An old school doctrine fight recently broke out between Dr. Eric Seiburt, Professor of Old Testament at Messiah College, and Dr. Owen Strachan, Christian Theology and Church History at Boyce College and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The fight has led to Strachan making serious claims about Seiburt’s adherence to Messiah’s statement of faith, and all but calls for the school to sanction the professor. In this edition of Ministry Briefing, we ask two questions:
1. Is it OK to honestly question orthodoxy?
2. Is this the best way to have these conversations?
We’d love to hear YOUR thoughts, leave us a comment below.
CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO (Length: 7 min 28 sec)
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Excellent Question Todd;
From my perspective, having been a Pastor, people are going to discuss it whether you saying anything about it or not.
Even more importantly people will live their theology whether you like it or not.
We as believers have great presidence in discussing it, changing it etc. Our bold example was Jesus. He continually brought up “their” theology in front of them, and others and often times changed it, nulified it, confirmed it etc. So our Leader has given us freedom and the power to question all of it.
If the very foundations of our faith can’t stand the test of my questions, then I’d say we’d better change them. However, if those questions solidify, and galvanize our faith and beliefs then the questions and discussion was worthwhile.
My basic premise has always been, my beliefs are based on someone elses telling me “so”. Sunday School, preachers, teachers, counselors have all given their “perspectives” on belief and practice.
Going back to scripture and hammering out these truths isn’t as easy as it sounds. Greek Lexicon, biblical commentary, Hewbrew text in hand, dependence on God’s spirit and mind, will help us. But most of us have been handed a “grid” or “filter” by which we view the Bible/Scriptures.
Unfortunately alot of that filter or grid has been tainted and handed down to us with misinformation, prejudice, poor scholarship, laziness on our part to seek truth.
Theology has been defined, simply, the notion of man attempting to describe, define, and understand Almighty God.
If that being true, then every theological position is heresy. Because heresy is defined as error in defining or describing accurately and comprehensively God.
So every position and perspective has potential for error and inaccuracy.
We can argue all day positions of Theology and Doctrine. I would rather spend my time living in the grace and love of God, shown to us through Jesus.
Not to damper any discussion or position, but we “must” talk about it, grapple with and change when necessary.
Blessings in our pursuit of the Infinite Love of God
James