finitum non capax infiniti

Readers of this blog know that many of my posts are either in response to some views within evangelicalism or critiques of issues, beliefs, doctrines, books, articles, etc. that are written by evangelicals. I realize that this might come off the wrong way, especially since these critiques and reviews can be, at times, somewhat harsh.

I thought it would be profitable to lay out some reasons for why I critique books, articles, blogs, etc. the way that I do. I thought this would be timely since this Wednesday I will be posting a critique of Rob Bell’s newest Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile. The critique is going to be sharp and to the point. Because such is the case, and because it would be repetitively redundant (get it?) to post my reasons for critiquing on every post where I critique something, I think laying out my reasons in this post and then linking back to them would be beneficial.

I’d like to start with four things that I do not do when I critique.

First, I do not attempt to be contrary for contrary’s sake. There is little more I enjoy than reading a book or talking to someone and finding out that we are both in agreement on a certain theological issue. I do attempt to find things that I agree with in every book that I read or with every person that I talk to (people like McLaren and Bell are no different in this respect).

Second, I do not think that I have everything figured out. I know more than anyone just how much I need to learn. When I critique someone it is not because I think I know more than them or that I am the bar by which all theology or biblical studies is measured. I am simply presenting other views or conclusions that I find to be more biblically persuasive. If people end up agreeing with the person/book/belief/doctrine that I am critiquing instead of the view that I am promoting, that is fine; but at least they have had the chance to see other views that exist and work out their own beliefs in that context.

Third, I do not think that the people I am critiquing do not reach people. When I critique Bell, McLaren, Osteen, etc. I am not saying that everything they believe, write, say, etc. is incorrect and that they can never help anyone become a fully developed follower of Christ. I’m sure that these men will reach more people than I ever will and that many, in spite of the errors I believe are present, have become more passionate and more devoted in their calling as disciples of Christ.

Fourth, I do not think the people I critique are bad people. I am not critiquing the person; I am critiquing the person’s work, whether that be in the form of a sermon, book, article, blog post, etc. I am quite sure, for instance, that McLaren and I would have an excellent conversation over a soy chai latte at some vegan, green coffeeshop and both leave thinking kindly of the other. The point of my critiques is not to say that the person I am critiquing is an awful person or that they are not a Christian. My critiques are completely aimed at their work. As these people present their work to the public via public media, I find that critiquing them in public venues is appropriate so that people who have read/listened to their work can find responses easily.

Now I’d like to turn to the two reasons that I critique.

First, I care deeply about Scripture. There is nothing existing in the physical realm that I love more. I fully believe that in Scripture God reveals himself and that, as God’s creatures, we must hold ourselves under the authority of Scripture. When people say things about Scripture or the God revealed in Scripture that are incorrect they must be corrected. That is not to say that I have mastered Scripture because such a thing is impossible. But it is to say that there are some points where the people I critique are, I believe, misinterpreting or misapplying Scripture. I do not present my views as the ‘end all’ of discussion, but as part of the conversation. People who read the people I critique can see both of our arguments and decide for themselves what they believe is the most faithful interpretation of God’s word. This is not to say that one can ever completely comprehend the content of Scripture; a creature can never ascend to the comprehensive wisdom of the Creator. While it is oft said, and true, that “the secret things belong to the Lord” (Deut 29.29a), it is equally true, though not as oft quoted, that “the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut 29.29b). Those things that are revealed must be carefully studied, poured over, lived over, prayed over, and then faithfully taught and preached. That is my desire when critiquing another’s interpretation of Scripture.

Second, I care deeply about the Church catholic. The result of reading Scripture and seeing within its pages just how much God cares for his people and demands that his children imitate his passionate love for his people must be a deeply held, passionate, unselfish love for the people of God. Because this is what I strive to do (although I am quick to admit that I fail often), when I perceive errors that are being taught to the Church, I must speak up. The reason is two-fold:

1) I am called to teach. God has graced me with a calling that has lead me to Seminary in general and the world of Biblical studies in particular. I spend my days reading both Scripture and books about Scripture. Many people who read/listen to the people I critique do not have this opportunity. Because of this, there are some theological issues or interpretive issues that I, or others who devote their lives to studying Scripture, see and are aware of that people who do not spend their lives on such things will not notice. These things can be very large theological issues or they can be small interpretive issues. Either way, those called to spend their lives studying and teaching Scripture must be able to be discerning when they read/listen to people’s work and interact with them in such a way that benefits others who are reading/listening to these works and do not have the educational background to discern between harmful and helpful points made by the authors/teachers/speakers. (In saying this, I want to make perfectly clear that the Spirit can and does guide believers to truth and that I am not ascribing to some hierarchical understanding of knowledge where the layman must bow down to the trained theologian or biblical scholar. At the same time, I’m not going to pretend to know more about antibodies than my general practitioner or more about chaos theory that the head of the department at MIT. They have spent their lives studying such things. While I may know something about these topics, I cannot pretend to know what these people would know. I have nothing but respect and admiration for people who dedicate their lives to such things and, in no way, belittle them for not understanding the significance of the Song of Ullikummi in understanding Israel’s view of creation.)

2) People’s beliefs affect the way they live their lives. If my desire is to see brothers and sisters in Christ living as true humans according to God’s word, then errors made by others in theology or biblical interpretation must be dealt with. Sometimes these issues might seem nit-picky and, in all honesty, sometimes they are and will not affect how someone lives their life…but it might affect how one reads the Bible, which is very important as God reveals himself and his will for us in Scripture. For instance, at one point in Bell’s new book he wonders how an “Israelite” in Egypt before the Exodus would feel since he is called an “Israelite” yet doesn’t live in “Israel.” This is a futile question because, at that point in history, the nation of “Israel” was not even in existence, so the “Israelite” would never wonder such a thing. While this understanding might not cause you to go out and help the poor or start a revolution, it does affect the way you read your Bible and the questions you ask when going through the process of interpretation. I care deeply about how people interpret Scripture and how that interpretation affects how they live life. My motivation in pointing out theological errors or errors in interpretation is so that my brothers and sisters will live a truly human life by living according to God’s word.

So, in summary, my critiques always seek to be motivated by a deep love and passion for both Scripture and the people of God. While they may come across as harsh or ungraceful at times, I do not mean them to be contrary for contrary’s sake or to show that I have everything figured out or to belittle the ministry of the person I am critiquing or to mean that the person I am critiquing is not a true Christian. I hope that these points are clearly articulated because I mean them from the bottom of my heart.