Today’s theologians, teachers, prophets, the “anointed”, all lack the discipline it takes to be tested. As a matter of fact, when questioned, catch phrases like “I have learned from Ya, or, God told me” quickly rise to the surface. Here we were, chatting like grown-ups, and you drop the G-bomb on us.
Facebook has been an interesting addition to our theology; just about anyone with Internet access and a Facebook account can now gain audience to the World Wide Web. Multitudes of bloggers have also hit the web, causing an information highway so crowded with misinformation (and no apparent off-ramps) that navigating the course is highly suspect at best, dangerous for sure.
It was not my love for theology that prompted me to write on this subject. It was an article on Facebook posted by a man concerning the subject of the Humanity of Jesus. The article is an attempt to bridge Kabbalistic teachings to how Jesus can’t be God, or equal with God. The author seems surprised that Christians are not taking to his teachings or find offense at them. There truly are not any links between Kabbalistic thought and Jesus directly. The Divinity of Jesus is a cornerstone element to the Christian faith practice and is up to the adherents to determine.
I will say that his materials and presentation (video series on YouTube) are very well done. But that is not really about theology. It is a really good sales job. He moves between using the Greek (when the Greek makes his case), Hebrew (when using Hebrew helps his case) and as needed, the old “pull out the New Testament and quote Paul”, but alas, he engages Paul only when Paul helps.
When you consider his teachings, in the end, it appears as very cool and classy revision of the Gnostic teachings on the subject. There is a way to package your materials that will give them the appearance of cool and modern, but in the end, they prove out to be rehashed and unproven ideas. Moving forward, I want to point out there are three types of these theologians, all dangerous in their own way and how to spot them.
Bridge Theologians:
Bridge Theology takes a run at an already accepted type or teaching, parallels it, then bridges across to make their claims look, smell and even act like an accepted theology. Bridge theologians must maintain a sense of connection with the past, but still have a hint of “modernity” about them. Quick to please and hardly ever in it for a fight, bridge theologians present the “new and improved” and explain that to be relevant in today’s world and culture, we must shape our teachings and approach to the culture around us. What bridge theologians fail to see is that the bridge they are building leads out of the church and not into it.
Destination Theologians:
Most common of the theologians, destination theology starts with an idea and relentlessly builds and builds on it until the connection is made. This is the shabbiest and most deluded theology we have in our faith today. An example of this is the several theological trash heaps of dating the return of Christ. Add seven here, take away forty here, divided by the year that Israel became a nation, minus the anti-Christ’s birthday and bam… you got it! Despite the fact that is has never added up and for sure, never happened, these destination theologians still reign supreme at your local Christian book store.
Seriously, that whole thing Jesus said about “no man knows the hour of his return except the Father alone”, we all know just doesn’t sell books.
Fascination Theologians:
“Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere”.
You had me at hello. Fascination Theologians feed off the general state of Christians today that don’t know their Bibles, don’t submit to leadership and go to the church or gathering that best fits their music needs. Most Christians today could actually be convinced that the Dali Lama is in fact, a llama.
The people clamor for a new story, or at the very least, a story with a better ending. We all get that Jesus had to die, but why do we? Can’t this story end better for us; after all, it is all about us, right? Fascination theology sees your bet and raises you five. Why settle for a story so old you have to blow the dust off it to use it? Can’t there be a more mysterious and creative “best version of me now” with a huge helping of “God knows its not my fault” and for desert lets drink the “I’m ok, you’re Ok, we are all ok” Kool-Aid. (I can’t believe I had to auto-correct Kool-Aid, couldn’t remember how to spell it)
Here are some simple measuring tools to view different types of teachers and theologians:
Who did they study under, did they finish their studies? I see a lot of lone rangers riding herd out there, professing all kinds of height, but when pressed, there is no depth.
Who keeps them in check, who do they submit to? Again, a good theologian or good teacher keeps his teachings and thoughts available for criticism, accountability and growth.
If I didn’t know what they were teaching, if I never heard it, would it impact the simple message that God loves me, Jesus died for me, and I am to love others as God loves me. Do all the theologies being spewed today offer any hope to the needy, the poor, and the disenfranchised or in the end, is all about selling a book, a seminar or YouTube video?
Not meaning to sound like a downer, but we owe it to Jesus to stop drowning His message out with bridge, destination and fascination theology and take His commands in the New Testament to heart. Greater love has no man than this, that he lays down his life… Or is this message better stated: “Greater love has no man than this, that he lays down his doctrines and teachings to upright the ship of misinformed teachers.”
As for me, I am just one voice hoping to shine a light to the path to returning to the words, actions and commands of Jesus. Maybe you are one voice too…
David Fournier Rev. Dr.
Centre for Hebraic Insights
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