Smorgasboard Theology

It seems like every time Barna comes out with poll results, its just more bad news for the Church.  This poll, which shows that an alarming number of professed believers think of theology as a buffet table, is no different.

The results of this poll have been around the block for a few weeks, but I can’t resist commenting.

credit: peachcateringma.com

This poll is another sign among many that shows that the tail is wagging the dog; the American values of individualism and rejection of authority have crashed the gates of the church.

It’s been a long time coming.  Ideas that had their genesis hundreds of years ago have started to take their toll the last 50 years or so.  It just goes to show that today’s ivory tower ideas will become tomorrow’s battle cries.  Tomorrow’s battle cries will become next week’s assertions.  Next week’s assertions will become next year’s taken-for-granted habits.

Individualism and rejection of authority is the air we breathe in the West.  Even postmodernists, who perhaps claim to reject individualism and such the most staunchly, fall victim to their own little hip version of individualism: “post-whatever-ism.”

Who are we kidding?  Who in the world conned us into thinking that truth is a “pick and choose” thing?  We take it for granted, but is there any substance to it?  I’d like to hear just one person rationally justify that thought.  I’ll tell you one thing:  Jesus didn’t think like that…at all.  You take all of Him, or none of Him, not just what you can stomach.

I’m going with Jesus on this one.  He has a much, much better perspective on spiritual matters than I or anyone else I’ve come across.

The article comments,

“Christians expressed a variety of unorthodox beliefs in the poll. Nearly half of those interviewed do not believe in the existence of Satan, one-third believe Jesus sinned while on earth, and two-fifths say they don’t have a responsibility to share their faith with others.

The most striking divergence from orthodoxy, however, was first revealed in the 2007 US Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. That comprehensive survey of 35,000 Americans found a majority of Christians saying that people of other religions can find salvation and eternal life.”

How did things get this way in the Church?  The answer to that question is multifaceted, and I can’t answer in this post…start here.

What can we do to change it?   I’m definitely no guru, but here are a few thoughts:

1)  Church leaders must boldly proclaim the whole truth, even the parts that people don’t want to put up with.  The stakes are too high to be catering to itching ears, yet that is what many a church leader unwittingly does.  We are more concerned these days with our image than our allegiance to the faith once for all delivered to the saints.  Avoiding the tough stuff, even if done in the best of intentions or unwittingly, will make us a tool to those who want to destroy Christianity (see David Strauss link above).

2)  We must take theology and apologetics seriously, and we must put them on the front burner.  We don’t have a choice about being theologians.  We do have a choice about being good or bad ones.  Furthermore, we must integrate them with service outreach that is already being done.

3)  Enough with the wrong headed slogans that subtly disparage theology.  If I hear “Yeah, theology is great and all, but Christianity is about a relationship.  Jesus doesn’t care if you can recite the Nicene Creed” one more time, I will up-chuck.  Do you really think our problem is that we know the Nicene Creed too well?  How many people at my church can even quote one line?

4)  Churches need to run, sponsor, and plug classes on how to share the salvation message.  We sheep are so fearful these days, and much of this comes from not knowing how to share the message.  Many don’t even know what the message is.  We need all disciples, not just the especially gifted, to be able to share the salvation message with clarity.  General references to Christ bringing the Kingdom of God (though I think Kingdom theology is legit) is not a clear presentation of the salvation message.  We must understand that sharing the message is often the most loving thing a follower of Christ can do, and it is something for all, not just those with a passion.

5)  All of this goes especially for our youth. (see also here) If we want them to stay faithful at all, we will heed this warning.  I mean, c’mon, if Christianity is just a pick and choose thing, I’m going fishin’.  The youth will see it this way too if we keep neglecting the mind.

6)  For now, I think we have enough authors writing books and treatises.  From J.P Moreland to William Lane Craig to Ravi Zacharias, that base is covered.  What we need is proliferation in the market square.  Therefore, we need to focus our efforts in getting that great already-existing material into the hands of the “everyday Joe.”

7)  All this will do no good if Christians do not have discipline, yet that is something in short supply these days.  A life of study is no cotton-candy thing; it takes considerable perseverance and will.  Therefore, training in the spiritual disciplines is imperative.  Put down the IPOD, put down the video game console, and be still.

8)  Along the same lines, we need better thinking on how the church should relate to technology.  Noise is Satan’s hobgoblin, and it often zaps our strength to engage in study.

Those are some of my thoughts.  What do you think?  I know one thing for sure; we cannot go on doing the same ol thing being blown about by the winds of popularity.

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