A Second Personal Encounter with Theological Liberals

Prof Machen, Princeton Seminary
Great, scholarly Presbyterian
divine and antagonist to
19th-20th century
"theological liberalism."
That old "Princetonian line"
of "careful scholars" my Dad
told me.  Indeed.

A Second Personal Encounter with Theological Liberals

After last week’s stories (Penn State, SGM-debacles, and the 77^th Episcopal General Convention), we’ve been prompted to reflect on a collection of encounters with theological liberals.  That is, this is an attempt to collect and digest many personal encounters across the years with “theological liberals.”

A few notes about definitions.

Definitionally, the term “theological liberal” has some precision.  It may refer to the theological movement of the 19^th and 20^th centuries in the West.  It often included Graf-Welhausian Documentarians on Pentateuchal authorship (19^th century), Synoptic chaos on Gospel authorship (Bultmannianism, inter alia), and denials of various cardinal loci in systematic theology (e.g. Auburn Affirmation inter alia).  Or, C. H. Dodd’s accurate depiction of Pauline theology only to discover that one paragraph at the end of one book, to wit, “But of course, we can no longer believe these things.”  Much more can be said.  Much more should be said.  We are aware of the historic definition, but we proceed more in a narrative direction.

However, the current purpose is to collect, digest and “muse” on personal encounters with theological liberals and their offspring.  For the present purpose, we widen the definition of “liberal” to include absence of theological depth and rigor, to wit, doctrine doesn’t matter.  Under this sense, one might include Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, or shallow evangelical Hillbillies. 

Enough on definitions, although more could be said. But now, for another story of liberals.

Background:  People.   Two individuals, one church service, and one Navy Inspector General (IG) report are under review.

The players were Dave and Bob (true first names).  Both were Navy Chaplains serving U.S. Marines at a Protestant Chapel aboard Okinawa. 

Dave was a back-country North Carolinian with a M.Div. from a Southern Baptist Seminary.  Dave studied under the quasi-liberal SBC influences of the 1970s, before the SBC cleaned up their seminaries.  Dave had a deep accent.  Dave was simple, gregarious, and friendly.  Dave was entirely “un-theological.”  A friendly sort, he was not the brightest bulb in the room.  Dave was a LT at the time. I  knew Dave personally.

Bob had a M.Div. from some Episcopal Seminary.  Bob was from the liberal Episcopal Church (TEC).  Bob was the senior Chaplain, a Navy Captain.  I did not know Bob.

Background: The Incident.   Dave, the SBCer, was the Chaplain running the scheduled main Protestant service.  Bob, the senior, was just reporting aboard Okinawa.  Bob was not scheduled (yet) to run any services;  he had just reported into Okinawa the week of the divine service.  Old Bob hardly knew Dave yet and had never even attended ANY divine service yet.

USMC Chapel, Okinawa

Dave, the Southern Baptist, started the scheduled morning worship service.  It was a run-of-the-mill Protestant service using the hymns from the Armed Forces Hymnal.  Dave began the service.  The first hymn was being sung. The place was crowded.  The organist accompanied the singing. 

Well, well, well, well…what do we have here?

Well, well, well…Bob, the senior, appeared at the Chapel rear, the narthex area.  He was “vested upwards,” as it were, like some kind of lacey “High Episcopalian.” He had a “censer” smoking up the area.  He had enlisted religious program specialists with him.  He also had a new set of bulletins in hand.  What Bob was doing was entirely premeditated.  Old Bob, the stupid Episcopalian, was going to fix the service.

Again, the service had begun.  Dave was upfront leading the congregation.  Bob was aft of the congregants.  Get this!  Bob, the whatever-liberal-donkey, processed up the aisle, swinging the censer with smoke to the left and to the right.  He motioned the organist to stop.  The hymn was abrupted ended.  The congregation was confused and shocked.  “What’s going on?”  Big Liberal Bob announced to the crowded congregation, “Chaplain X (Dave), please stand down.  Have a seat. This censing is symbolic of cleansing and this to `cleanse this sanctuary.’  Petty Officers, please hand out the new bulletins.  We will now begin to have an `appropriate Christian service.’”  I did not witness this event.  In a court, based on this, my testimony would be hearsay and inadmissible.  However…let this be said.

However, I did read Dave’s affidavit about the event in an official IG complaint, signed by Dave upon pain of penalty of perjury.  I read the official Navy IG report which found in David’s favour.  As such, my testimony to reading Dave’s affidavit and the IG report would be admissible. Ergo, this story.

Bob, the stupid liberal Episcopalian, violated federal law.  I appended the 3-point statute from the United States Code (see below).  Here is one part that Wizard Bob violated:  10 U.S.C. § 6031: US Code - Section 6031:  “An officer in the Chaplain Corps may conduct public worship according to the manner and forms of the church of which he is a member.”  In other words, Dave as a SBC Chaplain, was legally authorized to conduct the service according to his own forms of worship.  The liberal Episcopalian had no legal basis for his action, whatsoever. The IG recommended administrative resolution (which has several meanings to those familiar with them, but that’s for another day).

Bob, the arrogant, stupid and liberal Episcopalian , was a terminal Captain.  He was an unlikely candidate for ADM.  Ergo, he thought he could abuse the junior without consequence.  Perhaps he received a written rebuke for the record. He didn’t care.  They could not fire him and he could withstand any pushback. Bob had venom towards Dave.

I actually did not, do not, and will never like Dave’s shallow SBC theology.  However, Dave had a Constitutional right and legal protection to conduct the services as he saw fit. Of course, arrogant Bob thought otherwise.

The service was stopped.  The congregation was shocked.  Dave was horrified and confused.  He ignominiously departed the nave area.  He left the nave area and walked to where his wife and children were seated.  Dave and his family walked out of the Chapel.  He told me he cried later about it (literally).  Pretty weak, but it broke his heart and seared his memory for years after.  He knew his career was in jeopardy.

The next Sunday,  Dave began an alternate Protestant service at the same time but in the base’s movie theatre (with sticky floors from the spilt sodas from the night before).  Nearly the entire congregation left and followed Dave, leaving liberal “Bob the Bozo” with a handful.

Upshot.   While the IG found for Dave, there was a disrupted relationship that ensued.  Dave did not get promoted.  Dave believed (with no hard evidence) that Big Bob had engaged in what is ignobly called the Senior Chaplain’s “telephone ministry;”  this “telephone ministry” was a long-standing joke about Senior Chaplains calling each other around the word, sharing insider stories (they had Autovon phone lines that allowed this without cost).  Dave retired after twenty years and without a further promotion.

The Points.   Here are some points.

(1)  I’m beginning to reflect on many interactions with theological liberals through the years, including leadership failures and corruptions. The Penn State matter last week prompted this.

(2)  Beneath urbane and dignified veneers, theological liberals are hostile to many, including Reformed and Confessional Churchmen.  For example, read the "comments" by theological liberals on blogs and news sites following the Episcopal GC 2012.  Venom, hostility and more; a damnable devil can smile.

(3)  Dave, the SBC, while not a self-conscious liberal, was a shallow fellow theologically.  He was liberal in the sense that doctrine didn’t matter much.  Although that was not the issue per the above, this inserted point was an interpretation made by me through subsequent conversations.  Doctrine did not matter to my back-country friend.

(4)  Bob, the liberal TEC Chaplain, had venom and hostility to others unlike him.  Bob was not alone;  I saw it in other liberals.  This was just one of many instances.

(5)  Bob was willing to break federal law.  It should be added that he violated DOD and DON laws also, mirror reflections of 10 U.S.C. § 6031.  Bob, the braying Episcopal ass, like others, was ignorant.

 (6) Don’t be fooled.  Liberalism is as highly arrogant as it is full of stupid, blind, willful, depraved and impertinent unbelief.  The cumulative weight of many stories will demonstrate this.  As noted yesterday, I suppose Isaiah or Jeremiah might not be nice to theological liberals.  Both prophets are being reviewed.

P.S.  Here is the first reflection that precipitated the inquiry:

(1) Detwiler, SGM, Mahaney, TEC, Sandusky/Penn State & Leadership Corruptions

 http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2012/07/detwiler-sgm-mahaney-tec-sanduskypenn.html

(2) A Personal Encounter with a Theological Liberal

http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2012/07/personal-encounter-with-theological.html

10 U.S.C. § 6031: US Code - Section 6031: Chaplains: divine services

(a) An officer in the Chaplain Corps may conduct public worship according to the manner and forms of the church of which he is a member.

(b) The commanders of vessels and naval activities to which chaplains are attached shall cause divine service to be performed on Sunday, whenever the weather and other circumstances allow it to be done; and it is earnestly recommended to all officers, seamen, and others in the naval service diligently to attend at every performance of the worship of Almighty God.

(c) All persons in the Navy and in the Marine Corps are enjoined to behave themselves in a reverent and becoming manner during divine service. 

The following tags are applied. Mainline Decline, Mainline Protestants, Theological Liberalism, Liberal Chaplains, Theological Education, Uneducated Ministers, Dumb Asses.