One Personal Engagement with a
Theological Liberal
It’s not weighty,
profound or singular, but it is “an” evening musing on “one” (of many) interactions with
theological liberals. Let me quickly give
you a quick sense of it.
Background. Years ago, while
studying at the Navy War College, Newport, RI, an opportunity to attend area
churches was present. (Through years of
service and worldwide travels, this happened often.) One Sunday, three to four
of us attended the historic First Congregational Church, Newport, RI (now with
a different name). The church had a
300-year history. It had been the church
where the famed Rev. Samuel Hopkins had been a pastor. Although not the best reference, a few quick
notes are offered at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Congregational_Church_(Newport,_Rhode_Island). Also, as an aside, Newport had some
distinctive names (e.g. Jacqueline Kennedy's halcyon homestead) and mansions on the coastline, as well as some distinctive
relationships to the American Rebellion (or War for Independence), the Un-Civil War, as well
Edwardseanism’s “New Haven Theology,” a development of Edward’s thought. On this Sunday, we attended the morning service at
this historic church in a famed Rhode Island city.
The
Service. The service was demure,
dignified, sedate, non-liturgical (in the Anglican sense of the old Book of Common Prayer), and was well
attended. I suppose that many attendees
were well-heeled and well-educated. The
exterior is per the picture. The
interior, as memory serves, was dark with mahogany pews and other church
furnishings. It was rather dark in the
interior. The sermon was—well—rather unremarkable,
irrelevant, un-theological, and un-impressive.
As a Westminster Confessionalist who had read rather widely, I took the Reverend
for a theological liberal, rightly or wrongly. Following the service, the Reverend invited us
to attend their post-service get-together at the yacht club. We went. It was a dignified affair in an outside setting near the piers at tables with umbrellas with
light refreshments and a few glasses of wine. "Charming, Ridgely." (Go ahead and laugh, but my classmate and shipmate's last name was "Ridgely," a fellow Westminster man and Confessionalist (PCA) who was reared as an Episcopalian, a delightful friend.)
After
the Service. During
the course of a charming and dignified affair at the yacht club, the Reverend
and I chatted. Rather sedately and as an
aside, I said, “Well, theological liberals and Confessional Churchmen have a
different vision and version of the Divine Being.” Holy moly! The Reverend was highly offended. He
proceeded to chastise me in gentlemanly tones, but, unmistakably, with high
dudgeon. Although this was stated by me as
a matter of fact rather than an averment of contention or rebuke, he took
offense. I quietly took my chastisement
without further ado or rebuttal. (By the way, the rebuttal was unremarkable, untheological, and, frankly, a bit churlish.) So, the
conversation was steered to less stormy waters for the sake of the poor Reverend's blood pressure. The Reverend apparently was not used to heavy seas. Rather, we were there to enjoy and learn about and
from these people…and we did too. So what?
The
Points. Here
are the points.
(1) I’m beginning to reflect on varied interactions
with theological liberals through the years.
This was just one interaction and I’ve had many.
(2) I’m beginning to reflect on leadership
failures and corruptions. The Penn State matter last week prompted the musings.
(3) Beneath the well-polished, urbane, and
dignified veneer, theological liberals are hostile to Reformed and Confessional
Churchmen. Read the "comments," for example, by many theological liberals on blogs and news sites following the Episcopal GC 2012. Venom, hostility and more.
(4) Don’t be fooled, that’s how liberalism
developed and advanced their views. They
weren’t nice about things. I suppose Isaiah or Jeremiah might not be nice to theological liberals. Now that's a point worth evaluating.
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