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I did find your belief that Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch is wrong in places somewhat interesting. As you note he is quite a qualified individual academically and personally and the programme is in his area of expertise. Mind you, this goes back to a point I put to you a wee while ago. Who says what interpretation of which version of the Bible is the correct one? If you are going to say someone is wrong then at least offer something other than your opinion. After all, there is a lot of theology, confessions and catechisms in any given denomination – all going back, in one way or another, some 2000 years. Is none of it contradictory? Is all of it clear? Does none of it require interpretation and study? How does anyone know you are more right than anyone else?
Hi Douglas. I don’t doubt the qualifications of Diarmid MacCulloch. Indeed I think this book on the Reformation is brilliant. I don’t agree that this programme is his area of expertise and I think you do need to take into account his bias. He found what he wanted to fine. I don’t think his area of expertise is either the New Testament or the early church. And ironically I do think that he is basically offering us his opinion without allowing any counter argument.
In terms of the Bible it is not the case that anyone can just make up whatever they want from it. There are standard principles of interpretation and logic that should be used. Yes there are apparent contradictions, but Christian theology is in the main remarkably unified throughout the centuries – especially when the church has stuck to the Bible and stayed out of politics!
As regards your last question – the Bible itself gives the answer – if they don’t speak according to the word then don’t listen to them!
But the point I am making is that there are variances to the word so who should be listened to? You yourself don’t agree with the words of Rob Bell. Its probably that he says some things in the Bible mean X but you would say that the same things mean Y. Who is correct and why? It is one thing to say this is what I believe the source material says and this is why, and demonstrate a love and passion for that belief. It is another thing to say what other people are taking from the same source material is wrong.
Words are nothing without interpretation and understanding. When you have more than one person giving interpretations and offering understanding then the words are meaningless until the author arrives and provides a level of clarity.
Douglas – can I say that I find your comments really helpful and thought provoking. Thanks. What you are talking about here is vital. Can we know truth? And how can we know it? I believe that it is enormously harmful to the human race to have a post-modern view that everyone can just make up their own truth. There is a balance to be struck between the absolute denial of truth and the claim that we alone know the absolute truth. In my view we need humility, reasoning, questioning, thinking, logic, evidence, reality etc. As regards the bible I love your last sentence…’words are meaningless until the author arrives and provides a level of clarity’. He has! And still does (we call that the Spirit giving light). We all need illumination….may God grant you His!
Unlike others perhaps I am not going to attack because of your belief. My concerns about religions are not that people believe (my wife is an active Christian with Destiny church) but what level of control, influence and privilege they have or seek.
You say that the bible has been given clarity. I would disagree, only because the Christian leaders/preachers/ministers/priests/pastors etc I have seen, met and discussed things with are like economists. No two agree on everything. The Spirit may be giving light but it seems that light is in many different hues and levels of luminance. And I suspect my humanist sunglasses are way too strong for this light to get past.
And my concerns about humanist philosophies are not that people believe them but what level of control, influence and privilege they have or seek. I find plenty Christian leaders who agree on most things in the Bible. I agree about your humanist blindness though! But the Spirit is more powerful….