Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Doctrinal Indifference

In his article "Christianity, Liberalism and the New Evangelicalism" WTS Church History Professor Carl Trueman reflects upon J. Gresham Machen's words of wisdom and warns us that "doctrinal indifference is the handmaiden of theological liberalism." Trueman writes, "The lessons from Machen’s discussion of the importance of doctrine for the contemporary evangelical situation are quite clear: doctrinal indifferentism -- that attitude which regards the individual’s or church’s experience of Christ as essentially separable from, more important than, or even opposed to, a clear understanding of his person and work -- is a sure sign both of an incipient theological liberalism and something which has little or nothing to do with the tradition of historic, orthodox Christianity." How many times have I heard from well-intentioned folk "none of this stuff matters so long as the gospel is preached . . . right?" Therein lies the problem, a deficiency of the value of coherence as applied to doctrine (or systematic theology - not only do they not get it but they don't think it matters . . . so much for "the whole counsel of God's word").

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