Paul wrote to the church was to settle their disputes so there would be no division in the church but to do that he had to critique their position. He had to argue against them to get them to stop arguing with each other. There was just no other way to do it.
This process did not abate in the centuries that followed. The first 400-500 years of the church are marked by massive internal fights over moral and doctrinal issues. On the surface that looks “unloving,” but on a deeper level these conflicts were necessary for the love of the church and for the love of the world whom the church serves.
I love the church. I also love the world. When I critique camps within the church it is for love of both. There are so many beliefs that pass as orthodox in pop-Christian circles that are anything but. They actually distort the truth, producing a faith that is a shadow of its true self. When and where I perceive that, to the extent that I think it is profitable for the people whom God has entrusted to my care, I will continue to critique it. And I welcome the same from others. If you really love the church and the world you should be willing to always question and challenge your own ideas.
I recognize my challenge of others sometimes has a tone that some think could be softened, but when I compare it to some of the things Paul said, I’m being gracious.
[1] 1 Corinthians 11:19
But I admit their suggestion did make me question my tone. Was I being too harsh? Could I be more charitable? Am I being unnecessarily divisive? Is this good for the church?
I often wonder these things. I don’t want to add to division in the church. I hate the thought that someone out there refuses to join a church because he or she perceives the church can’t love its own people.
That being said, I like to think my critiques are prophetic in the sense that I offer them as an insider (I critique evangelicalism as someone who grew up inside of it) and for the purpose of reforming whatever it is I’m critiquing. I don’t want to see evangelicalism crumble. If you’ve read my book, you know I think it will accomplish that all on its own. I want to see it reformed. I want to see the beautiful spirit of evangelicalism directed by a more informed approach to scripture and tradition.
In addition, I don’t see how the church moves forward in healthy, God-honoring ways without its members critiquing one another. The truth is that people within the church often have ideas or develop beliefs that are not in keeping with traditional Christian faith and are damaging to its healthy development. When that happens, for the sake of the church it is necessary for other Christians to call it out.
This has always been the case. I’ve been reading through Paul’s letters the last month or so and what has stood out to me more clearly than any other time I’ve read through Paul is how consistently and directly he calls out people he perceives to be damaging the church by their false teaching. Here’s a sample.
"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive." (Romans 16:17–18)
"Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?... Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.'" (1 Corinthians 15:12, 33)
"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:13–14)
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed [anathema]... I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!" (Galatians 1:8, 5:12)
"...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (Ephesians 4:14)
"Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh." (Philippians 3:2)
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
"...[they] drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hinting us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!" (1 Thessalonians 2:15–16)
"...not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way." (2 Thessalonians 2:2–3)
"By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." (1 Timothy 1:19–20)
"...and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some." (2 Timothy 2:17–18)
"For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach." (Titus 1:10–11)
If you’re keeping score, that’s every one of Paul’s letters minus Philemon. And I’ve only included one verse from each letter. He rarely limits his critiques to one sentence. One of the biggest issues in the early church was distinguishing between what was true and right and good for people’s faith development from what was false and damaging. There were a lot of different people traveling around teaching all kinds of different things. Paul had no choice but to publicly challenge what he believed to be false and harmful. He did it for the sake of the church and its future. He wasn’t trying to be divisive. If anything, he was railing against those who were.
And he would go so far as to say in his letter to the Corinthians that this kind of infighting is necessary to ultimately prove who’s right.[1] The Corinthian church was beleaguered by quarrelling and division. Its members were siloing off based on their preference for certain speakers. “I follow Peter.” “I follow Paul.” “I follow Apollos.”
One of the main reasons Paul wrote to the church was to settle their disputes so there would be no division in the church but to do that he had to critique their position. He had to argue against them to get them to stop arguing with each other. There was just no other way to do it.
This process did not abate in the centuries that followed. The first 400-500 years of the church are marked by massive internal fights over moral and doctrinal issues. On the surface that looks “unloving,” but on a deeper level these conflicts were necessary for the love of the church and for the love of the world whom the church serves.
I love the church. I also love the world. When I critique camps within the church it is for love of both. There are so many beliefs that pass as orthodox in pop-Christian circles that are anything but. They actually distort the truth, producing a faith that is a shadow of its true self. When and where I perceive that, to the extent that I think it is profitable for the people whom God has entrusted to my care, I will continue to critique it. And I welcome the same from others. If you really love the church and the world you should be willing to always question and challenge your own ideas.
I recognize my challenge of others sometimes has a tone that some think could be softened, but when I compare it to some of the things Paul said, I’m being gracious.
[1] 1 Corinthians 11:19
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