I’ve been thinking about controversy among Christians a lot lately.
A writer I follow on Facebook is accused of promoting a “dangerous” liberal theology. Ironically, his theology isn’t liberal at all, just rooted in a historical Christian tradition the accuser wasn’t familiar with. Which must make it “liberal,” right?
A Reformed book reviewer labels
Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, “dangerous.”
A friend confides that they keep their Reformed views quiet, for fear of being labeled “dangerous” by the Arminian majority where they live.
I interrogate the poor Christian school administrator visiting our church about what type of science they teach at their school. He launches into a good-natured speech that has obviously been carefully crafted for maximum diplomacy. I find myself wondering if Bob Jones curriculum is “dangerous.”
So I really appreciated Ed Cyzewski’s recent post on The Dangers of Labeling Other Christians Dangerous. Still, I couldn’t help but notice the internal dialogue going through my head while I was reading it. “But some views ARE dangerous! What about heresy? What about wolves in sheep’s clothing? To say some views aren’t dangerous is DANGEROUS!”
That’s when it occured to me. We need to learn the difference between what’s heresy, and what’s just a different hermeneutic.
We know that we all read scripture through human lenses, tinged by our culture, education, life experiences, and limited human capacity, right? It’s possible (and inevitable) for us to come away with interpretations and understandings that differ from the interpretations and understandings of some other Christians. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
So how do we know whether a person is promoting heresy, or just a hermeneutic that we are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with?
I believe there are a couple steps we can take.
First, we need to get really clear on what Christianity is. What are the “non-negotiables” of Christian theology, according to most Christian traditions?
Second, it would be helpful to understand Christian traditions and beliefs that are different than our own. This will keep us from freaking out (and coming across as ignorant or rude) when we’re confronted with views that are different from ours, but very much within the realms of Christian orthodoxy.
And third, even if we really don’t understand where a person is coming from, we can learn to be gracious, and consider their views with all the objectivity we can muster. Maybe WE think a certain doctrine or bit of dogma is ridiculous, but can we see how a person might get that view from their reading of the Bible? And more importantly, does it contradict the non-negotiables of Christian theology?
I’ll be talking about these things over the next few days on my blog. But first, I’d love to hear from you.
Have you been labeled, dismissed, or misrepresented for asking certain questions, believing certain things, attending a certain church? Have you done that to others?
What has doctrinal division cost you personally, and the church at large?
And finally, how can we get better at promoting unity within the body of Christ?
19 Responses to Heresy, Hermeneutics, and Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing: Part 1