I see this a lot in my generation, the Millienials. Not wanting to offend, and wanting to be accepting of all. Backing away from the Truth that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
I went to a community group for a local church that catered to young adults for a few years. It wasn’t my own church but I had friends that went to the group. Diverse range of people, views, and various stages of their own walk with God. But this mentality would come through in what some were saying in the discussions we would have. Some people were not comfortable with the idea that there could be only one way.
My aunt introduced me to a program that Focus on the Family created called “The Truth Project”. Amazing series that teaches a biblical worldview that confronts the idea of relativistic truth.
Hugh, that would make for an interesting interview with Dr. Del Tackett of The Truth Project.
Lynn Maudlinsays
Steven, I see it among baby boomers, too; probably we infected you with it (*sorry*). It’s also indicative of people who want desperately to be liked, to just “get along.” Onward Christian Soldiers? eeuw, violent & distasteful & divisive. A number of issues are lining themselves up to be critical faith issues and first among them is, “What must I do to be saved?” As long as American *Christians* think that somehow being a good person gets you into heaven, yikes!
The synoptic gospels all report the exchange between Jesus and the young man (sometimes described as the rich young ruler) who asked, “Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus replied, “Why do you call Me good? None is good but God–” as if to say, *think about it* – do you recognize Who I Am?
But the end result is this: none is good, no human, no man, no woman, no child – we are all sinners and need that substitutionary atoning death of Jesus in our place. But oooh, if you say that, yikes, someone might be offended or *not like you anymore*… can’t have that.
The Truth Project sounds very interesting, Steven–
What I was taught, long long ago in college philosophy was that Pragmatism was a uniquely American contribution to the schools of philosophical thought. So no surprise that “your truth is true for you if it works” is becoming the de facto majority religion. So maybe we aren’t doing anything as exotic as becoming a nation of Hindus as much as we are down home American Pragmatists.
Really, there’s no point worrying about losing the culture. In that respect it’s midnight on the Titanic for Christianity in America (recall the Titanic hit the iceberg at 11:44 p.m. and was on it’s way to the bottom at midnight, although nobody really appreciated it at that hour).
So the question for the Church is how do we navigate the frigid water?
Will we be like Jack Harper (last hero of the Titanic, on the way from Scotland to Chicago to preach a series of meetings at Moody Church) who instructed the band to play “Nearer My God To Thee” and was heard in the water shouting to others he came across “Friend, are you saved?”
Remains to be seen I suppose.
John Boyersays
“What I was taught, long long ago in college philosophy was that Pragmatism was a uniquely American contribution to the schools of philosophical thought.”
It’s no surprise that Tocqueville said America was a nation of mediocre intellectual means.
I see this a lot in my generation, the Millienials. Not wanting to offend, and wanting to be accepting of all. Backing away from the Truth that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
I went to a community group for a local church that catered to young adults for a few years. It wasn’t my own church but I had friends that went to the group. Diverse range of people, views, and various stages of their own walk with God. But this mentality would come through in what some were saying in the discussions we would have. Some people were not comfortable with the idea that there could be only one way.
My aunt introduced me to a program that Focus on the Family created called “The Truth Project”. Amazing series that teaches a biblical worldview that confronts the idea of relativistic truth.
Hugh, that would make for an interesting interview with Dr. Del Tackett of The Truth Project.
Steven, I see it among baby boomers, too; probably we infected you with it (*sorry*). It’s also indicative of people who want desperately to be liked, to just “get along.” Onward Christian Soldiers? eeuw, violent & distasteful & divisive. A number of issues are lining themselves up to be critical faith issues and first among them is, “What must I do to be saved?” As long as American *Christians* think that somehow being a good person gets you into heaven, yikes!
The synoptic gospels all report the exchange between Jesus and the young man (sometimes described as the rich young ruler) who asked, “Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus replied, “Why do you call Me good? None is good but God–” as if to say, *think about it* – do you recognize Who I Am?
But the end result is this: none is good, no human, no man, no woman, no child – we are all sinners and need that substitutionary atoning death of Jesus in our place. But oooh, if you say that, yikes, someone might be offended or *not like you anymore*… can’t have that.
The Truth Project sounds very interesting, Steven–
What I was taught, long long ago in college philosophy was that Pragmatism was a uniquely American contribution to the schools of philosophical thought. So no surprise that “your truth is true for you if it works” is becoming the de facto majority religion. So maybe we aren’t doing anything as exotic as becoming a nation of Hindus as much as we are down home American Pragmatists.
Really, there’s no point worrying about losing the culture. In that respect it’s midnight on the Titanic for Christianity in America (recall the Titanic hit the iceberg at 11:44 p.m. and was on it’s way to the bottom at midnight, although nobody really appreciated it at that hour).
So the question for the Church is how do we navigate the frigid water?
Will we be like Jack Harper (last hero of the Titanic, on the way from Scotland to Chicago to preach a series of meetings at Moody Church) who instructed the band to play “Nearer My God To Thee” and was heard in the water shouting to others he came across “Friend, are you saved?”
Remains to be seen I suppose.
“What I was taught, long long ago in college philosophy was that Pragmatism was a uniquely American contribution to the schools of philosophical thought.”
It’s no surprise that Tocqueville said America was a nation of mediocre intellectual means.