The Changing faces of Christianity

A little while ago I received this comment about my post on the preview of Rob Bell's book, Love Wins:

Why should we not think of Christianity as something dynamic? As something that meets the needs of the people that believe it? As something that does change? As something that SHOULD change? Rather than something dogmatic. Something where an endpoint can be reached.

I would like to give this comment special attention because I can see where this person is coming from.  I see these questions coming from not just one person, but I get this from many people.

First, I need to make a distinction.  There needs to be a separation between the right and the wrong types of boundaries.  The distinction that needs to be made is the difference between the message and the manifestation of Christianity.  The commenter above asks if "Christianity" should change.  I agree...

But, it is not in the way Rob Bell pushes for change.  I have started to read his book and it has been blatantly been put forth that he is trying to change the message of Christianity.  As the Interviewer in my last post rightly assumes, Bell tries to make the Gospel more palatable.   Bell attempts to change the message into something that everyone in the world can believe without it changing every person's view of life, or worldview.  But is this really religion?  Is this really belief?  What is Bell standing for?

Bell is part of the postmodern movement called the "Emergent Church."  This group of churches has tried to radically reshape the way Christians view Christianity and how the Church interacts with the world.  Without getting in to any sticky situations,(or at least attempting not to) Emergent churches have many good things about them, but also have many problems.  Bell's message embodies one of the major ones, acquiescence.

The message of Bell eliminates the one big problem that humanity has, sin.  Sin is an integral part of our lives.  The idea of sin has been argued about since the ancient church battle between Augustine and Pelagius.  This battle led to the split in the Roman Catholic Church and eventually to the Reformation in the 1500 and 1600's.  The argument was over the pervasiveness of sin in humanity.  In short: How much does sin effect us?  Augustine claimed that sin was so ingrained into us that we were dead to sin in the eyes of God.  Sin rocked us to our core and corrupted the very human nature within us, according to Augustine.  He used the words of Paul in the book of Romans to proof-text his ideas.

Pelagius had a different idea.  He believed in the philosophical principle of "tabula rasa," or blank slate.  He stated that we were clay (citing Jeremiah's oracle by the potter's wheel) in which to have God and other influences mold us.  Pelagius held that a man could choose his own path at the outset of his life and as such could live a perfect life.  This meant that the death and resurrection of Christ only paid for the sins thata man might commit.  This took away from the message of Christianity.

The outcome of this was the Roman Catholic Church's [RCC] (back then the only Church) decision into an aspect of Semi-Pelagianism.  This was not a decision as much as it was a compromise.  This decision is still the practice of the RCC today.  This view takes the work of Christ on the cross and says that it is an example.  I would challenege you, readers, to look up the "theology of glory."  This is the position of the RCC, that sin is an illness for which we are able to fight against with the help of Christ.

This idea of "illness of sin" as opposed to "death in sin" was a key fight that lead to the Reformation.  Luther and the majority of the reformers sided with Augustine.  Their belief that the Bible, not man, is the authority in Christianity lead them to side with Paul in his letters of how sin has corrupted us to the core.  I agree with the reformers in this respect.

But getting back to the issue at hand; what, then, needs to change? Put simply, approach.  The church needs to be in the world without being corrupted by it.  They way we live needs to have the balance of living in the populace without being changed into a piece of whatever culture they are in.  There needs to be an element that is counter-cultural.  The church needs to hold to it's message without becoming irrelevant. 

However,  this is an issue of integrity. How can a God that claims to be just, forget that he is so?  God's law must be obeyed and when it is not, the price must be paid.  The glorious message of Christianity is that the price is not paid by those who believe that Christ has paid the penalty, but instead that Christ has taken that penalty upon himself to his glory and our salvation.

I will end here, but please, comment.  I would like to know what else you have questions on.  If there is something you want discussed, you want to clear up, or you want to call me out on, by all means, comment.  I enjoy the prodding questions of others.

Monthly Rant: Update on Rob "my clacker is broken" Bell

Here is something I found delightfully interesting.  This was an interview conducted by a host on MSNBC.  Please see the video above.  My comments are pretty simple as the interviewer, Mr. Bashir, has essentially done my work for me.  Listen to the questions he asks.  Bashir asks Bell the fundamental questions of Christianity and how his book effects them.  Bashir comes to the correct conclusion in his question of palatability.  Rob Bell is losing the gospel to make his "religion" appeal to people.

As the scroll on the bottom says: Bell is accused of committing heresy.  Are the accusations true?  According to the interview and the words out of his own mouth, Yes!

Monthly Rant: Rob Bell is a Ding-a-ling

Ever since I started this blog I told myself I would keep my ranting to a minimum.  Well, it has been about a month, so I think it's time for a new one.

The above video is a promo for Rob Bell's latest book, Love Wins.  If you haven't done so, please watch it.  I'll wait.....No, really I will.






See I waited. :)  Okay....Where do I begin?  There is so much messed up in this video it was sickening.  I have a few major beefs with him and his interpretation of Christianity.  I can't say this critique includes his interpretation of Scripture, because he doesn't have one in this video. (or the book for that matter) The man has a problem with telling people no.  One problem I have with him is the idea that only the "select few" (some critics of a particular Reformed denomination use the term "frozen chosen") have the title of saved.  The question that I have to ask is: What if it is the other way around?  What if there are billions and billions that are saved and it is the few that deny the work of God?

Another issue I have with Mr. Bell is the understanding of authority.  In our postmodern culture, we as a whole have denied any form of a meta-narrative on our lives.  This category includes, but is not limited to, the Bible.  Due to his understanding and leadership of the fringe of the emergent church movement, he has embraced the ideas of postmodern culture.  This presupposition has influenced every other belief in his life.  The idea that man can dictate who is good and who is evil, puts the man above God and the reason of man above the foolishness of God.  This is in direct contradiction to the foundation of all religions, but especially Christianity.  This denies the power of God and as such, (and I do hate to say this) Rob Bell is not preaching Christianity.  If what he says is what he believes, I can say in confidence, as Paul does: Rob Bell is not a Christian.

This equates him with the Dogs of Paul's day.  Those dogs were preaching a form of semi-Pelagianism, Christ and the law.  Rob Bell teaches that God does not judge people on their sins.  This means that Rob Bell's teaching promotes that Christ died for nothing!  This makes me so furious that I cannot continue.  If you have questions for me or would like me to explain something, please leave a comment.

"...he knows all the weak spots..."

The above quote is from one of my favorite movies, Luther.   A few days ago, I was driving to my mother's house and I had a feeling of horrible dread.  I felt the foul, cold breath of the devil on my neck reminding me of who I was.  I was reminded of the horrible things I had done to people in my life and how Satan had won at every turn when I tried to do things my way.  At that moment a song came over the radio, "Who I am Hates Who I've been" by Reliant K.  It reminded me that I am a new creation in Christ and that I am not alone.  I have been given a second chance by God more times then I can count.  I have recently been given second chances by a couple of friends that I cherish dearly. 

I am determined not to waste this chance.  I cannot rely on my own emotions and mental capabilities to give me a clear direction.  I have been wrong too many times in my life to depend on myself. 

Sorry for the short post, but there will be more coming.  I am on Spring Break, which gives me more time to work on my blog.  I will try to be more regular from now on. Many Apologies.

Quibbling Quandaries:
Who are the top 3 people in your life, right now?
What is your favorite movie?
What is your favorite movie quote?
If the cost didn't matter, what is one thing you would like to do or own?

Interesting Illuminations:
What are your 5 wishes?
 - See previous Post. :)
If you could be anything for a week, what would it be? (And I do mean anything)
 - I would be a medical doctor.  It's my second choice in career and I have an aptitude for medicine.
What is your biggest stumbling block right now? How can it be overcome?
 - My biggest stumbling block is people and my interactions with them.  I screw up all the time.
What is your perspective on current culture?
 - Postmodernism is a big problem!

"We are the music makers, and We are the dreamers of dreams..."

The above Quote is from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This quote has an impressive amount of significance when it comes to my life and the future that I have indeed dreamed about.

I implore you, do not think I am clinically insane.  I am, admittedly, unorthodox, but I am still very much a rational being.(That's what makes me dangerous :) lol)  I have a belief that God will use any means of communication that he deems worthy.  Sometimes he puts people in our life that will shape us, sometimes he uses situations that do the same.  But I also believe that will communicate with those that he loves in ways that don't make sense.  I believe that God can communicate to people through their consciences, their physical and mental feelings, and even through dreams.  I do have to say, this does not give anyone the right to say, "Well I dreamed it, that must mean God wants me to do it." Any form of communication this way must be double checked with earlier forms of revelation, namely Common Sense and Scripture. (I am a Christian, so I do indeed mean the Bible.)  In this, I do not by any means endorse the use of violence or sexual promiscuity.  I have had dreams like that but it is against the plan of God and the rule of law to do such things. As such it renders these things null and void. 

For Some reason God has used every method possible to kick me back onto the path that he has for me.  My dreams are simple, but that is because I have learned my lesson from planning things out too much.
I have 5 primary wishes:
1. I wish to be a faithful man of God. - While this might seem trite, it is far from.  This past month I have seen God do things that I have never seen before.  His power has shaped my life and I want him to continue to work in my life.  As such, I wish to be faithful in my walk with Him.
2. I wish to be a minister. - My career is one that is not very popular with people.  I'm supposed to be this "pure example."  But how does that look?  I believe in the maturity of Christians and the Freedom of our Wills and Consciences by Christ.  I desire to be an under-shepherd of Christ.
3. I wish to have a family. - I have a desire in my heart to find someone that I will be able to spend the rest of my life with.  While this might be easy for some people as they have already found their significant other or are in a steady relationship, I am the perfect picture of failure in this area.  I have never had a relationship that has lasted over 6 months.  I have had relationships end because of something I have done, and even once it was something I didn't do.  Every time, it gets more discouraging and it seems that maybe I will never find anyone.  But, I will still hope.
4. I wish I could succeed. - I have been a "failure" in everything I have tried.  I can't keep a girlfriend.  I am still working for minimum wage.  Also, this is my sixth year of college, and I will have to take a 7th in order to receive my diploma.  Although I have learned much from my many faults, I would like things to go right once in my life.
5. I wish I could be truly content. - While I am content with most things in my life, I have a hard time being appreciative of all the things I do have. I have not been content with my position in life and it always seems like I am the one that is not getting the picture.  It's hard to have desires you know you shouldn't, and then repressing them till you either don't care anymore, or they explode.

Quibbling Quandries:
What are your 5 wishes?
If you could be anything for a week, what would it be? (And I do mean anything)
What is your biggest stumbling block right now? How can it be overcome?
What is your perspective on current culture?

Interesting Illuminations:
What are the top 5 moments in your life, right now?
(In no particular order) My previous relationship, Playing organized soccer for 20 years, Attending Providence CC, my younger siblings in my life, the times God has worked in my life to let me know who I really am
When you look back on life, when were the easiest times to have hope?
Hope was easy when things were good. Now, things aren't so good, and it's easy to be cynical.
What is your favorite snack food?
Chocolate Milk, Hummus, and Pita Chips
How do you show love?
Physical touch, giving gifts, and quality time

Who Am I?

In a previous post I said I would share about my present situation.  I will do so, but probably not in the way you might like me to.  In the Opera/Musical "Les Miserables" a main theme is the song, "Who am I?" This song is sung by both the protagonist and antagonist for much of the same reason, but with different reactions. I tend to think of myself as Jean Valjean.  I have had a jaded past, more than most people.  But, I have comfort in Jesus that it is his work that has saved me, not my own.  I am studying to be a minister at a small, private college in Pasadena, California.  I have recently had many things happen in my life, not all of them good.  I have hurt some of the people around me in ways that can't be repaired.  I know they have told me that they forgive me. Yet, forgiveness is not an easy thing for me to do to myself.  I don't hold grudges against people and I have tried to move on, but living with the mistakes that I have done is not an easy thing for me.

Right now I am trying to get life back in order.  I need to re-devote myself to my studies and to God.  Sometimes I need a break form life.  Like that will ever happen. :)  If you want a quick peek into my brain for a little bit, (I know, random.) imagine those moments where you think of about 500 things at once.  That is my brain normally.  You should see it in overdrive.

Quibbling Quandaries:
What are the top 5 moments in your life, right now?
When you look back on life, when were the easiest times to have hope?
What is your favorite snack food?
How do you show love?

Interesting Illuminations:
Why do professors think they are being funny when they assign major papers all together on the same week?
  - They are preparing us for hell: real life! lol
Is Diet Pop really healthier for you than Regular?
 - Sugar wise, yes. But, there is a chemical in diet pop that can actually make you more hungry and therefore could end up to you eating more food.
How did the lump that our heart looks like turn into the "heart" shape that we have today?
 - I have no idea!
What is your favorite game to play with friends?
 - Anything that doesn't involve me getting ganged up on and annihilated.  (I blame Chelsea Leigh and Dani Rae for this.)  :)

Thanks for reading - TI :) 

Monthly Single Awareness Day Rant

Sorry that my first rant comes so soon, but I have history with this one: Valentine's Day.

I have 2 major bones to pick with this "O Sacred" of holidays.

First, the story of this holiday is anything but romantic.  St. Valentine was a clergy member in Rome.  He had helped Christians that had been persecuted during the reign of Claudius II.  While helping some of these persecuted Christians, Valentine was captured by the Romans and imprisoned.  While in prison, Valentine began correspondence with a young women.  She was troubled by how such a good man could be in prison.  Through the small window in his cell, Valentine talked with this women and eventually led her to faith.  Contrary to many people's assumptions, this relationship was not romantic.  This conversation between Valentine and the young lady continued until she fell ill.  Yet, the correspondence did not stop.  Valentine and the young woman continued to write to one another through a messenger.  The legend goes that she never knew his name until the last letter he ever wrote.  On the day he was executed, Valentine signed the final letter with his name: "Your Valentine."  St. Valentine was executed on February 14.  The way that this holiday became associated with love is due to the roman festival of love that occurred around the same time.  Boys would choose a girl's name out of a jar and would then do something to woo the girl.  This eventually degraded into a celebration of lust in our modern culture.

My second bone to pick has to do with my own personal history with this ever so popular holiday.  I must admit something that everyone will probably say "Ya, that's common."   I have never had a girlfriend on Valentine's Day.  While all of my friends have coupled up, I am stuck being the 3rd/5th/7th wheel on Valentine's Day.   As much as this hurts, it's worse when you look at what happens before V-Day.  Out of the 10 years I have been interested in having a girlfriend on Valentine's Day, my "significant other"s and I have broken up within 2 weeks of Valentine's Day 6 times.  Out of the 4 remaining, 3 I was too busy and 1 I just didn't care. (I used to be pretty jaded.)  I have never had a good Valentine's Day... EVER.  Sorry for the downer, but I am sick and tired of couples and advertisers telling me that I am supposed to be in a relationship when I either just got done with being in one, or am finally (for once in my life) content with being single.  Sorry for the rant, but i had to get that out.


Quibbling Quandaries:
Why do professors think they are being funny when they assign major papers all together on the same week?
Is Diet Pop really healthier for you than Regular?
How did the lump that our heart looks like turn into the "heart" shape that we have today?
What is your favorite game to play with friends?


Interesting Illuminations:
When you still have feelings for someone, how long do you wait to tell them?
- It depends on the person telling and the timing for the person that it is about.
When you have a wonderful moment of "open mouth, insert foot" do you honestly tell the people involved, or try to wait and see what develops?
- I am still up in the air about this one.
What do you do when a friend gets between you and your significant other?
- The first question is: How are they doing it?  Then act accordingly.  Don't let a good thing go just because a friend has reservations.  But, don't blow him/her off.  S/he might have a good point.
When is it okay to lie to a friend?
- I struggle to say yes to this one.  But, If they are a friend, they will take the truth, even when it hurts.
Is a massive cover up okay to protect a friend?
- I don't like doing it, and I don't want to be put in the position to do it.  That is the only answer I will give here.