The follow excerpt is from Christianity and Liberalism, published in 1923.
The truth is that the materialistic paternalism of the present day if allowed to go unchecked, will rapidly make of America one huge “Main Street,” where spiritual adventure will be discouraged and democracy will be regarded as consisting in the reduction of all mankind to the proportions of the narrowest and least gifted of the citizens. God grant that there may come a reaction, and that the great principles of Anglo-Saxon liberty may be rediscovered before it is too late! But whatever solution be found for the educational and social problems of our own country, a lamentable condition must be detected in the world at large. It cannot be denied that great men are few or non-existent, and that there has been a general contracting of the area of personal life. Material betterment has gone hand in hand with spiritual decline.
Such a condition of the world ought to cause the choice between modernism and traditionalism, liberalism and conservatism, to be approached without any of the prejudice which is too often displayed. In view of the lamentable defects of modern life, a type of religion certainly should not be commended simply because it is modern or condemned simply because it is old. On the contrary, the condition of mankind is such that one may well ask what it is that made the men of past generations so great and the men of the present generation so small. In the midst of all the material achievements of modern life, one may well ask the question whether in gaining the whole world we have not lost our own soul. Are we forever condemned to live the sordid life of utilitarianism? Or is there some lost secret which if rediscovered will restore to mankind something of the glories of the past?
Such a secret the writer of this little book would discover in the Christian religion. But the Christian religion which is meant is certainly not the religion of the modern liberal Church, but a message of divine grace, almost forgotten now, as it was in the middle ages, but destined to burst forth once more in God’s good time, in a new Reformation, and bring light and freedom to mankind. What that message is can be made clear, as is the case with all definition, only by way of exclusion, by way of contrast. In setting forth the current liberalism, now almost dominant in the Church, over against Christianity, we are animated therefore, by no merely negative or polemic purpose; on the contrary, by showing what Christianity is not we hope to be able to show what Christianity is, in order that men may be led to turn from the weak and beggarly elements and have recourse again to the grace of God.
On January 16-17, 2009, Westminster Seminary California will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth with the the conference, “Calvin’s Legacy: Reforming the Church Today.” Speakers include: Robert Godfrey, Michael Horton, Scott Clark, Steven Baugh, and Hywel Jones. Register by December 1, in order to receive the Early Bird Rate of $45. Seriously, what could be better than soaking up Calvin’s theology in San Diego in January? Leave the parka at home.
Lord willing, Geneva Redux will offer a live blog of the conference with posts covering each session. So even if you cannot make it to Escondido, check in frequently to feel like you are there.
This excerpt comes from Christianity and Liberalism, published in 1923. Machen was considered an expert in the field of education, even testifying before Congress concerning the forming of a federal department of education.
Defender of Liberty
When one considers what the public schools of America in many places already are – their materialism, their discouragement of any sustained intellectual effort, their encouragement of the dangerous pseudo-scientific fads of experimental psychology – one can be appalled by the thought of a commonwealth in which there is no escape from such a soul-killing system. But the principle of such laws and their ultimate tendency are far worse than the immediate results. A public-school system, in itself, is indeed of enormous benefit to the race. But it of benefit only if it is kept healthy at every moment by the absolutely free possibility of the competition of private schools. A public-school system, if it means the providing of free education for those who desire it, is a noteworthy and beneficent achievement of modern times; but when it becomes monopolistic it is the most perfect instrument of tyranny which has yet been devised. Freedom of thought in the middle ages was combated by the Inquisition, but the modern method is far more effective. Place the lives of children in their formative years, despite the convictions of their parents, under the intimate control of experts appointed by the state, force them to attend schools where the higher aspirations of humanity are crushed out, and where the mind is filled with the materialism of the day, and it is difficult to see how even the remnants of liberty can subsist. Such a tyranny, supported as it is by a perverse technique used as the instrument in destroying human souls is certainly far more dangerous than the crude tyrannies of the past, which despite their weapons of fire and sword permitted thought at least to be free.
Dr. Michael Horton, professor/pastor/author/busiest guy I know, will be preaching at OURC this Lord’s Day. If you are in the area, come by and worship the Triune God with us. Here he is speaking about his latest book, Christless Christianity.
In the Dutch Reformed tradition (URCNA), our pastors and elders are required to visit church members in their homes at least once per year. In larger churches, this is usually done by an elder who is assigned to care for a certain number of families. Due to the relatively small size of the church where I am a member, Oceanside United Reformed Church, our pastor, Reverend Danny Hyde, usually makes the visits himself, often assisted by another pastor or elder. This personal act of being in the church members’ homes and caring for their spiritual needs builds much closeness between the pastors/elders and the congregation. It is one thing to say hello in passing on a Sunday, or even have a quick conversation after church. It is another thing entirely to have your pastor in your home, fellowshiping around a table, conversing about spiritual matters.
Before my pastor’s first visit to my home, I presumed that he cared for my wife and me and probably prayed for me. He may have even thought about my spiritual growth once or twice. But after he visited me in my home, I now have deep confidence that he cares for my soul and is very much concerned with my spiritual development. He takes his role as shepherd very seriously and knows that he is accountable before God for those under his care.
The churches that I had attended in the past were not this way. I have been a member of a couple of Evangelical mega-churches, where the senior pastors had no idea who I was. How could they with congregations of over 5,000? If I missed a Sunday, no one noticed. Sunday School was where the members were supposed to be cared for. However, my Sunday School class was over 250 people. My Sunday School pastor knew who I was, but he was so overworked running countless different ministries that he did not notice when I moved away. It was not until I joined a new church that the leadership knew that I was gone. I do not blame the pastors, they are all fine men, it is the system that is flawed.
Huge mega-churches are not conducive to shepherding people. The pastors are trying to juggle fifty different projects at once, while caring for hundreds of people, many of whom live far away. The congregations of these churches are always very transient, with lots of turnover. Many people who attend these churches eventually leave and drop out of church altogether because they feel forgotten. Does anybody really care about me as long as there is someone else to fill my seat the next week?
My pastor knows my name; he knows where I live; and he knows what I look like across a kitchen table. I know the same things about him. If you are a member of a church and are not being shepherded, find a Reformed church where the pastor will care for your soul. Believe me, there is great comfort in this.
Pastor Ed Young is leading his entire church in a program to have sex for 7 days in a row as a way to grow intimacy in marriage. And we wonder why unbelievers think that Evangelicalism is a joke. This is exactly what Michael Horton is talking about in Christless Christianity. When will these guys learn that preaching the gospel is enough?
King of the Hill understands Evangelicalism better than Christianity Today. This is what many non-Christians think of the movement. How sad that Evangelicalism has become a punchline. The people in this movement need to stop smelling their own feet (i.e. only talking about who is and who is not Evangelical, only being concerned with the history of Evangelicalism and not historic christianity, and in general only caring about all things Evangelical). Evangelicalism must drop its narcissism, get over itself, and start preaching the gospel.
The following excerpt was given to me by D. G. Hart. I am unsure at to the details of its original publication.
Tolerance, moreover, means not merely tolerance for that which we are agreed but also tolerance for that to which we are most thoroughly opposed. A few years ago there was passed in New York the abominable Lusk Law requiring private teachers in any subjects whatever to obtain a state license. It was aimed, I believe, at the Socialists, and primarily at the Rand School in New York City. Now certainly I have no sympathy with Socialism. Because of its hostility to freedom it seems to me to be just about the darkest thought that has ever entered the mind of man. But certainly such opposition to Socialism did not temper in the slightest degree my opposition to that preposterous law. Tolerance, to me, does not mean merely tolerance for what I hold to be good, but also tolerance for what I hold to be abominably bad. (1923).
I am for my part an inveterate propagandist; but the same right of propaganda which I desire for myself I want to see also in the possession of others. What absurdities are uttered in the name of pseudo-Americanism today! People object to the Roman Catholics, for example, because they engage in “propaganda.” But why should they not engage in propaganda? And how would we have any respect for them, if holding the view which they do hold, that outside of the Roman Catholic Church there is no salvation, they did not engage in propaganda first, last and all the time. Clearly they have a right to do so, and clearly we have a right to do the same. (1923).
People are excited in southern Nepal, because they believe to be witnessing the reincarnation of Buddha. An eighteen-year old boy has emerged from the jungle after much time in meditation, all the while without food and water. Previously, he had sat with his legs crossed and eyes closed for about ten months, again without food and water. Apparently for some, this is enough proof that he is Buddha. Many have flocked to the town of Nijgadh to be blessed by him. One man said, “Since many people are walking to see him, I think he has some of the qualities Lord Buddha had.” Read about here.
I’m trying to figure out the logic. Because many people are willing to do irrational things just to see a person, that makes him the Buddha? Sounds good to me. Why isn’t Joel Osteen the Buddha? Many people flock to see him for no apparent reason. I guess Joel should trying growing out his hair.
This is what separates Christianity from every other religion: our leader rose from the dead. Jesus Christ does not need to be reincarnated because he is alive. So instead of looking for a new Buddha or a new Dalai Lama, look to the Scriptures and find the Risen Christ
Recently, many leading dispensationalist scholars met at Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA, for a council on biblical hermeneutics. I find it odd that men who do not believe in presbyterian form of church government would hold a council. Over whom does this council have authority? As usual with the dispensationalists, the authority is in the individual, whether it be his personal interpretation of the text or his adherence to the decisions of this council concerning interpretation. The council promoted Enlightenment-based hermeneutics while rejecting elements such as speech act theory. They also demonstrated a misunderstanding of illocution. It is amazing that dispensationalists are too modern for a redemptive-historical hermeneutic and yet not modern (or post-modern) enough for speech act theory, which has been utilized by Reformed theologians, such as Michael Horton, to advance orthodox theology. Read about the conference here. Read about dispensational hermeneutics here.
The truth is that the materialistic paternalism of the present day if allowed to go unchecked, will rapidly make of America one huge “Main Street,” where spiritual adventure will be discouraged and democracy will be regarded as consisting in the reduction of all mankind to the proportions of the narrowest and least gifted of the citizens. God grant that there may come a reaction, and that the great principles of Anglo-Saxon liberty may be rediscovered before it is too late! But whatever solution be found for the educational and social problems of our own country, a lamentable condition must be detected in the world at large. It cannot be denied that great men are few or non-existent, and that there has been a general contracting of the area of personal life. Material betterment has gone hand in hand with spiritual decline. 
