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RenewingMinds
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From Concession to Accommodation
Dan R. Smedra
Background - At the turn of the 20th century, the seeds of apostasy sown in the mainline Protestant and evangelical churches during the prior century came to full bloom. Starting from humanistic premises, the universities and divinity schools of America launched a full frontal attack on the veracity of the Word of God. With the veracity of Scripture effectively undermined, Protestantism plunged into theological Modernism. Volumes have been written regarding this progressive decent into secularism.
Upon one basis or another, religious Modernists do not believe that God is capable or powerful enough to effectively and successfully communicate with man, thus non-scientific knowledge is impossible, i.e., religious truth cannot not exist. For all practical purposes, God is silent and impotent...for all practical purposes, God is dead.
By 1910, most Protestant denominations were deeply divided--liberal (Modernism) vs. conservative (Fundamentalism)--and in the midst of intense political power struggles. With few exceptions, the Modernist element prevailed and Fundamentalism was effectively marginalized. The conservatives sought to hold fast in hopes of regaining their prior position. But in time, they were forced to withdraw from their respective denominations (separate themselves) due to the rising tide of doctrinal heresy, feelings of defeat, and the Scriptural mandate to "come out."
During the '40s, a concessionary 'peace' movement emerged among those who had grown weary of the battle. Miles J. Stanford explains:
NEO-EVANGELICALISM SPAWNED -- During the 1940s there was a vast evacuation of believers from the ranks of the already separated Fundamentalist movement. There was a joining of minds and mood with Christians who had remained within the Liberal denominations, a "union" which finally resulted in the formation and growth of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
Thus we have the emergence of the ecclesiastical hybrid, self-identified as Neo-evangelicalism. Initially Fundamental in its beliefs, but ecumenical in its bent--the anomaly of the separated inclusivists. Its strategy is to penetrate the Liberal denominations in the hope of regaining control for orthodoxy. It seeks to infiltrate with love, without making an issue of doctrinal error or attacking personalities who hold those errors. It has love for the Liberal; but it has very little love for the separated Fundamentalist brother in Christ.
FUNDAMENTAL "FAILURE" -- We should look for a moment at some of the basic characteristics of Neo-evangelicalism. The movement asserts that it separated from Fundamentalism because the latter is separatist, and therefore divisive. It also accuses Fundamentalism of being "obscurantist," "hypocritical," "anti-intellectual," "unloving,' "anti-science," etc.
The Neo-evangelical admits to being Fundamental in doctrine, but not fundamentalist in name. Call him anything but that! "There are thousands of Neo-evangelicals who would bristle at being termed Liberal. But they would bristle even more at being tagged Fundamentalists." "Do not call me a Fundamentalist. While I really do believe the great Fundamental truths of the Bible; still, I do not wish to be known as a Fundamentalist because the 'intellectuals' hate the term. I wish to be accredited."
LIBERAL LOATHING -- The Neo-evangelical also accuses the Fundamentalist of failure to win the Liberal and reclaim the denominations because of his "ill-reasoned" and "poorly-presented" Gospel. Conversely, Neo-evangelicalism would win the campaign by means of infiltration, intellectual approach, accommodation, and love.
It is true that naught can be accomplished apart from the Savior's love. But what Neo-evangelicalism fails to comprehend is that Liberalism does not reject the claims of Christianity because it is ill-reasoned or poorly presented, but because it is Christianity! Neither does it accept Christianity when it is intellectually reasoned and skillfully presented.
THE CROSSLESS CHRISTIAN -- Even if all of his accusations were true of the Fundamentalist--and some of them are--the truth is that the Neo-evangelical cannot bear to be looked down upon. He will avoid stigma [and conflict] at any cost, and he will seek recognition [and unity] at any price. His thinking is that if he can gain the respect and approbation of the religious and secular worlds, he will thereby gain a hearing.
However, fear of the stigma of being known as a Fundamentalist, plus fearlessness of acceptance by the Liberal, add up to Neo-evangelicalism's avoidance of the Cross concerning intellect and reputation, if nothing more. What we should all realize is that "the world's frown is comparatively powerless; it is its favor that we have most to fear." Dr. Vance Havner once observed, "The devil goes about as a roaring lion, but he does far more harm as an angel of light."
Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse and Neo-Evangelicalism
Post-modern Christianity - In the wake of Neo-evangelicalism entrenchment has come "post-modern Christianity". Liberalism did not yield ground as the neo-evangelical had hoped, neither did it rise above its crisis of knowledge. The secularization of Christendom has continued and the age of the "new tolerance" has dawned. Postmodernism is anything but tolerant. Since men and women cannot appeal to truth in settling their differences, only power, manipulation, and deception remain. Pragmatism rules both the day and night.
Postmodernism asserts that there is no absolute truth (metanarratives), rather each individual and each "community of faith" defines (creates) their own truth. The Bible is not a source of propositional statements (dogma); rather it is a collect of certain individual 'spiritual' experiences that emphasis unconditional love, peace, and the brotherhood of all people groups. Thus, today we have the "Emergent" church movement.
Since for the postmodernist there is no truth except relativism, no one can lay claim to being 'right', or viewing other as 'wrong'; no one can judge. Postmodernism espouses "tolerance", except toward those who reject the tenets of postmodernism. Post-modern Christianity seeks to be "relevant" to all human needs no matter how that might be defined. Being focused upon mankind, and not God-centered, it extols the humanistic virtues of: peace and harmony AT ANY PRICE.
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