HEALTH:
I think it is appropriate, and healthy, to have "polite" debate about doctrinal issues.
PRIORITIES:
However, although the issue of continuationism vs cessationism may have been the most prominent issue 20 years ago, I don't feel it's the most pressing issue right now.
TODAY'S PROBLEM:
We literally have churches "deconstructing" the entire bible based on philosophical relativism - claiming that "object truth" either does not exist, or cannot be known. They are having "metaphysical bible studies", where they sit around, with big glassy eyes, and everyone just guesses at what a passage means "to them." People have done this for a while, but NOW it's with the explicit understanding that this subjective interpretation is the ONLY interpretation that exists... there IS NO OBJECTIVE MEANING TO THE BIBLE AT ALL.
The bible doesn't really mean anything at all... nothing... so let's just guess at what it means to US.
TODAY'S DESOLATION:
In this new and desolate philosophical landscape:
There ARE NO REAL DOCTRINES,
there ARE NO CLEAR MEANINGS,
there ARE NO PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION.
There is just US... just US... and we interpret the bible in whatever blind and bizarre way feels good to US... whatever suits our views, our proclivities, and our predispositions... whatever suits US.
POPULAR:
This is what is POPULAR in the churches.
Because... this is what is POPULAR in the culture.
The culture, as it is ever prone to do, continues to infect the churches, in every generation, with some new and increasingly malignant illness.
CONCLUSION:
1.) It is good and healthy to debate, politely, doctrinal differences.... it's part of how we all learn and grow. It's good.
2.) Right now, for me, the charismatic debate is at the bottom of my list.
3.) Why?
The cessationist says, "our view is true", the coninuationist says, "Our view is true", the progressive says, "There is no truth., except how I happen to feel."
Take care everyone, and I hope you all have a blessed week.
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