2008-08-22

When Believers Don't Believe

I'm increasingly troubled by the unbelief encountered every day in the church.

Yeah... there's the lib'rals that don't believe the stuff that the Church has always believed (on the authority of the Scriptures). That's dangerous.

But equally dangerous are those who do believe all those things, and for whom it does not make a difference. I-Monk's recent jab gets at the heart of this problem.

One of the good things about having a systematic exposition of the Scriptures (at least a lectionary) is that you are held accountable for public reading and preaching on the breadth of biblical teaching. That's also what I love about systematic theology.

Each of us - right, left, up, down, and centrist-as-all-get-out have a tendency to narrow our field of vision. We need the latitude of our normative patterns (Scripture and Sacred Science) to even out our peculiarities.

Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

If you think that is bad, you should see http://aboulet.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/genesis-5-history-or-mimetic-fiction/#comment-8549.

Bill Crawford said...

Come on Chris lectionary is pretty limited also. Let's face it in practice it is predominantly used by those of a more liberal slant.

Lectio continuum is the more evangelical practice!

As for myself I'm preaching through the OT and have used two texts so far outside my comfort zone to the benefit of the church.

As to you primary point. Couldn't agree more - its th Oprah factor. Many of our church folks watch leaders like Oprah with more interest than they listen to the world of God

Chris Larimer said...

Bill,

I'm with you on the use of Lectio Continuum. Those who do daily prayer according to the daily lectionary will read through whole books at a time. It's also a great way to make use of Evening Prayer on Wednesdays or Sundays.

Double amen to getting out of our comfort zones with Scripture. Afflict us, O God!