Monday, July 31, 2006
What is the Christian's role in the world?
Rev. Gregory A. Boyd, author of Letters From a Skeptic, and local mega-church leader from Maplewood, Minnesota, is the subject of a challenging article by Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times. Woodland Hills Church lost 1,000 of its 5,000 members after Rev. Boyd preached a series of controversial sermons stating that "the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a 'Christian nation' and stop glorifying American military campaigns."
Rev. Boyd:
America wasn't founded as a theocracy. America was founded by people trying to escape theocracies. Never in history have we had a Christian theocracy where it wasn't bloody and barbaric. That's why our Constitution wisely put in a separation of church and state. I am sorry to tell you that America is not the light of the world and the hope of the world. The light of the world and the hope of the world is Jesus Christ.
Rev. Paul Eddy, professor at Bethel:
Greg is an anomaly in the megachurch world. He didn't give a whit about church leadership, never read a book about church growth. His biggest fear is that people will think that all church is is a weekend carnival, with people liking the worship, the music, his speaking, and that's it.
Read more.
Rev. Boyd:
America wasn't founded as a theocracy. America was founded by people trying to escape theocracies. Never in history have we had a Christian theocracy where it wasn't bloody and barbaric. That's why our Constitution wisely put in a separation of church and state. I am sorry to tell you that America is not the light of the world and the hope of the world. The light of the world and the hope of the world is Jesus Christ.
Rev. Paul Eddy, professor at Bethel:
Greg is an anomaly in the megachurch world. He didn't give a whit about church leadership, never read a book about church growth. His biggest fear is that people will think that all church is is a weekend carnival, with people liking the worship, the music, his speaking, and that's it.
Read more.
