Poll results, and more

Our poll results are in. In a narrow margin the readers of this blog chose the emerging church to be the most dangerous movement to threaten the true church. Votes were spread out all over the place, and even an advertisement for a Catholic dating service received a vote. If you voted thank you. I think that I will let the results of our poll stand for themselves. I would rather devote a few moments to an article in the August 8th edition of Christianity Today.

The article is entitled It's All About Jesus:A convert to Orthodoxy reconsiders evangelicalism. Quite frankly I am not sure what to make of it! What I do know is that Sam Torode, the author of this article, denies these four statements:

1. Salvation by faith alone, not works.
2. The Bible is the standard for Christian doctrine and practice.
3. Everyone needs a personal realationship with Christ.
4. "The Church" means all Christians everywhere, and there is no "true" or "perfect" church this side of heaven.

In Torode's mind the protestant, or evangelical, church is too postmodern. There is no objective truth in picking up your Bible, reading it, and interpreting it. This is too subjective for Sam, thus enters his Priest and the Greek Orthodox tradition. In Sam's mind this takes the subjectivity out of the equation. What is interesting is that in this same article Torode says:

"Beyond the core doctrines" (not including justification of course), "there is not definitive teaching on many issues of the Christian life" (as if God would give us like a book or something with His truth in it). "When it comes to a disputed issue you can find an Orthodox saint, monk, theologian, or priest to back up almost any arguement. How do you know what is right?"

Let me try to throw my two cents in about Sam Torode and the "don't make me think about what I am saying" theology he pushes. Torode does not understand the glorious Gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. He has not been so affected by God's grace that he can appreciate the Word of God as his authority. If Torode had been touched by God's grace he would not be so willing to trade the substance of salvation for shadows like liturgy, sacramental rites, lent, etc.

Be very careful what you read in Christianity Astray.

Blessings,

Paul