tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319172106392132510.post3940516855338494134..comments2023-09-24T08:05:04.868-04:00Comments on The Pilgrim Underground: Walls, Pulpits and Impoverished HermeneuticsProtoprotestanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18217567607160768261noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319172106392132510.post-49878831162608423362016-05-30T06:56:50.390-04:002016-05-30T06:56:50.390-04:00Pragmatism runs deep in the American psyche.
I th...Pragmatism runs deep in the American psyche.<br /><br />I think you're exactly right about the Holy Spirit. I strongly believe that if you teach the text MOST of the application flows from that. The Spirit convicts. I'm not at all opposed to using application to help people understand how to implement the doctrine and yet this Moralism that dominates Evangelical and Fundamentalist pulpits is putting the cart before the horse. It's bound to degenerate into Pharisaism, and a distortion of the gospel, a quest for works righteousness etc...<br /><br />Many people tend to view doctrine as esoteric, divisive and a waste of time. James of course is the 'pragmatic' epistle in the NT and yet even it alternates between doctrine and application. And yet it's clear in the rest of the epistles it's always a case of doctrine followed by application, but the doctrine is first, the application flows from it. In the case of Romans it's rather lopsided, 11 chapters of doctrine followed by (basically) 4 chapters of application and a conclusion. Ephesians splits it, 3 and 3. I'd be happy with the Ephesian balance.<br /><br />And ultimately yes, there's a spirit of anxiety and fear... ironically rooted in.... False Doctrine. Generally speaking there's a wrong view of America, the West, money, power and much more.<br /><br />Sitting in these churches and interacting with these folks, in many cases I do indeed wonder if they are worshipping the same God. I don't doubt there are Christians present but overall the Evangelical pulpit is something of a cancer.Protoprotestanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18217567607160768261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2319172106392132510.post-66767775819557516002016-05-29T09:47:47.599-04:002016-05-29T09:47:47.599-04:00Sometimes I wonder if this is a part of the declin...Sometimes I wonder if this is a part of the decline of Christianity in America, coupled by the mass influence of American pragmatism. Numbers are in decline, so let's tell people what things that are "practical". It all depends on where you live. If it's more socially conservative then family, guns, republican politics, etc etc., and if socially liberal then social justice, gay-rights, etc etc. and all of this laced with Christianized buzz-words that are still meaningful.<br /><br />What happened to the Holy Spirit? Instead, all it seems to be is the Zeitgeist. Maybe it's not as much they don't properly handle Scripture, but they lack the reverence for the One who enlightens and provides wisdom to be able to read with discernment, awe, and prayer.<br /><br />calCal of Chelcicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04274276191242967318noreply@blogger.com