I have taught mythology and world religion about 60 times in various locations. I enjoy teaching it in the classroom because of the opportunities to challenge critical thinking. When we covered Creation and the Flood, I did not argue evidence, but pointed out all the data was there, a given as the Latin name declares (datum, from give; data, plural of datum).
When I view the Grand Canyon, I see the Flood's impact, while the evolutionists see millions of years of gradual erosion. I noticed that our guide at the Grand Canyon favored flooding, and conceded that opinions among scientists had shifted in that direction.
Denominational differences can be understood best from the philosophical assumptions behind them. Those assumptions are often articulated, but seldom challenged within the group.
Roman Catholic
For example, in Roman Catholicism, the study of Medieval philosophy is extremely important, so modern philosophy is also a major interest. Roman Catholics define their beliefs their philosophy and know relatively little about the Bible.
Roman Catholic theologians address all issues through modern philosophy, even if they use the popular terms of the past.
Luther knew Medieval philosophy so well that he could argue their case and defeat them with their own terminology and understanding, but he did not rely on philosophy to teach Christian doctrine. Unlike anyone else in church history, he explained the Bible comprehensively. His assumptions came from the Scriptures -
1. The Word of God is forever united with the Holy Spirit and therefore always efficacious.
2. God's grace comes to us only through the Means of Grace.
3. No one is forgiven apart from faith in Christ.
Calvin
Calvin was trained as a lawyer (as Luther was) but did not study theology, except on his own. Luther earned a doctorate in Biblical studies from a Catholic university, which may explain why Lutherans today refuse to study the Reformer.
Calvin combined human reason with his exposition of the Bible, so there is a vast difference between Calvin and Luther on the same topics, such as the Sacraments. In addition, Calvin clearly separated the work of the Holy Spirit from the Word, as I have shown previously. That is why I was appalled at Lutheran pastors using Calvin's Commentaries. Calvin should be studied, but the problem is becoming used to the wrong assumptions.
Universal Objective Justification Assumptions
The only way to get at the toxicity of UOJ is to examine the assumptions. Several foundations stones are pathetic:
- Walther is the greatest theologian ever, the American Luther (as long as no one reads Luther).
- The 1932 Brief Statement of the LCMS is the ultimate guide on all matters, but only cited for UOJ.
- UOJ is Luther's Chief Article of the Christian Faith - the Master and Prince.
UOJ Rationalistic Concepts
Their argumentation reveals additional assumptions, which are goldmines of rationalism - fool's good, of course.
1. If Christ died for the sins of the world, then the entire world has been declared justified, forgiven, and saved - without faith, without the efficacious Word, without the Means of Grace. That must be true, because how could it be otherwise? If you deny this, you are against the Gospel.
2. If you assert that we are justified by faith, then your faith is in faith itself. This creates a false, personal basis for forgiveness.
3. The Gospel is the concept of all people being declared forgiven, even before they are born. True Christian faith is trust in this universal, faith-free, Word-absent, forgiveness of sin. The more it is taught that Hottentots and cannibals are saved without faith, the more glorious the Gospel appears.
UOJ Excuses Immorality, Hardens the Heart, and Drives People Crazy
Needless to say, with everyone forgiven before birth, nothing is off-limits. No wonder the Lutheran leaders can robe up after protecting clergy-criminals, becoming clergy criminals themselves by obstructing justice, lying to the court, and threatening the innocent with blackmail.
The more someone teaches this false Gospel, the harder his heart becomes - not unlike the ELCA professors of the Bible who spend their careers explaining that Jesus was a bastard child of a Roman soldier, an ordinary man, and dead forever - but WOW the Easter faith of the disciples. The SynCons imagine they are above and beyond this, but their gambits are simply another version.
Evidence abounds about the crazed behavior of the UOJ corps.
