The Counsel of Victory
I recently came across an article warning that The Bible Project has an insufficiently robust explanation of the Atonement. (The Bible Project: Brilliant but Flawed) I love the Bible Project. The visuals are nice but I really love the depth and clarity of their content. Really, I prefer the podcasts. I appreciated the criticism because heretofore I've not seen any. And for all its perfections, it must have some flaws.
The author of the article ended by saying that he would not recommend TBP at all. I wouldn't go so far as that. But this instance was a good reminder as the Church deals with a new series of scandals: do not follow any one leader or thinker slavishly.
Tim Keller believes in Old Earth Creationism. C.S. Lewis was an open theist. Greg Bausen had rather too large an ego. Martin Luther had some unsavory sentiments (antiSemitic if I remember correctly). Charles Spurgeon had some exegetical problems. Wayne Grudem might have some problems explaining the Trinity. Billy Graham was of sterling character and a faithful servant, but his message was a tad shallow. Tim Mackie sidesteps God's wrath. Paige Patterson is now down and out. And I'm leaving out the many wonderful teachers with home-lives in shambles.
In an abundance of counselors there is victory. If we cravenly follow any one person we will also develop his blindspots. We might also fail to fully inherit his strengths. Church history gives us a gift in its polyphony of voices. Even the Bible itself is many-voiced. No one finite person can fully express an infinite God. Following humans makes us disappointed and cynical. Sometimes it's even traumatizing. That's probably why the Proverbs advise an abundance of counselors. Follow only one man or one group and you will find yourself where many followers of Doug Phillips, Mark Driscoll, or Paige Patterson are today.
Here's what I keep in mind whenever I imbibe Mackie: he lives in Portland which is largely unchurched. Most people likely have a vague idea of Christianity from entertainment, art, television, and hearsay: a mix of the morbid and the maudlin, the indulgent and the severe, syncretistic Catholicism and distorted Puritanism. Mackie couches his words carefully to present the Gospel without the familiar connotation-loaded vocabulary and catch phrases. This is equally helpful to the apathetic Bible Belt and to the jaded unchurched. While Mackie ministers in a leftist Northwest context, he also carries a framework strongly informed by the Hebraic mindset and ancient history. And this is the other source of his value. This framework lends so much depth and richness to reading the Bible. It isn't the alpha and omega of Biblical literacy because our infinite God has the power to speak to us now in the history that He is currently writing. (See James B. Jordan for similar resources.)
While we're on the topic of wrath: highly recommended: The Wrath of God Poured Out -- the Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Mohler puts me in mind of Chesterton's hymn: Take not Thy thunder from us but take away our pride. In this I rejoice in Yahweh's anger if it purges me of my pride.
The author of the article ended by saying that he would not recommend TBP at all. I wouldn't go so far as that. But this instance was a good reminder as the Church deals with a new series of scandals: do not follow any one leader or thinker slavishly.
Tim Keller believes in Old Earth Creationism. C.S. Lewis was an open theist. Greg Bausen had rather too large an ego. Martin Luther had some unsavory sentiments (antiSemitic if I remember correctly). Charles Spurgeon had some exegetical problems. Wayne Grudem might have some problems explaining the Trinity. Billy Graham was of sterling character and a faithful servant, but his message was a tad shallow. Tim Mackie sidesteps God's wrath. Paige Patterson is now down and out. And I'm leaving out the many wonderful teachers with home-lives in shambles.
In an abundance of counselors there is victory. If we cravenly follow any one person we will also develop his blindspots. We might also fail to fully inherit his strengths. Church history gives us a gift in its polyphony of voices. Even the Bible itself is many-voiced. No one finite person can fully express an infinite God. Following humans makes us disappointed and cynical. Sometimes it's even traumatizing. That's probably why the Proverbs advise an abundance of counselors. Follow only one man or one group and you will find yourself where many followers of Doug Phillips, Mark Driscoll, or Paige Patterson are today.
Here's what I keep in mind whenever I imbibe Mackie: he lives in Portland which is largely unchurched. Most people likely have a vague idea of Christianity from entertainment, art, television, and hearsay: a mix of the morbid and the maudlin, the indulgent and the severe, syncretistic Catholicism and distorted Puritanism. Mackie couches his words carefully to present the Gospel without the familiar connotation-loaded vocabulary and catch phrases. This is equally helpful to the apathetic Bible Belt and to the jaded unchurched. While Mackie ministers in a leftist Northwest context, he also carries a framework strongly informed by the Hebraic mindset and ancient history. And this is the other source of his value. This framework lends so much depth and richness to reading the Bible. It isn't the alpha and omega of Biblical literacy because our infinite God has the power to speak to us now in the history that He is currently writing. (See James B. Jordan for similar resources.)
While we're on the topic of wrath: highly recommended: The Wrath of God Poured Out -- the Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Mohler puts me in mind of Chesterton's hymn: Take not Thy thunder from us but take away our pride. In this I rejoice in Yahweh's anger if it purges me of my pride.
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