Now that I’m back in Cincinnati, I’ve resumed gathering with the Grassroots Missional Community. It’s a great group of friends, and we get together once a week for dinner, reading from the Scriptures, worship, and fellowship (basically hanging out; tonight fellowship consisted of a visit to the Beer Cellar barge on the River). Some have called the Grassroots a cult. I can see why at times. Each member has the same translation of the Bible (not due to any conspiracy, but because they ordered them in bulk), and because they are very set doctrinally in their beliefs.
Doctrinally, Grassroots is drenched in Calvinism. C.C.U. is affiliated with Church of Christ, which has some doctrines that are vastly different from Calvinism. Because of this, there often occurs some sort of snide remark regarding the school and the professors (remarks which I try to avoid). We talked about Romans 5.12-21 this evening. My view on that passage will be posted tomorrow. Needless to say, I disagreed immensely with them. I didn’t voice my disagreements, however. Why? Because I didn’t want to be a hinder to the conversation, which was producing great fruit in application (and also because it was boiling hot in the 3rd-floor apartment, and I desperately wanted to get outside as quickly as possible). When it comes to doctrinal disagreements, I take the words of John Locke to heart: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, love.”
I don’t make an effort to share my differing views when the subject is something non-consequential when all is said and done. The point is because it is better not to give opportunity for divisions when being quiet, without compromising the integrity of the gospel, will have no ill effects. But because of my disagreements, whether spoken or unspoken, I have been accused (more than once) of just submitting blindly to the teachings of C.C.U. and not exploring the Bible for myself. I always emphasize that the views I hold I hold because I have searched the scriptures and been convinced of them; and there are many things which I am taught at C.C.U. that I hotly disagree with. Perhaps I should say, “Isn’t it strange that when I hold a viewpoint or perspective that is not in accordance with the majority, I am accused of submitting to what I am taught; but when I hold a viewpoint or perspective that is in accordance with the majority, I am praised for studying the scriptures for myself?” It is quite the irony. I know I don’t know everything, and when it comes to the scriptures, my viewpoints and perspectives change as I gather more information. I think that is healthier than just submitting to a certain dogma, interpreting everything through that lens, and accusing anyone who disagrees with me of being a heretic.
I don’t make an effort to share my differing views when the subject is something non-consequential when all is said and done. The point is because it is better not to give opportunity for divisions when being quiet, without compromising the integrity of the gospel, will have no ill effects. But because of my disagreements, whether spoken or unspoken, I have been accused (more than once) of just submitting blindly to the teachings of C.C.U. and not exploring the Bible for myself. I always emphasize that the views I hold I hold because I have searched the scriptures and been convinced of them; and there are many things which I am taught at C.C.U. that I hotly disagree with. Perhaps I should say, “Isn’t it strange that when I hold a viewpoint or perspective that is not in accordance with the majority, I am accused of submitting to what I am taught; but when I hold a viewpoint or perspective that is in accordance with the majority, I am praised for studying the scriptures for myself?” It is quite the irony. I know I don’t know everything, and when it comes to the scriptures, my viewpoints and perspectives change as I gather more information. I think that is healthier than just submitting to a certain dogma, interpreting everything through that lens, and accusing anyone who disagrees with me of being a heretic.
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