An EXCELLENT piece that sheds more light on this issue and why the religious left, as ‘permissive’ as it seems, in reality is preaching LAW not the gospel. A law they themselves do not fulfill either!
Good Advice vs. Good News
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/The_White_Horse_Inn/archives.asp?bcd=2008-2-10
Folks who focus on man rather than God will be led astray to think as Warren does. Yes, we are to reach out with food, etc. AND the Gospel, but always keep our main focus on Christ else we be led off the narrow way.
My church has shed Purpose Driven madness for a local version of the same illness of looking to change the world - we’re “people driven!” And I am going to meet with the elders next month to explain this to them and request a meeting before the church if need be.
Jesus spoke against Adultery and sexual immorality. And I kind of doubt they were doing millions of abortions back in 30 AD.
When we start defining “evangelical” or “fundamentalist” or “born-again” or “christian” to meaning social intitatives or social positions instead of meaning “Bible Believing/Gospel Preaching/Conservative Theological Belief” then those definitions become meaningless. Instead a person should define their faith in terms of the Bible-and “Real (see Literal) belief” in Christ and His Words, and then let their political positions be guided by their faith (and their beliefs).
It;s always bugged me that if one is christian and conservative, one is labeld “evangelical.” As if no one ever actually looked up the meaning of the word.
Good article. I'm seeing this as I trudge slowly through Bell's Velvet Elvis as well. To this point (and I'm just starting chapter -- or "movement" or "whim" or whatever he calls the divisions -- three), every mention or implied reference to the Gospel has been an experiential one: "living the way Jesus taught" kind of stuff. And that, at least to me, echoes a more social call. There certainly hasn't been much about sin and the need of a Savior.
I think that Huckabee supporters were the ones responsible for defining evangelicalism as being concerned only with abortion and homosexuality. They proved that they didn’t care about any other issues.
Of course, they are treating conservative evangelicals just like conservative evangelicals treat the LDS Church. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!
“The Religious Left invalidates the conservative evangelical commitment to humanitarian relief because we are achieving our ends in the name of Jesus Christ through the gospel, without the assistance of government funding.”
What an outraegous lie! If the past 7 years have demonstrated anything, its that evangelicals love spending govt dollars and dispensing them in Jesus’ name just as much as liberals. Sickening.