Seasons of Ideas: What Is The Church Thinking?! Pt.2

Introduction

https://founders.org/2020/02/03/critical-race-theory-intersectionality-and-the-gospel/

A departure from the concept of fact as truth.

Talking, idea-making, “conversations,” are all true.

Truth itself is to removed from vocabulary.

A departure from the concept of truth as vital.

If we can remove “truth,” then the value of it is gone as well.

Therefore, we must replace the concept of “truth” with other concepts.

A departure from the concept of the vitality of truth as the lifeblood of the church.

If truth is removed, and its vitality is replaced with other concepts based upon conversation, then the CONVERSATION becomes the lifeblood of the church.

Once that occurs, the church dies.

History

The introduction of, and dominance of, “reason” as king of all thought, initiated a secular abandonment from the Bible.

How?

By reason, man became “king” in his own eyes.

By reason, man can become enlightened and can establish his OWN thought as to origins, righteousness, and justice.

Biblical Studies:

Introduction to the Pentateuch Chapter 2: Who Wrote It? Problems of Composition

Here was an early example of the historical-critical method which was to play a crucial part in later, especially nineteenth-century, critical discussion.

1700’s -

Introduction to the Pentateuch Chapter 2: Who Wrote It? Problems of Composition

For although it may be true that recent scholars have succeeded in exposing many of the errors of earlier critics, it must be admitted that as far as assured results are concerned we are no nearer to certainty than when critical study of the Pentateuch began. There is at the present moment no consensus whatever about when, why, how, and through whom the Pentateuch reached its present form, and opinions about the dates of composition of its various parts differ by more than five hundred years

Introduction to the Pentateuch Chapter 2: Who Wrote It? Problems of Composition

Johann Gottfried Eichhorn in his introduction to the Old Testament (1780–1783) took up and developed Astruc’s approach. He pointed to further stylistic distinctions between the two sources (or “strands”) in Genesis, the “Yahwistic” and the “Elohistic” (subsequently dubbed “J,” from the German spelling Jahve, and “E,” respectively). A further refinement to the theory was made by Karl David Ilgen, who in 1798 anticipated later critical study by arguing that there are in fact not one but two distinct Elohistic sources, so making three sources in all.

1800’s -

Introduction to the Pentateuch Chapter 2: Who Wrote It? Problems of Composition

This dating of Deuteronomy was to become the cornerstone of the “new documentary hypothesis” generally associated with the name of Julius Wellhausen, but which owed much to his predecessors, especially Eduard Reuss, Hermann Hupfeld, Abraham Kuenen, and Karl Heinrich Graf.

1900’s -

Introduction to the Pentateuch Chapter 2: Who Wrote It? Problems of Composition

Gunkel was thus not only the first “form critic”; he was also the first “tradition critic.” He did not abandon the Documentary Hypothesis. Rather, Gunkel attempted to trace the gradual combination of the individual stories—especially those concerning the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob—into “circles of Sagen” and their eventual collection in written form by the authors of J and E. This “history of traditions” method was subsequently extended and applied to the whole narrative tradition of the Pentateuch by other scholars, notably Hugo Gressmann.

The idea ran as such: (cited from https://petroskoutoupis.com/lib/Chapter1DocumentaryHyp.pdf accessed 08/08/2021

“The city of Ephrath was not known as “Bethlehem” until much later. These three words: ~xl tyb awh (hīw’ bēyt lāḥem) were obviously written by someone other than Moses. Granted, we are only speaking of three words, but if three words from the Pentateuch can be written by someone other than Moses, then why not six words or one hundred words?” p.8

“The two founding fathers of the Source Hypothesis helped create the direction towards which future research was moving. By 1948, the Source Hypothesis had evolved, and Martin Noth’s work attracted widespread attention to the traditions hidden within the scriptures. In his originally German book, History of Pentateuchal Traditions, Noth formulates and identifies all of E, J and P found within the Pentateuch. To this day, many scholars base their tradition-historical research on the works of Noth.” p.10

In the early 1900’s, men began to rise up and confront these theories of literary origins.

The process of “reason” towards the documents of the Bible grew into a rejection of any reference in the Bible of what is supernatural, miraculous, or divine.

The result of this would lead to a very diluted Bible and dead faith.

“In the sphere of religion, in particular, the present time is a time of conflict; the great redemptive religion which has always been known as Christianity is battling against a totally diverse type of religious belief, which is only the more destructive of the Christian faith because it makes use of traditional Christian terminology. This modern non-redemptive religion is called "modernism" or "liberalism.”” J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism (New York; MacMillan and Sons, 1923), pp.4-5. cited in https://www.extremetheology.com/files/MachenLiberalism.pdf 08/08/2021

Men like Drs. John Broadus, A.T. Robertson, Dr. J. Gresham Machen, and others, stood up against this assault on the text of Scripture.

The result of the “Modernism” of their day, is the influence of it on the “scholarship” of Christianity.

POINT:

Simultaneous to this movement in the church was an even more “critical” movement in the world.

There was a movement of philosophy also coming from Germany by men such as:

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hegel/)

“Dialectics” is a term used to describe a method of philosophical argument that involves some sort of contradictory process between opposing sides. In what is perhaps the most classic version of “dialectics”, the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato (see entry on Plato), for instance, presented his philosophical argument as a back-and-forth dialogue or debate, generally between the character of Socrates, on one side, and some person or group of people to whom Socrates was talking (his interlocutors), on the other.

Immanuel Kant (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/)

The fundamental idea of Kant’s “critical philosophy” – especially in his three Critiques: the Critique of Pure Reason (1781, 1787), the Critique of Practical Reason (1788), and the Critique of the Power of Judgment (1790) – is human autonomy. He argues that the human understanding is the source of the general laws of nature that structure all our experience; and that human reason gives itself the moral law, which is our basis for belief in God, freedom, and immortality.

Enlightenment is about thinking for oneself rather than letting others think for you, according to What is Enlightenment? (8:35). In this essay, Kant also expresses the Enlightenment faith in the inevitability of progress. A few independent thinkers will gradually inspire a broader cultural movement, which ultimately will lead to greater freedom of action and governmental reform. A culture of enlightenment is “almost inevitable” if only there is “freedom to make public use of one’s reason in all matters” (8:36).

Herbert Marcuse

The Frankfurt School has had an enormous impact on philosophy as well as social and political theory in the United States and around the world. In the 1960s Marcuse ascended to prominence and became one of the best known philosophers and social theorists in the world. He was often referred to as the Guru of the New Left (a title which he rejected). During the late 1970s through the 1990s, Marcuse’s popularity began to wane as he was eclipsed by second and third generation critical theorists, postmodernism, Rawlsian liberalism, and his former colleagues Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin. In recent years there has been a new surge of interest in Marcuse.

What is the point?

Colossians 1:15–23 NASB95

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Colossians 2:1–12 NASB95

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Ephesians 2:1–3 NASB95

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

1 John 5:19–21 NASB95

19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Conclusion

History

Influence

Teaching

World

Church