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1SYNCRETISM
Therewasagreatshi,thattookplacethreehundredyearsa,erthedeathofChrist.
A,erthreecenturiesofpersecu:onbytheRomanauthori:esduringwhich:methe
bloodofthemartyrsbecametheseedofthechurchRomeissuedanEdictof
Tolera:onfortheChris:anreligion.BeyondthattheEmperorsstartedmaking
Chris:anitythepreferredstatereligion.
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Thismeantthatformerpaganpriestsbecameclergyintheofficiallysanc:oned
church.ByAD381thingshadsoswungtheotherwaythatitwasnowillegaltobea
paganorahere:candinthatsensereligioustolera:onwasnolongerallowedinthe
Empire.
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A,erAD325forChris:anleaderswhowerenowpaidbytheRomanstatetheissue
wasnothowdowestayalivebuthowdoweaccommodateourpaganneighborsand
getthemintothechurch?
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1.Bap:smbecame:edtoreceivingsalva:onsoinfantsweresprinkled
2.TheLordsSupperchangedfromasymboltoasacramentimpar:ngsavinggrace
3.Ministrychangedfromleadershiptolayersofbishopsandarchbishopsand
cardinalslordingitoverthemembership
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Fourideasbecameprevalentandtruechurches(bap:s:c)foughtagainstthem.
A.Sacramentalismreligiousceremoniescommunicatesavinggrace
B.Sacerdotalismpriestshavespecialauthoritytoadministergracethroughthe
sacraments
C.Relicsbecomeimportantinreligiousceremoniesandarevenerated
D.Churchgovernmentnolongerruledbythemembers(congrega:onalrule)pastorsoflargerchurcheswereelevatedasbishopsgainingcontroloverchurches
surroundingthem(theRomanImperialsystemofgovernmentwasadoptedbythe
professingchurch).
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Bap:s:cgroupswhoaemptedtoholdtruetoapostolicdoctrineandprac:cewere
persecutedandkilledforthesamereasontheywerepersecutedandkilledunderthe
RomanEmpiretheywereviewedasadangertothestate.
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Syncre:smisthereshapingofChris:anbeliefsandprac:cesthroughcultural
accommoda:onsotheyconsciouslyorunconsciouslyblendwiththoseofthe
dominantculture.Chris:anitythenlosesitdis:nc:venatureandspeakswithavoice
reflec:veofitsculture.TheChris:ancommunitytriestomakeitsmessageandlife
arac:vealluringandappealingtothoseoutsidethefellowship.
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E.g.TwoyearsagoJoelplantedanevangelicalchurch.Theguidingques:onforming
hisstrategywasHowcanwemeettheneedsofthepeopleofthiscommunityand
makethischurchgrow?Joeldevelopedacoreteamlaunchedwithanaendanceof
300a,ersixmonthsofplanningandnowhasanaverageof900peopleeachSunday.
Byallappearancesheisverysuccessful.HoweverJoelisinwardlyperturbed.He
acknowledgeshischurcharactspeoplebecauseitcaterstowhatpeoplewant.Thechurchismoreavendorofgoodsandservicesthanacommunityofthekingdomof
God.Joelseeshowthoseaendinghavemixedmo:vesAendingistheirdutya
placetomeetpeopleofinfluenceorwheretheirchildrenreceivemoralinstruc:on.
Churchaendancerelievesguiltanddeclarestoothers(andtoself)Iamreligious.
Aspiritualresponsibilityhasbeendischargedsoalliswell.Butobservingthe
worldlinessofmembersleadshimtoprivatelyaskWhathaveIcreated?
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Syncre:smhasimplica:onsbothformodernmissionsandevangelismbecause
syncre:smoccurswhentheassump:onsoftradi:onalculturearenotadequately
cri:quedbasedonbiblicaltheology.
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Syncre:smcannotbedefinedwithoutunderstandingcontextualiza:onsincethetwo
processesareinterrelated.
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Defini:onsemphasizingscripturedefinecontextualiza:onasthetransla:onof
biblicalmeaningsintocontemporaryculturalcontexts.Soimagesmetaphorsrituals
andwordsthatarecurrentinthecultureareusedtoreplacewordsintheoriginal
textsoastomakethemessageunderstandableandimpacul.
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WhentheculturalsengisemphasizeditmeansGodsmeaningissought
experien:allywithinthecultureusingtheBibleasaguide.Thegoalistofindwhat
GodisalreadydoinginthecultureratherthancommunicateGodseternalmessage
withintheculturalcontext.EvangelicalswhobelievetheBibleisauthorita:veinlife
andministryviewthissecondop:onassyncre:smbecausescriptureismarginalized
inthecontextualiza:onprocess.
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Thera:onaliza:onfortheneedofacontextualizingthatresultsinsyncre:smruns
likethisMychurchwasbornandgrewtomaturityduringthedaysofModernity
andreflectsEnlightenmentthinking.Salva:onwasunderstoodasstepsindividuals
hadtodotobesaved;scripturewasinterpretedasablue-printorapaerntobe
logicallyfollowed;andthehermeneu:cofprincipleprecedentornecessary
inference"formedthebasisforhowwestudiedtheBible.Ourmovementfollowedthera:onalismanddebatestyleofAlexanderCampbell(ex-Bap:stfounderofthe
ChurchesofChrist).ThereforeouremphasiswasonknowingaboutGodand
Chris:anityratherthanrela:ngtoHimpersonallyasFatherGod.
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Thatisanabsolutelyacceptablecri:queoftheBBFI.Theopera:vewatchwordwhenI
wasgrowingupwasGodblessesfaithfulness.Byfaithfulnessmeanttheideayou
wereatchurch-widevisita:onknockingondoorseveryThursdaynightat700.
Spiritualitywasdeterminedbyhowlongwasyourhairhowshortwasyourskirt
whetheryouwenttomoviesworeflared-legpantsandwire-rimmedglasses.
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Butthatisactuallyacri:queofabiblicalphenomenonwecalllegalism.Andyesone
ofthehallmarksoflegalismislackofbiblicalcontextualiza:onbecauseofgoingto
seedontheideasofecclesias:calsepara:onandpersonalsepara:onasyourgauge
ofspirituality.
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Allofthatwascri:quedsuccessfullybyFrancisSchaeferyearsagoinhisbooksTrue
SpiritualityandHowShallWethenLive?Butthetendencytodayisto
1.Throwoutpersonalevangelismbecausethatisviewingsalva:onastoo
individualis:c
2.ThrowoutshowingsomeonetheversesthatleadthemtoChristbecausethatis
viewedasenlightenmentthinking3.RejecttheideatheBibleisGodshandbookonthehumanlifebecausethatviewis
aresultofmodernity
4.Stopprinciple-izingtheBibleasananswerforhumanneedsbecausepostmodern
menandwomenwillnotacceptthatandinsteadlookforthestories
5.RejectsoundteachingofdoctrineasknowledgeaboutGodthatprecludesreally
knowinghim
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JohnMacArthurandothersonlytalkaboutcontextualiza:onnega:velybecausethey
thinkitobscuresthegospel.MarkDriscollandothersadvocatewhattheycall
contextualiza:onastheonlywaytomakethegospelrelevanttopeopletoday.
Whichisit?WellwhensomeonearguesPaulnevercontextualizedthegospelandso
theydonoteitheritisbecausetheyhavelabeledsomethingtheyseethattheydont
likeascontextualiza:on.Inotherwordstheynarrowthedefini:onofthetermtodefiningonlythethingtheyareagainst.SinceMacArthurisagainstDriscollusingsalty
languageorsexualreferencesinthepulpitheisagainstallcontextualiza:on.
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WeallhavetobecarefulbecausewithouremphasisontheBibleasanabsolute
standardwehaveatendencytoignoreplaceswithintheBibleitselfwhereittellsus
toactinarela:vis:corsitua:onalway.Weforgetthattheonlytwoabsolutethings
ontheearthareGodandthewordofGod.Sothenwetendtomakethehusbands
authorityoverthewife(forexample)intoanabsoluteonewheninactualfacta
husbandsheadshipinhishome(orapastorsinhischurch)isrela:vecomparedtotheauthorityofChristandtheBible.
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PaultellstheCorinthiansJudgeinyourselvesisitcomelyforawomantopraywith
herheaduncovered.Judgeinyourselvesmeansitisculturallyrela:ve.Itmeanswe
maynotbelieveinsitua:onethicsbutPauldidbelieveinsitua:onalheadcovering.
BecausewhenweobeythescripturesandjudgeinourselvesatKCBTwefindthatit
makesnodifferenceonewayortheother.Thefactthatyoujudgeinyourselves
insteadofjudgethisstrictlyaccordingtothescripturesmeansthereare:meswehavetocontextualize.Thedebateoverthosegrayareasaretheundercardfightson
theprogram.
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Ataconferencein1963KristerStendahl aLutheranprofessoratHarvardDivinity
Schooldeliveredalecture(laterpublishedinabookin1976)en:tledTheApostle
PaulandtheIntrospec:veConscienceoftheWest.Itwasapsychologicalstudyof
Mar:nLuthersinterpreta:onofPaulthathadbecomethefounda:onofProtestant
andReformedtheology.StendahlsaidAugus:neintroducedanintrospec:ve
conscienceintotheinterpreta:onofPaulswri:ngsandMar:nLutherfollowedthiserror.SohesaysthetypicalLutheranviewofPauldoesnotfitwithstatementsin
Paulswri:ngs.
LutherallegedlyinterpretedPaulasthoughPaulwerewri:ngaboutissuesoflater
:mesinsteadoftheoneshewasactuallyfacing.StendahlsaidPaulwasnotup
againstalegalis:cJudaismthattaughtsalva:onwastobe"merited"or"earned"self-
reliantly.NorwerePaul'sopponentsagainstfaithgraceandforgiveness.Hesaid
LutherwasguiltyofanachronismorreadinghisownproblemswiththeCatholic
Churchandwithhisownconsciencebackintotheancienttext.Thatwasawestern
wayofinterpre:ngPaulbutnottherightone.Sowehavetogobackandre-read
Paulnowthatweseethepsychologyofouroldwayofperceivinghim.
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Thenin1977E.P.Sanderspublishedastudyminingtheliteratureofrabbinicand
secondtempleJudaismu:lizingtheTannaim(viewsofrabbinicsagesasrecordedin
theMishnah70-200AD)theDeadSeaScrollstheApocryphaandPseudepigrapha
(counterfeitbooksliketheGospelofJudasorThomas).Heintendingtoprovenot
thatPaulhasbeenmisunderstoodbutthatthepictureofJudaismpaintedbyPauls
wri:ngsishistoricallyfalsenotjustinaccurateinpartbutfundamentallymistaken.ThattherewasactuallyacommonalitybetweenearlyChris:anityandJudaismonthe
maerofsalva:on.Asamaeroffactmaybethereasonwethinkotherwiseis
becauseofthean:semi:cbiaswehadinthe:mebeforetheholocaust.
Sanderscoinedanewphrasetodescribethecharacterofthisfirst-centuryPales:nian
Judaism"covenantalnomism."Judaismisnotareligionoflegalismbutofgrace
becauseJewsbelievedtheygotintosalva:onbythegraceofelec:onthroughthe
covenant(covenantal)butstayedinthroughthekeepingofthelaw(nomism).People
enterthecovenantbygraceandmaintainthemselvesinitbyworks.Obedienceisthe
meansofmaintainingone'sstatuswithinthecovenant.Sowithitsemphasison
divinegraceandforgivenessJudaismwasneverareligionoflegalism.
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In1982,JamesDunnthemanwhosupervisedN.T.WrightsPh.D.researchgavethe
MansonMemorialLectureand:tleditTheNewPerspec:veonPaulandtheLaw.
DunnandWrightarebothAnglicantheologians.Youcanseewhytheywouldwantto
seetheirowntheologyinPaulswri:ngsbecausetheybelieveifyouarebap:zedas
aninfantintotheChurchofEnglandyouhavesalva:onbyelec:on.ItistotallyGods
gracethatplacedyouwithintheboundary-markerofinfantbap:smjustlikeitwasGodsgracethatplacedaJewinsidetheboundarymarkerofthepeopleofGod
whichwascircumcision.Andyouhavetocon:nuetobeobedienttothefaithinorder
tocomeoutallrightintheend.DunnandWrightarebothconsideredevangelical
scholars.
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TheNPPistheconfusionyouendupwithwhenyoudonotunderstanda
dispensa:onalviewofscripture.YouseeOTsalva:onforwhatitisamixoffaithand
worksandyoudonotrightlydividethatfromsounddoctrineinPaul.Soyoumixitall
upinabowlandpreymuchcomeoutea:ngwhateverdoctrinalstewyouwere
raisedon.
PresbyterianandReformedchurchesareinthegreatestturmoilovertheNPPbecauseononehanditseemstocontradicttheirtradi:onalunderstandingof
salva:onbygracesolelythroughfaith.Ontheotherhandtheyneverdidquiteknow
whattodowithinfantbap:smandthisexplainsitinawaythatmakesthemfeel
consistentwiththeOT.
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N.T.WrightobjectstocallingthismovementtheNewPerspec:veonPaulbecausehe
sayseachoneofthemdisagreeswiththeotheronsomethingssoitshouldreallybe
calledNewPerspec:ves.Attheboomlineitisreallynewdefini:onsbecauseyou
havetoredefinebiblicaltermsinordertogetittos:cktogether.
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GOSPELWhenPaulreferstothegospelheisnotreferringtoasystemofsalva:on
noreventothegoodnewsthattherenowisawayofsalva:onopentoall.The
gospelisnotyoucanbesavedandhereshow;thegospelforPaulisJesusChrist
isLord.
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RIGHTEOUSNESSOFGODPaulalwaysusesthisphrasetodenotenotthestatus
GodspeoplehavefromhimorinhispresencebuttherighteousnessofGodhimself
whichhedoesnotgiveaway.ItreferstoGodscovenantfaithfulness.(Wrightgetsthis
defini:onfromanunderstandingoftheJewishlawcourt.)
Wrightsaysheisanevangelicalbecausehebelievesinsubs:tu:onaryatonement
butatthesame:mehedeniesthedoctrineofimputa:on.Godsrighteousnessisnotgiventous;insteadwearesimplyadjudicatedasbeingrighteousbythejudge.Itis
notaworddeno:ngmoralcharacterbutsimplyadeclara:onofstatus.
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JUDGMENTthereisonlyafinaljudgmentforeveryoneanditisaccordingtoworks
althoughitisworksredefined.Worksarenowdefinedasthosethingsproducedin
oneslifeasaresultoftheSpiritsindwellingandopera:on.
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JUSTIFICATIONJus:fica:onoccurstwice.Firstitisthefutureposi:veverdictatthe
lastjudgmentonapersonsen:relifelivedinthepoweroftheSpirit.Godisfaithful
tothecovenantandgivesyouaverdictofrighteous.Secondjus:fica:on byfaithis
thean1cipa1oninthepresentofthatfirstjus:fica:onwhichwilloccurinthefuture.
Jus:fica:onismoreaboutwhattheboundarymarkersofthecovenantcommunity
arethanaboutapersonsindividualstandingbeforeGod.
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Jus:fica:onisnothowsomeonebecomesaChris:an.ItisGodsdeclara:onabout
thepersonwhohasjustbecomeaChris:anthroughtheeventinwhichonedieswith
theMessiahandrisestonewlifewithhiman:cipa:ngthatfinalresurrec:onin
otherwordsthroughbap:sm.Bap:smistheboundarymarkersoitishowyou
becomeaChris:anandjus:fica:onisGodsdeclara:onaboutyoufordoingthat.
Yetyoudidgetbap:zedbecauseGodinhisforeknowledgedeterminedades:nyforyouandyourespondedtohiscallbyturningfromidolstoGodandmakingJesus
ChristyourLord.SoaccordingtoRom6whenGodlooksatthebap:zedChris:anhe
seeshimorherinChrist.
TherighteousnessofGodisredefinedasGodscovenantfaithfulness.Jus:fica:onis
redefinedasvindica:on.Whereasweknowthebiblicalconceptisthatexternal
righteousnessnamelyChristsrighteousnessisimputedtobelieversratherthan
theirownfaithbeingreckonedasrighteousness.
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OntheonehandSanderssorejectsthehistoricalJesus(includinghisdeityand
miracles)thatheconcludesverylileorvirtuallynothinginthegospelsisfactual.
SoforhimthegospelsdonotgiveanaccuratehistoricalrecordofwhatJewsbelieved
inthefirstcentury.Thereforehesi,sthroughtheself-contradictorystatementsof
therabbinicsagestocomeupwithsomethingthatfitshistheory.Secondif Dunndid
notrelysoheavilyonhighercri:cismofthetexthewouldacceptandbelievewhathemischaracterizesastheLutheraninterpreta:on.Butasitishedoesnotbelieve
PaulevenwroteEphColorthePastoralEpistlessohedoesaccepttheold
perspec:ve.ThirdsinceTomWrightisnotadispensa:onalistanddoesnotknow
howtorightlydividethewordallheseeseveninPaulisawaytora:onalizehisown
Anglicanaachmenttoinfantbap:smandtheologicalmiddleoftheroad-ism.
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HereiswhyWrightishailedandapplaudedbyevangelicalsWrightsbooks
systema:callydemolishtheargumentsoftheJesusSeminarandprovetheexistence
ofthehistoricalJesusasthegospelsdescribehim.Hehasfoughtfororthodoxy
againstGnos:candskep:calinterpreta:onsoftheNewTestamentandofthebodily
resurrec:onofChrist.
ButwhenthebeliefthatJesusisLordandGodraisedHimfromthedeadbecomesthebadgeofcovenantmembershiptheProtestantcansitwiththeCatholicatthe
sametableoffellowshipandWrightsaysasmuch.
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YearsagoFrancisSchaefferpointedoutthatwhatstartsinphilosophyandspreadsto
theartseventuallyendsupintheologybeforefinallyhingpopularculture.Heres
howthatworks.
POPCULTURE=RobBellsVelvetElvispp62-63.
Footnote#58directsustoNTWrightforthephilosophy&theologythatledhimto
thatpopcultureviewpoint.
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THEOLOGYWrightsview(LastWord)
23AuthorityofscriptureisshorthandforGodsauthorityexercisedsomehow
throughscripture.
37Inspira:onisashorthandwayoftalkingaboutthebeliefthatbyhisSpiritGod
guidedtheverydifferentwritersandeditorssothat thebookstheyproducedwere
thebooksGodintendedhispeopletohave .Inactualfactthatiscanonicity.
38WefindtheelusivebutpowerfulideaofGodswordnotasasynonymforthe
wrienscripturesbutasastrangepersonalpresence.
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PHILOSOPHYWrighthaswhatiscalledacultural-linguis:cmodelofBiblical
authoritybasedonaphilosophernamedWigenstein.SoforWrightthecentral
importanceofthecategoryofnarra:veorstorystandsoutasprimary.Inviewofthe
factthatstoriesareakeyworldviewindicatorandthatagoodpartoftheNew
Testamentconsistsofstoriesitisthereforeimportanttoconsiderhowstories
mightcarryorbevehiclesforauthority.
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