Ed Stetzer- Evangelical Bridge Builder
Ed Stetzer is one of the “conservative evangelicals” being praised by wanna-be evangelicals not yet bold enough to entirely renounce fundamentalism.
Dr. Stetzer, head of the SBC’s LifeWay research department, holds to the “in non-essentials liberty” philosophy, despises separatism, and associates with pretty much anybody and everybody. He is a bridge to the “broader church” that is filled to the brim today with ancient and end-times heresies (such as baptismal regeneration, popery, Mariolatry, sacramentalism, anti-Trinitarianism, universalism, Catholic mysticism, kingdom now reconstructionism, Charismaticism, theistic evolution, fallible inspiration of Scripture, panentheism, the non-judgmental “Shack” god, and Christian homosexuality).
As far as I know, Ed, as a “conservative evangelical,” doesn’t hold to these heresies, but he is a bridge to the broader “evangelical church” where an individual can easily be influenced by any and all of these. He is a path to the treacherous waters.
Most of these heresies are represented by the authors featured in any LifeWay Bookstore and certainly by those with whom those authors are directly associated.
Consider some of Stetzer’s associations. He is closely affiliated with Mark Driscoll, who is “culturally liberal” (e.g., ushering in the New Year through champaign dance parties), hates the doctrine of the Rapture, and promotes Catholic contemplative mysticism, among other things. Stetzer is affiliated with fellow Southern Baptist Rick Warren, who in turn is closely affiliated with New Agers and universalists (e.g., Tony Blair, Mehmet Oz, Daniel Amen, Mark Hyman, Leonard Sweet) and promotes Catholic contemplative mysticism, among many other things. Stetzer is non-critically affiliated with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which in turn is affiliated with the papacy and has turned thousands of “converts” over to the Catholic Church. Stetzer is also affiliated with the most liberal of emergents, who deny the infallible inspiration of Scripture, the substitutionary atonement, a literal hell, and many other fundamentals of the faith. Though Stetzer criticizes their heresies, he does so in gentle, intellectual, dialoguing terms and refuses to disassociate from them. He won’t stand up on his hind legs and reprove them in no uncertain terms for the rank and wretched heretics they are! For example, Stetzer participates in Shapevine, an emerging church blog that features liberal emergents such as Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Sally Morganthaler, Alan Hirsch, and Leonard Sweet. Shapevine is called “a global community of collaborators.” “Conservative Southern Baptists” like Stetzer are right in the middle of this unscriptural collaboration (Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Timothy 3:5). (See our book What Is the Emerging Church? for documentation of the dangerous heresies of the aforementioned emergent leaders.)
The Old Evangelicalism
The following is excerpted from the book New Evangelicalism: Its History, Characteristics, and Fruit, which is available in print and eBook formats from Way of Life Literature.
Prior to the 1950s, the terms “evangelical” and “fundamentalist” referred to A STRICT “PROTESTANT” CHRISTIANITY. Generally speaking (and certainly in contrast to the mushy evangelicalism of our day), evangelicals of past generations were militant soldiers for Christ.
The term “evangelical” can be traced to the English revivals of the Wesleys and Whitefield and even to the earliest days of the Protestant Reformation. In either case, Evangelicalism of old was dogmatic and militant. It was old-fashioned Protestantism. Luther was excommunicated by the pope; John Wesley and George Whitefield were barred from Anglican churches for their bold preaching. All of the Protestant denominations once identified Rome as the Revelation 17 whore of Babylon. Those men, though we Baptists don’t see eye to eye with them on many important points, stood militantly for what they believed. This is exactly what the New Evangelical does not do (except, as we will see, on a few issues that are popular within his circles).
John Calvin was no New Evangelical when he said: “Popery is nothing else than a monster formed out of the innumerable deceptions of Satan, and that which they call the Church is more confused than Babylon.” This was typical of the position held by all of the old Protestant leaders.
Harold Ockenga and the New Evangelical Movement he Founded
The following is a review of the book The Surprising Work of God: Harold John Ockenga, Billy Graham, and the Rebirth of Evangelicalism by Garth M. Rosell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008). Rosell is the son of Merv Rosell, an evangelist who associated with Ockenga, Graham, and other leaders of the New Evangelical movement.
OCKENGA WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE NEW EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT AND ENUNCIATED THAT MOVEMENT’S REJECTION OF SEPARATION
Harold Ockenga (1905-85) was possibly the most influential evangelical leader of the 20th century. He was pastor of the prominent Park Street Church in Boston, founder of the National Association of Evangelicals, co-founder and first president of Fuller Theological Seminary, first president of the World Evangelical Fellowship, president of Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and chairman of the board and one-time editor of Christianity Today.
In the 1950s Ockenga helped found the New Evangelical movement that rejected separatism and aimed at a more positive and pragmatic philosophy as opposed to the negativism and isolation of fundamentalism.
In a speech he gave in 1947 at the founding of Fuller Seminary, Ockenga said:
“We repudiate the ‘Come-outist’ movement which brands all Denominations as apostate. We expect to be positive in our emphasis, except where error so exists that it is necessary for us to point it out in order to declare the truth. The positive emphasis will be on the broad doctrinal basis of a low Calvinism” (p. 176). Continue reading this article……
Franklin Graham's Unscriptural Ecumenism
Franklin Graham is following closely in his famous father’s footsteps, which, sadly, have led further from the Bible with each passing decade. In 1996 Franklin was named the first vice-chairman of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. This was a new position with direct succession to become chairman when Billy Graham became incapacitated. Of course, this has now occurred.
Franklin Graham told the Indianapolis Star that his father’s ecumenical alliance with the Catholic Church and all other denominations “was one of the smartest things his father ever did” (“Keeping it simple, safe keeps Graham on high,” The Indianapolis Star, Thurs., June 3, 1999, p. H2).
He said: “In the early years, up in Boston, the Catholic church got behind my father’s crusade. That was a first. It took back many Protestants. They didn’t know how to handle it. But it set the example. ‘If Billy Graham is willing to work with everybody, then maybe we should too’” (The Indianapolis Star, June 3, 1999). Continue reading this article……
C.S. Lewis and Evangelicals Today
The late British author C.S. (Clive Staples) Lewis (1898-1963), who was known as Jack, is extremely popular with evangelicals today. In fact, he could be said to be the “godfather of modern evangelicalism.”
In fact, Lewis is loved with an equal fervor by “conservative evangelicals,” hell-denying emergents, Roman Catholics, Mormons, and even some Atheists, a fact that speaks volumes to those who have ears to hear.
Most Christian bookstores feature the writings of Lewis without a word of warning. Though Lewis died in 1963, sales of his books had risen to two million a year by 1977 and had increased another 125% since 2001, with no end in sight.
The December 2005 edition of Christianity Today was devoted to “C.S. Lewis Superstar.” In an article commemorating the 100th anniversary of Lewis’s birth, J.I. Packer called him “our patron saint” and said that Lewis ”has come to be the Aquinas, the Augustine, and the Aesop of contemporary Evangelicalism” (“Still Surprised by Lewis,” Christianity Today, Sept. 7, 1998). Continue reading this article……
Conservative Evangelicals
There is a lot of noise today among some “fundamentalists” about “conservative evangelicals,” and there is a growing association between the two groups.
Central Baptist Seminary of Minnesota, Calvary Baptist Seminary of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and Northland International University (formerly Northland Baptist Bible College) have all recently praised “evangelical conservatives” for their “vigorous commitment to and defense of the gospel.”
Northland recently invited Bruce Ware, Southern Baptist Seminary professor, in to conduct a seminar for pastors. To justify this, former Northland president Les Ollila sent out a letter in December 2010 stating:
“At Northland we have chosen to keep our focus on the highest concerns facing our generation while keeping Fundamentalism centered on the historic fundamentals of our faith that best articulate our core understanding of biblical truth.”
Billy vs. Paul
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which was founded in 1950, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. A year earlier, Graham conducted his first citywide crusade in Los Angeles. His web site announces, “Sixty-one years ago, a tall, earnest evangelist known as Billy Graham descended on Los Angeles with a fury. The city, the young man, and the course of American Christianity would never be the same” (“Celebrating Christ’s Work in the Canvas Cathedral,” BillyGraham.org, Sept. 24, 2010). This statement is true. Billy Graham’s unscriptural philosophy and deep compromise has dramatically changed Christianity in our time. I was born the same year that Graham conducted his Los Angeles crusade. Growing up in a Southern Baptist home, I heard nothing but praise for the evangelist. It was not until I was saved at age 23 that I formed a different opinion of Billy Graham. As a young Christian I learned that Jesus and the apostles warned that false teachers and compromise would increase among the churches throughout the church age and would explode at the end of the age. I learned, therefore, that I had to be very careful and test everything by the Scriptures. When Graham’s ministry is tested by God’s Word rather than by the principles of popular evangelism, it fails miserably. Let’s briefly compare Billy Graham with the apostle Paul, the premier evangelist of the first century.
First, Paul didn’t promote himself. He didn’t form a ministry named for himself and didn’t exalt himself (and allow others to exalt him) as something great.
Philip Yancey and Dangers in Christian Bookstores
Philip Yancey, one of the most popular evangelical writers, illustrates the spiritual dangers in the typical Christian bookstore today.
Yancey promotes the Catholic contemplative movement in his book Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? (2006, updated 2010). He quotes the Buddhist-Catholic monk Thomas Merton, goddess worshiper Sue Monk Kidd, pantheist Meister Eckhart, David Steindl-Rast (who denies the substitutionary atonement of Christ), and Richard Rohr (who worships as New Age “cosmic” Christ). Yancey also quotes Catholic “saint” Teresa of Avila and the heretical Catholic contemplative text The Cloud of Unknowing, which promotes a mindless communion with “God.” (For documentation see our books Contemplative Mysticism and The New Age Tower of Babel, available from Way of Life Literature in print and electronic formats.)
Yancey also promotes the non-judgmental attitude toward homosexuality. In a 2004 interview with Candace Chellew-Hodge for Whosoever, a homosexual publication, Yancey said,
“When it gets to particular matters of policy, like ordaining gay and lesbian ministers, I’m confused, like a lot of people (“Amazed by Grace,” Whosoever online magazine).
New Evangelical Fundamentalists
One of the root problems with New Evangelicalism is what it refuses to preach. It aims to be positive. It is willing to narrow down its message. This causes many to be confused by New Evangelicalism (the vast majority of evangelicals today have adopted the New Evangelical philosophy). They hear or read a popular evangelical and say, "My, how he teaches the Bible so wonderfully; I don't see anything wrong with him." They don’t understand that the problem with the New Evangelical's teaching is not so much what he says that is wrong, but what he refuses to say that is right. It’s not so much the error that he preaches but the truth that he neglects. He refuses to proclaim the whole counsel of God. He will not deal with many of the negative aspects of the Word of God, such as ecclesiastical separation and plain rebuke of apostasy. He will not identify false teachers by name and call upon God’s people to avoid them.
This philosophy is rapidly finding its way into churches that claim to be fundamentalist. The preacher steers clear of many controversial things, and when he does deal with something that is unpopular he is almost apologetic.Continue reading this article……
Dividing Truth Into Essentials and Non-Essentials
Republished July 21, 2010 (first published October 22, 2009) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article)-
New Evangelicals have long divided doctrine into “cardinal” and “secondary” categories, and the “secondary,” we are told, can be overlooked for the sake of unity.
In Grace Awaking, Chuck Swindoll says, “My encouragement for you today is that each one of us pursue what unites us with others rather than the few things that separate us. ... There was a time in my life when I had answers to questions no one was asking. I had a position that life was so rigid I would fight for every jot and tittle. I mean, I couldn’t list enough things that I’d die for. The older I get, the shorter that list gets, frankly” (Grace Awakening, p. 189).
Even the most conservative evangelicals, such as Iain Murray, fall into this trap. Condemning fundamentalism in America Murray stated, “In its tendency to add stipulations not foundational to Christian believing, fundamentalism was prone to make the boundaries of Christ’s kingdom too small” (Iain Murray, Evangelicalism Divided, p. 298).
This is the working philosophy of Southern Baptists. Consider the book Building Bridges (Convention Press, 2007). It was written by David Dockery and Timothy George and prefaced by Thom Rainer, three prominent Southern Baptist leaders.
“Though I may disagree with some on secondary and tertiary issues, I will not let those points of disagreement tear down bridges of relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ. ... We need a new spirit of mutual respect and humility to serve together with those with whom we have differences of conviction and opinion. It is possible to hold hands with brothers and sisters who disagree on secondary and tertiary matters of theology...” (pp. 11, 34).
I'm With Fido
The following is published with permission of Pastor Buddy Smith of Malanda, Queensland
_________________________
Dear Brother ___________
Regarding the IBFI conference and website, there is no doubt in my mind that you know more about it than I, simply because of your personal acquaintance with Bro. Sexton. My observations from a distance are as follows:
I) I understand and agree that Bro. Sexton is not attempting to start a new denomination. He has no doubt invested an enormous amount of time, manpower, and effort into hosting this conference. I expect he hopes to accomplish many good things out of it.
II) I appreciate him using the best speakers he could find to promote his efforts to unify the diversity that exists among Baptists. From his statements I gather he seriously believes that all Independent Baptists can and should see each other as friends and work together.
Richard Foster: Evangelicalism's Mystical Sparkplug
The following is excerpted from our book Contemplative Mysticism: A Powerful Ecumenical Bond, which is available from Way of Life Literature.
___________________
Richard Foster’s writings have been at the forefront of the contemplative movement since the 1970s. No one has done more than this man to spread contemplative mysticism throughout Protestant and Baptist churches.
Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline, which has sold more than two and a half million copies, was selected by Christianity Today as one of the top ten books of the 20th century. (For this review I obtained multiple editions of Celebration of Discipline, plus three other books by Foster.)
The Quaker Connection
He grew up among the Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends), was trained at George Fox College, has pastored Quaker churches, and has taught theology at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, and at George Fox. One website calls him “perhaps the best known Quaker in the world today.”
New Evangelicalism - Its History, Characteristics and Fruit
The following was first published in 1995 under the title of Fundamentalism, Modernism, and New-Evangelicalism.
I am convinced that few errors are as destructive to fundamentalist Bible-believing churches as New Evangelicalism. When people leave our churches, where do they go? Do they join the Roman Catholic Church? Do they join a modernistic Protestant church, such as the United Methodist, the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., or the United Church of Canada? Do they join a cult such as the Mormons? That seldom occurs. Most that leave fundamentalist Bible-believing churches join the positive-thinking, easy-going New Evangelical church down the street or across town.Continue reading this article……
Why the New Evangelical Principle is Dangerous
November 17, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article)
Some of the New Evangelical ministries do a lot of good, and for this reason fundamentalists are enticed to associate with them. For example, Answers in Genesis and the Institute for Creation Research do a fantastic job of defending the literal Genesis account of creation and defending this against Darwinian evolution. Ken Ham’s Creation Museum is a masterpiece of biblical apologetics. Ray Comfort does a tremendous job in apologetics and personal evangelism. I truly and fervently thank the Lord for what these men are doing for the cause of Christ ....... as far as it goes. The problem is that it doesn’t go far enough, and the part that is lacking is very serious.
What is the problem? Why don’t we jump on their bandwagon, join hands, and do these wonderful works together? (I am not saying that we won’t use some of their materials; I am talking about joining hands together for ministry.)
The Heart of New Evangelicalism
I am convinced that few errors are as destructive to fundamentalist, Bible-believing churches as New Evangelicalism. When people leave our churches, where do they go? Do they join the Roman Catholic Church? Do they join a modernistic Protestant church? Do they join a cult like the Mormons? No, most people who leave staunch Bible-believing churches join the easy-going New Evangelical church down the street or across town.
It is therefore crucial that we understand the nature of New Evangelicalism. Elsewhere we have traced the history of New Evangelicalism and given an extensive definition thereof. (See the book New Evangelicalism: Its History, Characteristics, and Fruit, which is available from Way of Life Literature.)
In this article I want to describe what I believe to be the very heart and soul of New Evangelicalism. I want to give a practical definition of New Evangelicalism that can be understood and used by the members of independent Baptist and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing congregations to protect themselves and their children from this error.Continue reading this article……
Franklin Graham, Minister of Christ of Priest of Baal?
September 9, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -
The following report is by Pastor Ralph Ovadal, Pilgrims Covenant Church, Monroe, Wisconsin, http://www.pccmonroe.org/neo-evangelicalism/2009.08.14.htm.
"And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them." 1 Kings 18:28
Less than a week ago, as I am writing this article, I, and members of our Pilgrims Covenant Church, spent over five hours "without the camp" preaching the gospel of Christ and bearing biblical witness against a carnal monstrosity called "Rock the River." This event was one of four staged in Mississippi River cities by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As of now, approximately 90,000 young people have been "ministered" to at the three Rock the River events that have already taken place.
C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is a Silly Fairy Tale
C.S. Lewis’s fantasy, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, made its appearance as a feature Hollywood movie on December 9, 2005, and took in $187 million worldwide in the first ten days.
There is much hubbub about the movie in evangelical circles. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Baptist Seminary, is typical in his claim that Lewis’s fiction “stands as a powerful story with clear allusions to the person and work of Christ, to the reality of human sin, to humanity’s desperate need for redemption and to God’s ultimate victory in Christ” (“Aslan Is on the Move,” Baptist Press, Dec. 10).
I could not disagree more strongly. Though I have not seen the movie, I have read the book, and it is nothing more than a silly fairy tale. Continue reading this article……
Emergents and Evangelicals Together
Focus on the Family Says Anti-Catholic Speech is Uncharitable and Harmful
January 15, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)
The spiritually-dangerous nature of Focus on the Family (FOF) was evident in a reply that was given to a Christian who wrote to them about having Anne Rice, the Roman Catholic author of occultic horror novels, on the Focus radio program. In a reply dated December 3, 2008, Timothy Masters wrote the following for Focus on the Family:
“Your quotations from the canons of the Council of Trent, though perfectly legitimate as regards the theological aspects of this issue, fail to take account of the fact that, from a strictly evangelical perspective, a saving relationship with Jesus Christ is an intensely personal and individual matter. In the final analysis, it’s not a question of church membership or doctrinal orientation. ... It’s arguable that many individual Roman Catholics--Anne Rice included--have a very real and lively faith in the Lord Jesus. ... It’s worth adding that anti-Catholic sentiments like those you’ve expressed are more than just uncharitable and un-Christlike. They’re also harmful to the richness of your own Christian experience. ... To dismiss the Roman Catholic Church wholesale is to obliterate the first fifteen centuries of Christian history. It’s to deprive ourselves of the contributions of such great leaders and thinkers as ... Francis of Assisi, and Thomas Aquinas. You may be willing to throw treasures like these out the window, but we aren’t.”
This statement reflects gross ignorance both of the Bible and of church history. The Bible plainly teaches that it is impossible to be saved apart from the one true gospel of the grace of Christ (Galatians 1:8-9). Since the Roman Catholic Church teaches a false gospel of sacramentalism (e.g., the Council of Trent, which has never been rescinded, cursed those who say that salvation is by God’s grace alone), it is impossible to be saved if one believes what Rome teaches. The Bible warns of false christs, false gospels, and false spirits (2 Corinthians 11:1-4). Rome’s christ is a consecrated wafer. Its gospel is the sacraments. Its spirit is one that leads men to pray to a mythical Mary. As for Francis of Assisi and Thomas Aquinas, they worshipped Rome’s false christ, held to its false gospel, and followed its false spirit.
Focus on the Family may be willing to follow in their footsteps, but we thank God for the light He has shined into our formerly-darkened hearts to give us the spiritual wisdom to follow the path of truth rather than that of popular error. We don’t reject the first 1,500 years of church history, but the New Testament prophesies two streams of “churches,” the false and the true, and we thank God that He has shown us the difference.
(photo above: Anne Rice with rosary. Rice recently returned to her Roman Catholic roots, and has been embraced by James Dobson as an authentic Christian.)
The Bible vs The Ecumenical Movement
THE BIBLE VS. THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT
July 3, 2008 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -
The ecumenical philosophy has spread widely within Christianity. It has been a theme song of the Roman Catholic Church since the Vatican II Council in the 1960s. It is a theme song of the World Council of Churches and of the various national councils and local clergy associations. It is a theme song of the Bible Societies.
The ecumenical philosophy has permeated evangelicalism, from parachurch groups like Campus Crusade and Youth for Christ to evangelists like Franklin Graham and Luis Palau to schools like Moody and Wheaton and publishers like Zondervan and publications like Christianity Today and missionary organizations like Wycliffe Bible Translators.
The ecumenical philosophy is a theme song of Contemporary Christian Music. In an interview with Christianity Today, Don Moen of Integrity Music said: “I’ve discovered that worship [music] is transdenominational, transcultural. IT BRIDGES ANY DENOMINATION. Twenty years ago there were many huge divisions between denominations. Today I think the walls are coming down. In any concert that I do, I will have 30-50 different churches represented.”
The ecumenical philosophy is also a theme song of the emerging church. Brian McLaren epitomizes this by calling himself “evangelical, post-protestant, liberal, conservative, mystical, poetic, biblical, charismatic, contemplative, fundamentalist, Calvinist, anabaptist, anglican, Methodist, catholic, green, incarnational, emergent” (A Generous Orthodoxy, subtitle to the book).
Yes, the ecumenical philosophy is widespread, but it also patently unscriptural.
The ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s teaching on doctrine.
“As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach NO OTHER DOCTRINE” (1 Tim. 1:3).
We have already seen what the Bible teaches about doctrine. There is only one true apostolic Christian faith and we have been given the Holy Spirit so that we can know that one true faith and we are required to teach that faith and only that faith to others. Thus, the ecumenical philosophy is unscriptural. It is impossible to reconcile a strict stand for Bible doctrine with any sort of ecumenism. It is impossible to stand for all of the doctrine of the Bible and be ecumenical in any sense.
The ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s command to contend for the faith.
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).
It is impossible to have the mindset of fighting for the one revealed faith and be ecumenical at the same time. These are contradictory programs. Fighting for the faith is a divisive thing that always ruins ecumenical harmony!
The ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s warning of false teachers who preach heresies.
The New Testament is filled with warnings about false teachers. Jesus warned about them during His earthly ministry (Mat. 7:15-17) as well as in His messages to the seven churches following His resurrection and ascension (Rev. 2:2, 6, 14-16, 20-23). Paul warned about false teachers repeatedly (1 Cor. 15:12; 2 Cor. 11:1-4, 12-15; Gal. 1:6-9; 5:7-12; Phil. 3:17-21; Col. 2:4-8, 20-23; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:5-13; 4:3-4). Peter warned about them (2 Peter 2). John warned about them (1 John 2:18-27; 4:1-3). Jude warned about them (Jude 3-19). It is impossible to be on the outlook for false teachers as diligently as the Bible commands and be ecumenical at the same time. To be on the outlook for false teachers and to be diligently comparing every teaching with the Scripture to know whether it is true or false is contrary to the broadminded emerging church philosophy.
The ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s command to separate from error.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).
Not only are we to hold to sound doctrine and contend for it and be on the outlook for false teaching, but we are also to separate from those who teach false doctrine. And what is the standard for judging what is true and what is false? The Bible is, and according to the Bible we can know truth from error in a dogmatic sense, and we are responsible to God for doing so.
“If any man will do his will, HE SHALL KNOW OF THE DOCTRINE, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27).
The biblical practice of separation is diametrically opposed to the doctrine of ecumenism. It is impossible to practice both at the same time, and no amount of clever emerging church “orthoparadoxy” can change that fact.
The ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s definition of true Christian unity.
Consider some major passages on Christian unity:
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21).
The modern ecumenical movement has taken John 17:21 as one of its theme verses, claiming that the unity for which Christ prayed is an ecumenical unity of professing Christians that disregards biblical doctrine. The context of John 17 destroys this myth. In John 17 the Lord plainly states that the unity for which He was praying is a unity based on salvation and truth and separation from the world.
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and THEY HAVE KEPT THY WORD. ... For I HAVE GIVEN UNTO THEM THE WORDS WHICH THOU GAVEST ME; AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEM, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. ... I HAVE GIVEN THEM THY WORD; AND THE WORLD HATH HATED THEM, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ... Sanctify them through THY TRUTH: thy word is TRUTH. ... And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified THROUGH THE TRUTH” (John 17:6, 8, 14, 17, 19)
This is not a unity of true Christians with false, nominal with genuine, sound doctrine with heresy. It is not a unity that ignores doctrinal differences for the sake of an enlarged fellowship.
In fact, there is nothing in Christ’s prayer to indicate that man is to do anything whatsoever to create the unity described herein. John 17 is not a commandment addressed to men; it is a High Priestly prayer addressed to God the Father, and the prayer was answered. It describes a spiritual reality that was created by God among genuine born again saints who are committed to the Scriptures, not a possibility that must be organized by man.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
We see in this verse that biblical unity is first of all a matter of having one mind. This is contrary to the ecumenical philosophy of “unity in diversity.” The type of “unity” that we find in the ecumenical movement is not true unity at all; it is confusion; it is “Babel.”
Observe, secondly, that the unity that God requires is in the assembly. This exhortation was addressed first of all to a church. It is possible to have the type of unity described here in the congregation, because doctrine can be agreed upon and enforced through a church covenant and statement of faith. In the church we can have the same doctrine of Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, spiritual gifts, sanctification, Christian living, prophecy, you name it, because we have a statement of faith and requirements for church membership and we have pastors and discipline; but this is impossible in a broad ecumenical context.
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:1-6).
In this passage we see true biblical unity and it is far removed from the ecumenical philosophy.
First, true Christian unity is a unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:3). This means that it is a unity involving those who are regenerated by and led by the Spirit of God. Contrast this with the ecumenical concept of bringing together anyone that names the name of Christ regardless of his or her actual spiritual condition. At a large ecumenical conference in St. Louis in 2000 (the North American Congress on the Holy Spirit & World Evangelization), I asked many of the people who were manning ministry booths, “When were you born again?” Not one gave a scriptural answer. Some said they were born again when they were baptized. Some, when they had a charismatic style experience. Others weren’t even familiar with the term. Yet all of these people are intimately involved in leadership within the ecumenical movement.
Second, true Christian unity is a unity of the one faith (Eph. 4:5). Biblical unity is impossible apart from the once-delivered faith taught by the apostles. God’s people are called upon to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). There is no unity between those who believe and follow the Bible and those who do not. Note that “the faith” is not divided into cardinal and secondary issues. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus taught that while not everything in Scripture is of equal importance, everything has some importance. Nothing clearly taught in Scripture is to be despised and set aside for the purpose of unity. In 1 Timothy 6:14, Paul taught Timothy to keep the apostolic doctrine “without spot” until the return of Christ. Spots are small, seemingly insignificant things. Thus, Paul was teaching Timothy to value everything in Scripture. The theme of 1 Timothy is practical church truth (1 Tim. 3:15). In this epistle Paul dealt with things such as church government (1 Tim. 3) and the woman’s role in church work (1 Tim. 2). These are the very things that are typically downplayed in ecumenical ventures, because they are considered of “secondary” importance. Yet Paul taught Timothy to keep all of these things without spot until Jesus comes. Timothy was instructed to allow “no other doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:3). That is the strictest kind of standard for doctrine, and when one holds that standard of doctrine it is impossible to be ecumenical even in the mildest New Evangelical sense.
Third, true Christian unity is a unity that is found in the New Testament assembly. The command in Ephesians 4:3 is addressed to the church at Ephesus (Eph. 1:1). It was not addressed to “the worldwide body of Christians.” As we have seen, it is possible to practice biblical unity within the assembly because doctrine and righteousness can be enforced and preserved there. Outside of the assembly, though, there is no biblical discipline, leadership, or oversight. When Christians attempt to practice interdenominational and parachurch unity, there is always compromise because respect for every aspect of the New Testament faith results in division rather than unity. I am not responsible to maintain a unity with every professing Christian in the world but with the believers in my assembly, in my local body, and with others with whom I am truly likeminded. The Bible says we are to glorify God “with one mind and one mouth” (Romans 15:6). That is not a description of any type of ecumenism! This is only possible in the New Testament assembly, where believers can be united together in doctrine and spirit and purpose in a way that is impossible in a broader context.
“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).
The teaching of this passage is that, first, biblical unity is a function of the local church. This instruction was addressed to the church at Philippi. True Christian unity is not a parachurch or interdenominational issue.
Second, biblical unity means having one mind. It is not an ecumenical “unity in diversity.” Compare Romans 15:5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11.
Third, biblical unity requires total commitment to the one apostolic faith. The New Testament faith is not many separate doctrines but is one unified body of truth into which all doctrines fit. It is unscriptural to think that only a few “cardinal” Bible doctrines are necessary while other New Testament teachings and practices are tertiary and can be ignored for the sake of unity. As we have seen, the apostle Paul instructed Timothy to keep every aspect of biblical truth “without spot” until the return of Christ (1 Tim. 6:14). This refers to the details of the Word of God. And it is impossible to stand unequivocally for New Testament truth in all its aspects and to be ecumenical at the same time. As one wise pastor observed, we will either limit our message or we will limit our fellowship. If you determine to preach everything in Scripture, then you will automatically limit your sphere of fellowship. The choice is clear. If one is faithful to the New Testament faith, it is impossible to have a wide fellowship in this apostate hour, and if one is committed to a wide fellowship he must be willing to limit his message.
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Evangelicals and Modernist Robert Schuller
Updated June 19, 2008 (first published February 7, 1998) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) –
Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in southern California, has been called “the Norman Vincent Peale of the West.”
Schuller’s doctrine is New Age and his affiliations are New Age.
His book titles have included:
The Be-Happy Attitudes: Eight Positive Attitudes that Can Transform Your Life.
Believe in the God Who Believes in You.
The Greatest Possibility Thinker That Ever Lived.
Peace of Mind through Possibility Thinking.
Power Thoughts.
Self-Love: The Dynamic Force of Success.
You Can Become the Person You Want to Be.
Schuller reinterprets the doctrines of the Word of God to conform to his heretical self-esteem philosophy. To Schuller, sin is the lack of self-esteem. His christ is a psycho-savior who is “self-esteem incarnate.” His gospel is to replace negative self-concepts with positive ones. To Schuller, man is not a sinner. He is universalist, believing that all men are the children of God.
Robert Schuller wants to create a new kind of Christianity: one that believes in the Fatherhood of God and the divinity of man, one that is positive and non-judgmental, one that worships a New Age self-esteem Christ, one that denies the necessity of Christ’s blood atonement, one in which salvation involves being reconciled with one’s one essential goodness, one that believes in the essential truth in all religions.
Schuller’ false teaching is an extremely serious matter in light of his wide influence. He has been one of the most popular religion television personalities in America for decades. His books sell by the millions. His self-esteem Christianity has been adopted by multitudes. These believe they are Christians; they attend churches; but in reality they worship a false christ and follow a false gospel.
Consider some excerpts from his book Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, published by Word Books in 1982:
“The core of original sin, then is LOT--Lack of Trust. Or, it could be considered an innate inability to adequately value ourselves. Label it a 'negative self-image,' but DO NOT SAY THAT THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE HUMAN SOUL IS WICKEDNESS. ... POSITIVE CHRISTIANITY DOES NOT HOLD TO HUMAN DEPRAVITY, BUT TO HUMAN INABILITY. I am humanly unable to correct my negative self-image until I encounter a life-changing experience with non-judgmental love bestowed upon me by a Person whom I admire so much that to be unconditionally accepted by him is to be born again” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 67).
“Classical theology DEFINES SIN AS 'REBELLION AGAINST GOD.' The answer is not incorrect as much as IT IS SHALLOW AND INSULTING TO THE HUMAN BEING. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity even if he or she is a 'rebellious sinner” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 65).
“Any analysis of 'sin' or 'evil' or 'demonic influence' or 'negative thinking' or 'systemic evil' or 'antisocial behavior' that fails to see the lack of self-dignity as the core of the problem will prove to be too shallow. … TO BE BORN AGAIN MEANS THAT WE MUST BE CHANGED FROM A NEGATIVE TO A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE--from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear to love, from doubt to trust” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 68).
“The classical error of historical Christianity is that we have never started with the value of the person. Rather, WE HAVE STARTED FROM THE 'UNWORTHINESS OF THE SINNER,' AND THAT STARTING POINT HAS SET THE STAGE FOR THE GLORIFICATION OF HUMAN SHAME in Christian theology” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 162).
“We are born to soar. We are children of God. ... THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD OFFERS A DEEP SPIRITUAL CURE FOR THE INFERIORITY COMPLEX AND LAYS THE FIRM FOUNDATION FOR A SOLID SPIRITUAL SELF-ESTEEM” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 60).
“Historical theology has too often failed to interpret repentance as a positive creative force. ... ESSENTIALLY, IF CHRISTIANITY IS TO SUCCEED IN THE NEXT MILLENNIUM, IT MUST CEASE TO BE A NEGATIVE RELIGION AND MUST BECOME POSITIVE” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 104).
“What do I mean by sin? Answer: Any human condition or act that robs God of glory by stripping one of his children of their right to divine dignity. ... I can offer still another answer: 'SIN IS ANY ACT OR THOUGHT THAT ROBS MYSELF OR ANOTHER HUMAN BEING OF HIS OR HER SELF-ESTEEM’” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 14).
“AND WHAT IS 'HELL'? IT IS THE LOSS OF PRIDE THAT NATURALLY FOLLOWS SEPARATION FROM GOD--the ultimate and unfailing source of our soul's sense of self-respect. 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' was Christ's encounter with hell. In that 'hellish' death our Lord experienced the ultimate horror--humiliation, shame, and loss of pride as a human being. A person is in hell when he has lost his self-esteem. Can you imagine any condition more tragic than to live life and eternity in shame?” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 14-15, 93).
“THE CROSS SANCTIFIES THE EGO TRIP. FOR THE CROSS PROTECTED OUR LORD'S PERFECT SELF-ESTEEM FROM TURNING INTO SINFUL PRIDE” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 75).
“Christ is the Ideal One, for HE WAS SELF-ESTEEM INCARNATE” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 135).
“JESUS NEVER CALLED A PERSON A SINNER. ... Rather he reserved his righteous rebuke for those who used their religious authority to generate guilt and caused people to lose their ability to taste and enjoy their right to dignity...” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 100,126).
“I found myself immediately attracted to Pope John Paul II when, upon his election to the Papacy, his published speeches invariably called attention to THE NEED FOR RECOGNIZING THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN BEING AS A CHILD OF GOD” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 17).
“In a theology that starts with an uncompromising respect for each person's pride and dignity, I HAVE NO RIGHT TO EVER PREACH A SERMON OR WRITE AN ARTICLE THAT WOULD OFFEND THE SELF-RESPECT AND VIOLATE THE SELF-DIGNITY OF A LISTENER OR READER. Any minister, religious leader, writer, or reporter who stoops to a style, a strategy, a substance, or a spirit that fails to show respect for his or her audience is committing an insulting sin. Every human being must be treated with respect; self-esteem is his sacred right.”
“The tragedy of Christendom today is the existence of entire congregations of church members who are dominated by emotionally deprived or emotionally under-developed persons. These congregations have been accurately labeled 'God's Frozen People.' ... And they do this by EXERCISING NARROW AUTHORITARIANISM IN DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES AND BY SOWING SEEDS OF SUSPICION AND DISSENSION IN THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. ... By contrast, strong persons--self-assured personalities, whose egos find their nourishment in a self-esteem-generating personal relationship with Jesus Christ--dare to face contrary opinions, diverse interpretations, and deviations of theology without becoming disrespectful, judgmental, or accusatory” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 153-154).
MAKING PEOPLE AWARE OF THEIR LOST CONDITION IS UNCHRISTIAN
Schuller contends that the most destructive thing that can be done to a person is to call him a sinner. In an article in Christianity Today, October 5, 1984, Schuller said, “I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.”
SCHULLER’S RADICAL ECUMENISM AND RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM
In 1992 Schuller founded Churches Uniting in Global Missions, which seeks “a spirit of unity that is truly Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Evangelical, and Charismatic.”
In October 1987 Schuller spoke at Jesus Day VII, in Chicago. This was a New Age Roman Catholic gathering. One of the speakers was Matthew Fox, whose new age theology is so strange that he has been disciplined by the Vatican! Fox accepts homosexuality, premarital sex, feminism, and advocates a sort of pantheism. He rejects the doctrine of hell and calls for churches to have wiccan circle dances. A witch named Starhawk is on the faculty of Fox's Holy Names College. In his speech at Jesus Day VII, Fox advocated throwing out traditional images of the historical Jesus and concentrating on “the cosmic Christ within.” Fox urged Christians to adopt traditions from ancient African and Greek religions and from nature. “You represent divinity,” Fox said. “God looks at you in the morning and sees herself. She laughs and sees her beauty.” The National & International Religion Report noted that Schuller said he did not know much about the theology of the other speakers and he warned of the dangers of subjective mysticism, but he also said that he attended the Catholic gathering because he believes the Catholic Church has the best chance at evangelizing the world in upcoming years.
In his autobiography Schuller describes a meeting with Islamic leaders and says:
“Standing before a crowd of devout Muslims with the Grand Mufti [of Jerusalem], I know that WE’RE ALL DOING GOD’S WORK TOGETHER. Standing on the edge of a new millennium, we’re laboring hand in hand to repair the breach. ... I’m dreaming a bold impossible dream: that positive-thinking believers in God will rise above the illusions that our sectarian religions have imposed on the world, and that leaders of the major faiths will rise above doctrinal idiosyncrasies, choosing not to focus on disagreements, but rather TO TRANSCEND DIVISIVE DOGMAS TO WORK TOGETHER TO BRING PEACE AND PROSPERITY AND HOPE TO THE WORLD” (My Journey, pp. 501, 502).
Schuller has featured prominent New Agers on his television program. Consider the following discerning report by former New Ager Warren Smith, author of The Light That Was Dark: A Spiritual Journey:
“On Oct. 17, 2004, more than 20 years after his first appearance on the Hour of Power, New Age leader Gerald Jampolsky was once again Robert Schuller’s featured guest. ... I was very familiar with Gerald Jampolsky. When I was exploring New Age teachings, he was the first one to introduce me to the New Age Christ and to the New Age/New Gospel teachings of A Course in Miracles. Widely reputed in New Age circles to be the closest thing to a New Age bible, A Course in Miracles taught me that ‘there is no sin,’ ‘a slain Christ has no meaning’ and ‘the recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.’ On this Hour of Power program, Schuller praised Jampolsky and recommended all of his ‘fabulous’ books--in spite of the fact that every one of them was based on the New Age teachings of ‘A Course in Miracles.’ He also stated that Jampolsky’s latest book, Forgiveness, was available in the Crystal Cathedral bookstore.
“Amazingly, Schuller had begun the year as a featured speaker at the annual convention of the National Association of Evangelicals. He was now closing the year by featuring a prominent New Age leader as his special guest. As usual, no one in Christian leadership was holding him accountable, or even seemed to care. Over the years, Schuller had obviously done a good job of softening up the church” (Warren Smith, “Rethinking Robert Schuller” WorldNetDaily, October 30, 2007).
SCHULLER EMPLOYS HEGELIAN DIALECTICS TO CREATE A NEW DOCTRINE
Schuller employs Hegelian dialectics to move from the old traditional Bible doctrinal position to a new one. It is one of the methodologies employed to bring about his “New Reformation.”
As we see in the chapter “Hegelian Dialectics,” its objective is to replace something old with something new (e.g., capitalism with communism, traditional theology with modernism, a traditional educational system with a new one, an old age with a new). It does this by challenging an existing idea (thesis) with a contradictory idea (antithesis) to combine them into something new (synthesis), and then repeating the process until the desired end is reached.
Speaking religiously and spiritually, it is an ever-evolving system that never arrives at absolute truth. All is relative and negotiable and the end justifies the means. It employs a wide range of tactics: dialogue, compromise, consensus forming, conflict resolution, divide and conquer, deceit, redefinition of words, giving new names to objectionable things, crisis creation, obfuscation (concealment of meaning by making something confusing and hard to interpret or by otherwise hiding its true meaning). It requires non-judgmentalism, tolerance, acceptance, relativism, group mentality.
It is not an innocent process. It is used by “change agents” and “facilitators of transformation.” Hegelian dialectics is “the framework for guiding our thoughts and actions into conflicts that lead us to a predetermined solution” (Niki Raapana and Nordica Friedrich, “What Is the Hegelian Dialectic?” October 2005, http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/05/dialectic.htm).
Consider how that Schuller’s January 2008 Rethink Conference employed Hegelian dialectics to further his New Age objectives of syncretizing religion and creating a new type of Christianity and ultimately a new world through the power of human potential.
The conference was “A CONVERGENCE of some of the most influential Christian and global thinkers” (Rethink Conference announcement, Oct. 15, 2007). These great thinkers were also described as “respected icons in media, politics, faith, science, business and technology.” The important fact is that they represented contradictory ideas, and their contradictory ideas were to be the stepping stones to something new. They included evangelicals such as Rick Warren’s wife, Kay, and Lee Strobel, Emerging Church leaders Erwin McManus and Dan Kimball, Evangelicals and Catholics Together proponent Charles Colson, media mogul and pornography purveyor Rupert Murdoch, and agnostic Larry King.
The Rethink Conference was clearly described in terms of the Hegelian methodology, though of course the term itself was not used. The idea of the conference was “bring all the different thoughts and ideas and create something cohesive and meaningful” (“Interview with Erwin McManus, Christian Post, Jan. 22, 2008). The process involved hearing what each speaker said in a 20-minute lecture, then to “wrestle with it, dialogue about it, agree or disagree with it--then take it a step further and make it your own” (Rethink Conference announcement, Oct. 15, 2007).
Schuller also described his Hegelian methodology in the book Don’t Throw Away Tomorrow: Living God’s Dream for Your Life:
“We need to learn the healing quality of wise compromise. ... Perhaps the only way to deal with contradictions is to combine them creatively and produce something new. That’s ingenious compromise.” (New Age leader Gerald Jampolsky’s endorsement is on the back cover of this book.)
To seek to combine contradictions into something new is Hegelian dialectics. It is a key principle of the emerging church.
If some believe that Jesus is God and others believe he was merely a great teacher, and if some believe that man is a fallen sinner separated from God and others believe he is essentially good and one with God, and if some believe that God is the Almighty who created all things but is not a part of the creation and others believe that God is the sum total of all things -- those are the old contradictions and we must move beyond such things. This is what they are saying and this is where they are heading.
From a biblical perspective this is gross disobedience to God. From a biblical perspective, compromise of doctrinal truth is only evil. The Bible claims to be the sole divine revelation that God has given mankind and we are to believe it and judge everything by it. We are to allow “no other doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:3) and we are to “earnestly content for the faith which was once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), which means we are forbidden to give contradictory doctrines any credence.
For the Bible believer, the Bible is THE infallible thesis, and every antithesis is to be rejected and no synthesis allowed!
The Bible asks rhetorically, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). The Ecumenical, New Age, Emerging Church crowd brazenly replies, “Sure, we can make that work.”
Well does the Bible describe the great departure of the faith as those who are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).
THE EVANGELICAL CONNECTION
In light of Schuller’s blatant denial of the Word of God, his false gospel, and his radical ecumenism and blatant syncretism, it is amazing to see evangelical leaders fellowshipping with him, but the record is clear.
Schuller's book Self-Esteem was endorsed by men such as Clark Pinnock of McMaster Divinity College, David Hubbard, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, and Kenneth Chafin of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Schuller was scheduled to speak at the 62nd annual meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in March 2004.
CHRISTIANITY TODAY SAYS SCHULLER NOT A HERETIC
Two years after Schuller published Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, Christianity Today editors examined Schuller's theology, and, amazingly, concluded that he is not a heretic. Consider an excerpt from an August 10, 1984, Christianity Today article by Kenneth Kantzer and Paul Fromer:
“He believes all the 'fundamental' doctrines of traditional fundamentalism. He adheres to every line of the Apostles' Creed with a tenacity born of deep conviction. ... he avowed belief in a literal hell. He was not sure about its location, and the fire is to be understood figuratively...”
This is remarkable. Sure, when Robert Schuller is questioned about his theology, he says he believes the fundamental doctrines of the Faith. Most Modernists do. What he will not admit is that he redefines the terminology of the Faith so as to produce an entirely different, and false, theology. We have seen this from his own pen. We do not need a personal interview to clarify the man's blatant apostasy!
Schuller says he believes in salvation by grace, but what he actually believes is that salvation is being rescued from poor self-esteem. He says he believes in Hell; but his hell is the loss of self-esteem, not a place of fiery eternal torment. He says he believes in sin; but sin is not willful rebellion against God and His law, but the loss of self-esteem. He says he believes in Jesus Christ; but his positive-only, “Self-Esteem Incarnate” Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Schuller says he believes everything in the Bible. That is not true. What he believes about the Bible is actually a redefined, twisted view of it. His repentance is not Bible repentance; his new birth is not Bible regeneration; his Hell, his Heaven, his Jesus, cross, his salvation is not that of the Bible. The man is an arch-heretic, a blasphemer. He has never retracted or repented of the views promoted in his book Self-Esteem.
The watchdogs at Christianity Today are blind and dumb.
EVANGELICAL LEADERS ASSOCIATE WITH MODERNIST SCHULLER
Consider a brief survey of other evangelical leaders who accept Schuller as a genuine brother in Christ:
Billy Graham has frequently appeared with and praised Schuller. In 1983, Schuller sat in the front row of distinguished guests invited to honor Graham's 65th birthday. In 1986 Schuller was invited by Graham to speak at the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Amsterdam. Other featured speakers included many of today's most prominent evangelical leaders, including Bill Bright, Leighton Ford, and Luis Palau. Schuller was featured on the platform of Graham's Atlanta Crusade in 1994.
Southern Baptist leader W.A. Criswell endorsed Schuller's ministry in 1981 in an ad in Christianity Today’s Leadership magazine. He said, “I know Dr. Schuller personally. He's my good friend. I've spoken on his platform. I'm well acquainted with his ministry. If you want to develop fruitful evangelism in your church; if you want your laity to experience positive motivation and ministry fulfilling training, then I know, without a doubt, that you will greatly benefit from the Robert Schuller Film Workshop.” A year prior to that, Criswell also endorsed a book by Schuller's mentor, self-esteem theologian Norman Vincent Peale.
On April 29, 1980, Robert Schuller appeared with popular evangelical and charismatic leaders Bill Bright, D. James Kennedy, James Robison, Jim Bakker, Rex Humbard, Pat Robertson, Pat Boone, Nicky Cruz, David du Plessis, Demos Shakarian, and Thomas Zimmerman (Assemblies of God) at the Washington for Jesus Rally. Joining them was independent Baptist pastor Jerry Falwell.
Popular author and teacher R.C. Sproul, president of Ligonier Ministries, has spoken at Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral on numerous occasions. He spoke at Schuller's church in September 21, 1984, then at John MacArthur's church three days later. Again Sproul spoke at Schuller's church in October 26, 1986, and then at MacArthur's church on October 29. This reveals the importance of practicing biblical separation. To our knowledge, John MacArthur has not personally promoted Schuller, but he has men in to speak at his church who are so spiritually blind that they work hand-in-hand with a heretic like Robert Schuller. This is a great confusion. Some would label this “second degree separation,” but that is nonsense. To separate from a man such as Sproul who is disobeying the clear commands of the Word of God to mark and avoid false teaching is not some kind of secondary separation. It is wisdom and it is obedience. At the end of Paul's second epistle to the Thessalonians he warns: “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed” (2 Thess. 3:14). The immediate context deals with those who refuse to work, but the general application is to everything which was taught in the epistle, and in other epistles as well. If we are to separate ourselves from a Christian brother who refuses to work, how much more must we separate from one who muddies the Gospel by fellowshipping with modernistic heretics and Romanists, etc.?
In October 1986 Schuller was on the council to host the Fourth Triennial Convention of the Asia Missions Association. Other men involved in this were evangelical leaders Donald McGavran, Ralph Winter, David Howard, Dale Kietzman of the World Literature Crusade, Edward Dayton of World Vision, Peter Deyneka of the Slavic Gospel Mission, Jack Frizen of the IFMA, and Wade Coggins of the EFMA.
In 1987 a survey was conducted by the National Association of Christian Psychotherapists and Counselors as to which television ministry is “the most effective in applying biblical principles to people's problems.” Robert Schuller's Hour of Power came out on top. James Dobson, president of the organization, commented: “He's not dogmatic. His message is clear and deals mainly with cognitive reconditioning. Yet he uses the Bible as his source. He comes across more as a therapist then a minister, yet his message is still very Christian in nature.” Dobson has used Schuller's endorsements in his ads (Calvary Contender, August 15, 1987).
A wide range of evangelical leaders joined hands with Robert Schuller and other heretics at the Congress '88, August 4-7, 1988, in Chicago. Allegedly a congress on evangelism, it was actually a congress on ecumenical compromise and end-times apostasy. Catholic priest Alvin Illig was one of the leaders and the opening address was brought by the Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, Joseph Bernardin. At the piano for the opening night services was Larry Shakley, minister of music at Willow Creek Community Church and band director for Moody Bible Institute's Friday Night Sing. Speakers included Charles Colson, Bill Bright, Jack Wyrtzen, Jay Kessler, and Southern Baptist Robert Hamblin. Representatives from the Navigators, Jews for Jesus, Pioneer Clubs, Moody Monthly magazine, and General Baptists delivered workshops.
In August 1991, World Vision co-sponsored an Interfaith Rally in St. Louis, Missouri, which was addressed by Robert Schuller.
Tony Campolo has frequently recommended Robert Schuller and has spoken with him on various platforms. In his book Partly Right, Campolo said: “Schuller affirms our divinity, yet does not deny our humanity ... isn't that what the gospel is? Isn't God's message to sinful humanity that He sees in each of us a divine nature of such worth that He sacrificed His own Son.”
Christianity Today, which should be titled New Evangelicalism Today, has frequently carried advertisements promoting Robert Schuller. Each year CT publishes ads for Schuller's Institute for Successful Church Leadership. This is one more evidence that popular evangelicalism today is not concerned about the truth. Doctrine is merely a game with these men. They will debate doctrine, but they will not separate on the basis of doctrine and they will not mark the heretics who promote false doctrine.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship president Stephen Hayner joined Schuller in January 1994, to participate in the Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership.
In December 1994, Schuller joined hands with a wide range of popular evangelical leaders at Campus Crusade for Christ head Bill Bright's Fast for Revival conference. Among those attending were Charles Colson, E.V. Hill, Jack Hayford, James Dobson, W.A. Criswell, Charles Stanley, Paul Crouch, Luis Palau, Bill Gothard, Pat Robertson, Jay Arthur, and Larry Burkett.
In February 1996, Robert Schuller was featured at Jerusalem Celebration 2000. Joining him for this meeting was Paul Yonggi Cho, Jack Hayford, C. Peter Wagner, among others.
In September 1996, Beverly LaHaye and Ralph Reed joined Robert Schuller for a Christian Coalition conference in Washington D.C., sponsored by cult-leader “Rev.” Sun Myung Moon.
Many of the Promise Keepers speakers and leaders are connected with Schuller. For example, John Maxwell, Jack Hayford, and Randy Phillips were among the keynote speakers at the Men's Conference '95 (March 2-4, 1995) held at Schuller's Crystal Cathedral. Schuller also spoke at the conference.
Bill Hybels of the Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago credits Schuller as an inspiration for his work, has promoted Schuller in various ads in Christianity Today, and is a frequent speaker at meetings organized by Schuller. For example, in 1996 Hybels was on the staff of Schuller's annual Institute for Successful Church Leadership. Hybels is one of the chief promoters of churches which cater to the desires of the people. He started his church by taking a survey of the community and building a “church” which would satisfy what the people wanted in a church. A Chicago sociologist said Hybels preaches a very upbeat message--”a salvationist message, but the idea is not so much being saved from the fires of hell. Rather, it's being saved from meaninglessness and aimlessness in this life. It's more of a soft-sell.” Hybels' church does not have conventional worship. It has no altar, no choir, organ, hymnals, or song books. Its music ranges from rock to jazz to country to classical. It is no wonder that Hybels would love Robert Schuller and his self-esteem message. The stranger fact is that Hybels is frequently recommended by and speaks with those who claim to be Bible based. He spoke at Dallas Seminary's 1989 Pastors Conference, for example. Hybels has also spoken at Moody Bible Institute's Founder's Week and has taught his philosophy of church growth as a faculty member of MBI's graduate school.
Schuller’s 1996 autobiography, My Soul's Adventure with God, was endorsed by Paul Crouch, Jack Hayford, John Wimber, and popular Southern Baptist leader W.A. Criswell.
Schuller received a standing ovation at the March 2004 annual convention of the National Association of Evangelicals.
Rick Warren of Purpose Driven fame has been deeply influenced by Schuller. In his last year at seminary, Warren attended Schuller’s Institute for Church Growth, and was “won over.” His wife, Kay, said, “He had a profound influence on Rick. We were captivated by his positive appeal to nonbelievers. I never looked back” (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/012/1.42.html). Warren has also spoken at Schuller’s conferences. He spoke at the Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership in 1997. And Schuller endorsed Warren’s Purpose Drive Church, saying, “I'm praying that every pastor will read this book, believe it, be prepared to stand corrected by it, and change to match its sound, scriptural wisdom. Rick Warren is the one all of us should listen to and learn from.”
On April 18, 2004, Ravi Zacharias appeared on Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power program and did not give his listeners one word of warning about his heresies.
In January 2008, Rick Warren’s wife, Kay, and other evangelicals joined Robert Schuller and a host of heretics and unbelievers at the Rethink Conference. Other evangelicals included Jay Sekulow, Henry Cloud, John Townsend, and Lee Strobel, and Charles Colson.
The fact that so many “evangelical” leaders treat Schuller as a brother in Christ is evidence of their blindness. Christ warns us not to follow blind leaders. “And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14).
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Pot-Pourri Evangelism
May 15, 2008 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -
The late James Alexander Stewart was an evangelist greatly used by God in the last generation. His evangelistic/revival crusades in Eastern Europe between the end of World War II and the fall of the Communist Iron Curtain were among the last truly Bible-based, citywide revivals in the last century. His challenging life story, I Must Tell, is available from Revival Literature, PO. Box 6068, Asheville, NC 28816.
The following sermon is taken from a chapter of Evangelist Stewart’s book entitled Evangelism. Many years ago we were given permission to reprint three chapters from this book.
The compromises of the gospel that James Stewart witnessed in evangelical Christianity were just beginning to bud during his lifetime. These messages were first written in the 1940s. Even so, the faithful evangelist did not forbear to lift his voice against them. He did not follow the New Evangelical philosophy that the evangelist should simply preach the gospel while avoiding any negative aspects of the preaching ministry such as rebuking error. Oh, that God would raise up a new generation of men with the spirit of the Charles Spurgeons and the James Stewarts of a bygone era.
The compromises that burdened the heart of Evangelist Stewart are in full bloom today. These messages are therefore more urgently needed now than when the writer was alive. May God give us ears to hear these important truths.
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Rick Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan
Updated and enlarged April 28, 2008 (first published April 29, 2005) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -
Speaking before 30,000 members and attendees of Saddleback Church at the congregation’s 25th anniversary celebration on April 17, 2005, Rick Warren announced his plan for a global vision called P.E.A.C.E.
He told the crowd, “I stand before you confidently right now and say to you that God is going to use you to change the world.”
Warren’s plan is described as nothing less than “a new reformation in Christianity and vision for a worldwide spiritual awakening in the 21st century.”
Warren wants to enlist “one billion foot soldiers” to overcome the five “global giants” of “Spiritual Emptiness, Self-serving Leadership, Poverty, Disease and ignorance (or illiteracy).”
The acronym PEACE gives the means of overcoming these giants:
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Evangelicals and Catholics Confusing the Gift of Salvation
December 3, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) -- On October 7, a group of evangelical and Catholic theologians met together in New York City and adopted an ecumenical statement entitled "The Gift of Salvation" or "Evangelicals and Catholics Together II." The statement has been circulated via the Internet and other means for the last two months, but it was formally published for the first time in Christianity Today, December 8, 1997. The evangelical signers include Bill Bright (head of Campus Crusade for Christ), Chuck Colson, Max Lucado (Church of Christ pastor, popular author, frequent speaker at Promise Keepers meetings), and J.I. Packer (Regent College, British Columbia). The statement distributed via the Internet included Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Christian Life Commission, and Bob Seiple (World Vision) as signers, but their names are omitted in Christianity Today. We assume they requested that their names be dropped, though there is no explanation given in Christianity Today.
This new ecumenical statement is an outgrowth of the original "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" declaration of March 29, 1994. It "emerged from a series of conferences convened by Charles Colson and Richard John Neuhaus."
The publication of "The Gift of Salvation" in Christianity Today is accompanied by an introduction by Timothy George, senior adviser to Christianity Today and dean of Beeson Divinity School at the Southern Baptist-supported Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. George says "The Gift of Salvation" "has been made possible by a major realignment in ecumenical discourse: the coalescence of believing Roman Catholics and faithful evangelicals who both affirm the substance of historic Christian orthodoxy against the ideology of theological pluralism that marks much mainline Protestant thought as well as avant-garde Catholic theology. Thus, for all our differences, Bible-believing evangelicals stand much closer to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger than to Bishop John Spong!" (George, "Evangelicals and Catholics Together: A New Initiative," Christianity Today, Dec. 8, 1997, p. 34).
Timothy George and the other signers of this new ecumenical initiative like to think of themselves as "faithful evangelicals," but in reality they are the blind leading the blind. A true Bible believer does not stand close either to Catholic Cardinal Ratzinger or to the modernist Spong. Neither are friends of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. To pretend that a Roman Catholic can be faithful to his "church" while at the same time affirming the biblical doctrine of justification, that salvation is strictly by faith alone through grace alone by the atonement of Christ alone without works or sacraments, is unbelievable blindness. If the Catholic theologians who signed "The Gift of Salvation" really believe this doctrine of salvation, they are commanded by the Word of God to depart from the unscriptural Catholic church with its false gospel and blasphemous claims and doctrines of devils.
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