Who Speaks for Christ on a National Level?
Jay Bakker (son of former PTL leader Jim and Tammy Faye (Messmer) Baker and Marc Brown have written a commentary on what they believe is wrong with modern day Christianity in America. You can read about it here.
The secular media has discovered their new ministry to their generation and have published their commentary. I am usually skeptical whenever the secular media prints anything that is supposed to represent current thought, Christians and Christianity in general. But I was troubled by the conclusions made by Bakker and Brown. While they may have some semblance of correct understanding of how politics and Christianity have been incorrectly blended by some Christians, their simplistic commentary leaves a lot to be desired.
Obviously their conclusions are a product of immature and undeveloped theological thinking. It is not enough to take a few scripture verses, or even concepts, and superimpose them on tough ethical and theological issues. Marc and Jay both exhibit a touch of the post-modernistic thinking that permeates their generation. Their "can't we all just get along" idealism and "everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can be equally right" position is evidence that they haven't thought through the issues to more logical and mature conclusions.
The whole idea that Christianity may not survive and may be doomed, is ridiculous. Christianity has always been challenged somewhere, at some time, by somebody and it has more than held its own. While Christianity may be stagnant in the West (Europe, America, Canada, Australia) it is growing by leaps and bounds in Asia and Africa. And not the liberal wishy-washy kind you find in the West. It is a vibrant Christianity that is very conservative and true to its first century roots.
Young guys like Marc and Jay haven't earned the right to speak on a national lecturn and shouldn't be given that privilege by a respected news organization. For that matter they shouldn't be taken seriously as spokesmen for Christianity in general. While their youth doesn't disqualify them, their inability to understand complex issues because of underdeveloped theological foundations does.
The secular media has discovered their new ministry to their generation and have published their commentary. I am usually skeptical whenever the secular media prints anything that is supposed to represent current thought, Christians and Christianity in general. But I was troubled by the conclusions made by Bakker and Brown. While they may have some semblance of correct understanding of how politics and Christianity have been incorrectly blended by some Christians, their simplistic commentary leaves a lot to be desired.
Obviously their conclusions are a product of immature and undeveloped theological thinking. It is not enough to take a few scripture verses, or even concepts, and superimpose them on tough ethical and theological issues. Marc and Jay both exhibit a touch of the post-modernistic thinking that permeates their generation. Their "can't we all just get along" idealism and "everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can be equally right" position is evidence that they haven't thought through the issues to more logical and mature conclusions.
The whole idea that Christianity may not survive and may be doomed, is ridiculous. Christianity has always been challenged somewhere, at some time, by somebody and it has more than held its own. While Christianity may be stagnant in the West (Europe, America, Canada, Australia) it is growing by leaps and bounds in Asia and Africa. And not the liberal wishy-washy kind you find in the West. It is a vibrant Christianity that is very conservative and true to its first century roots.
Young guys like Marc and Jay haven't earned the right to speak on a national lecturn and shouldn't be given that privilege by a respected news organization. For that matter they shouldn't be taken seriously as spokesmen for Christianity in general. While their youth doesn't disqualify them, their inability to understand complex issues because of underdeveloped theological foundations does.
posted by jawbone at
1:54 PM
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