In contrast to the claims made in the article, one could wish
that anything associated with Billy Graham and his legacy actually involved a
clear gospel presentation. Instead, what the audience received was undoubtedly the
Finneyite Altar Call message – the cheap grace gospel of the Evangelical
movement and it's affirmation of worldliness in the form of watered down faith,
tepid repentance, and its Dominionist imperative.
Franklin Graham, a corrupt, multi-millionaire political
operative keeps his hand in the game through outlets like Samaritan's Purse
which functions as a kind of Evangelical Red Cross. Admirable in some respects
(but so is the Salvation Army), there are reasons to be dubious about the
organisation and what it does – and certainly the way it operates vis-à-vis
governments and the like. It's hard not to be cynical when one factors in
Graham and his open support for the likes of Donald Trump. Any questions as to
what kind of person he is were resolved in 2016.
The timing of this interesting as well – in the light of
Italy's new Right-wing coalition government which just came to power. Georgia Meloni
and Matteo Salvini already have well established bona fides with American
Evangelicalism. In a previous government, Salvini worked with Evangelicals
coordinating Christian-tinged Right-wing events in Northern Italy – his old
stomping ground and home of his Lega Party. Fontana, the president of Lombardy
mentioned in the piece is also a member of Lega. The growing ties between the
Evangelical and Trumpian Right in the United States and some of the Right-wing
and even neo-fascist elements in Europe is disconcerting though hardly
surprising when one understands the trajectory of these movements. Their
coalescence seemed all but inevitable.
The article saddened me as I see the New Testament gospel
message polluted by Finneyite tactics and Evangelical-style pop worship – all
hallmarks of Lausanne, the European/International movement that Billy Graham
was instrumental in forming back in the 1970's.
Hitherto, the Protestant witness on the European continent
largely existed in the form of the Plymouth Brethren which still have many congregations
in Italy. And yet in terms of sheer numbers and influence, they have been
eclipsed by Graham's Lausanne-style Evangelicalism – a broad but very shallow
pool.
I was also saddened to think of these events going on in
Verona – which has become something of an epicenter for Christian Right
activity in Italy and apparently a focal point for Right-wing politics. Back in
the mid-1990's Verona was only a couple of hours away from where I lived and I
made several trips there and on different occasions spent many hours wandering
its streets and pondering its history. I have many fond memories of the place. It
grieves me to think of cheap Wal-Mart-style Christianity waxing bold in its
environs. These people cross sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is
made, they make him twofold more the child of hell.
The Finney-inspired 'altar call' so popularized by the
Grahams is not New Testament evangelism. It frustrated and deceived me for many
years and for a time led me turn away from Christianity in exasperation. It
provides a false assurance which can also translate into a kind of futility as
was the case with me. They justify it by saying that of the six hundred
'saved', if even a few were legitimate, then it was worth it. Was it? At what
cost? Those who were fooled and confused become hardened and are that much
harder to reach. And yet what of those 'saved'? How many actually persevere?
How many even grasp what they've done? For many it was an emotional reaction, a
response to a carefully crafted and manipulative marketing ploy. That's
Graham's gospel. Ever their own research reveals that an overwhelming majority
of altar call respondents have abandoned any pretense of Christianity within
six months to a year.
A few weeks ago a local and like-minded Baptist congregation
went door to door in the community and they claim two people were saved. Were
they? They have yet to show up at the Baptist church. Were these people saved
or instead fed a false hope by means of a false gospel that presents an empty
faith that is in no way rooted to repentance – which is viewed as optional.
Dependence, mortification, and the call to sanctification only muddy the waters
by the estimation of these peddlers. They think they magnify God's grace but
instead they cheapen the gospel message itself.
But Graham's real goals are political. He has made this clear
enough and Christians need to be vigilant with regard to America's Christian
Right and its growing relationship with Europe's resurgent fascism. We know
what Graham is and we know what Meloni and Salvini are. But apparently others
do not know. That's a message that needs to get out – accompanied by the gospel
of the New Testament, one that must be contrasted with the cheap grace offered
by Evangelicalism.
A false gospel and a dangerous and ethically subversive
political platform are a bad brew to say the least. But it tickles ears from
all angles and so the bulk of the people will plug their ears to truth and yet
run with open arms to these false teachers and evil agents. For the
unregenerate, the gospel of the sword and coin is far more attractive than one
that calls the followers of Christ to take up the cross.
See also:
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2021/02/lausanne-and-sundering-of-italian.html
https://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2019/08/lausannes-unequivocal-dominionism.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2017/01/franklin-graham-and-trumps-list-of.html
https://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2017/02/american-dominionism-and-europes.html
https://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-lausanne-harvest-1974-2019.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-lausanne-legacy-danish-evangelicals.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2019/08/american-style-evangelicalism-in-france.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2017/02/dominionism-infecting-romanian.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2019/12/lausanne-and-evangelical-undermining-of.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2017/12/dominionism-on-march-in-spain.html
https://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2019/11/more-disease-ridden-cures-attacking.html
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