It has been quite awhile since I have done a "Share Your Thoughts" post. The purpose of these posts is to share an argument or quote by a thinker and allow you, the reader, to react.
This recent installment features a quote from apologist Melissa Dougherty on Progressive Christianity from her new book Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World.
Her thoughts are as follows:
"...some progressive Christians accuse Bible-believing Christians of trying to confine God within the 'box' of the Bible by searching for truth about him, viewing this as a selfish need to control. Meanwhile, they often adapt their understanding of God to fit modern cultural values, selectively embracing aspects of Jesus, God, and the Bible that align with inclusivity, but denying the parts they don't like. Yet they claim it's biblical Christians - who take the Bible literally - who are creating our own version of God. This seems misleading. True freedom lies in submitting to what God says, not in shaping God to fit our preferences.
Those who see Jesus as all-tolerant, fully-inclusive, only-affirming, and nonjudgmental don't want to acknowledge he said things like, 'Whoever is not with me is against me' (Matt. 12:30 NIV), 'I am the way and the truth and the life' (John 14:6 NIV), 'Repent' (Matt. 4:17 NIV), 'If you love me, obey my commands' (John 14:15), and, 'leave your life of sin' (John 8:11 NIV). Jesus didn't eat with tax collectors because he wanted to appear inclusive, tolerant, and accepting. He ate with them because he loved them and wanted to call them to repentance.
This is the Jesus of Scripture. And this Jesus can save you. But some do not want him. In Christianity, the Bible is supposed to change you. But in some forms of progressive Christianity, you are supposed to change the Bible because it's outdated and can't be understood without a modern lens."1
What do you think of Dougherty's assessment? Sound off in the comments below!
You can pre-order Happy Lies here.
Courage and Godspeed,
Chad
Footnote:
1. Melissa Dougherty, Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World, p. 198-199.
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