Feb 12
6
In Non-essentials Charity
In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.
We have heard the motto used by several denominations, but how well have we followed it? If we could follow it, would there be a need for denominational distinctions?
But, according to some sources, there are now 20-30,000[i]versions of Christianity being practiced in America. Is it a comfort to claim that many of them are not ‘really’ Christian churches, and that others are ‘cults,’ a perversion of pure Christianity?[ii] And is it helpful to claim that there are essentially only two churches: Catholic and Protestant when there are maybe 200 versions of Catholic Christianity? And is it true that the differences among Protestant denominations are merely “latitude on how we can serve and worship” but do not violate the “basic doctrines that we must believe?”[iii]
Will the number 5,308,416 get our attention? Two, three, or four alternative views on each of seventeen theological concerns are compared by Gregory Boyd and Paul Eddy.[iv] Listed[v]are the following questions. But, which are essentian and which are not:
- Inerrancy – inerrantism versus infallibilist.
- Providence – Calvinist versus Arminian.
- Divine foreknowledge – Arminian versus Calvinist versus Open views.
- Genesis – the young earth, day-age, restoration, and literal views.
- Divine image in humanity – the substantival, functional, and relational views.
- Christology – classical versus kenotic.
- Atonement – penal substitution, Christus Victor, and moral government views.
- Salvation – TULIP versus Arminian.
- Sanctification – Lutheran, reformed, Keswick, and Wesleyan.
- Eternal security – Eternal versus conditional.
- The destiny of the unevangelized – the restrictive, universal opportunity, postmortem evangelism, and inclusive view.
- Baptism – believer’s versus infant baptism.
- The Lord’s Supper – spiritual presence versus memorial.
- Charismatic gifts – continuationism versus cessationism.
- Women in ministry – complementarian versus egalitarian.
- The millennium – premillennialism, postmillennialism, amillennialism.
- Hell – The classical view versus annihilationism.
Questions:
- Where is there room for charity?
- What is essential in Christianity?
- Who gets to decide?