At Baptist News Global North Carolina Baptist pastor writes about the issue of authoritarianism in Baptist culture and evangelicalism. Its an interesting read to check out.
“Authority poisons everybody who takes authority on himself.”
Vladimir Lenin
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
Isiah 43:11-12 NIV
Chicago
Over at Baptist News Global recently they had a fascinating article about the issue of authoritarianism and Baptist culture. Authoritarianism is an issue you see today not just inside evangelicalism but the world stage as well. From the White House to Poland r the Philippines authoritarianism has replaced the rule of law and became the culture. Inside evangelicalism you have the Southern Baptist take over which was very authoritarian. Then you also have the New Calvinist movement which is very authoritarian. People like Mark Driscoll, Mark Dever, C.J. Mahaney and others are all very autocratic. Even in the EFCA some of the churches I have written about in Elverson Pennsylvania or Blairstown, New Jersey dealt with autocratic leaders. Stephen Shoemaker a Baptist pastor in North Carolina writes about all this in, “Baptists and the rising tide of authoritarianism.” If you have a few minutes this is a good read about a major issue currently inside evangelicalism.
Christians seem to be as madly deeply in LOVE with Dictators as Bella was with Edward.
Look at a lot of their concepts of Who God Is — the Ultimate Cosmic-level Dictator. Infinte Ego with Omnipotent POWER to Punish and Destroy. And they get to be his Inner Ring, sitting at His Right and Left Hand. (And since God is kinda difficult to get to physically, they’ll settle for a mortal stand-in. As long as he Holds the Whip of Razor Wire and uses it upon anyone they don’t like.)
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