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3.3 Statements of Faith
Twin Errors: Theological Liberalism & Theological Fundamentalism:
- The error of theological liberalism is a basic disrespect for biblical authority and the church’s treasury of truth. The mark of true liberalism is the refusal to admit that first-order theological issues even exist. Liberals treat first-order doctrines as if they were merely third order in importance, and doctrinal ambiguity is the inevitable result.
- Fundamentalism, on the other hand, tends toward the opposite error. The misjudgment of true fundamentalism is the belief that all disagreements concern first-order doctrines. Thus, third-order issues are raised to a first-order importance, and Christians are wrongly and harmfully divided.
How can Pentecostals guard against falling into either of these two errors? Reflect in a paragraph.
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23 Replies
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To guard against theological liberalism and fundamentalism, Pentecostals can:
1. Prioritize biblical authority and core doctrines.
2. Discern between primary and secondary issues.
3. Foster respectful dialogue and understanding.
4. Emphasize unity in essential doctrines while allowing diversity on non-essential matters.
By striking this balance, Pentecostals can maintain doctrinal integrity while promoting unity and cooperation within the body of Christ. This approach enables them to navigate complex theological issues with wisdom and discernment.
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I think having the courage to have dialogue, and then even publish something like the Narrative Commentary can help Pentecostals avoid the twin errors of Theological Liberalism & Theological Fundamentalism. A simple appeal to scripture is often not enough, and most of these errors can pinpoint a scripture to support their liberal or fundamentalist approach. There must be something greater; perhaps risky, but the unity of shared experience in and with the Spirit of Truth. Of course all sides will claim He is inspiring their position, but fruit will be evident, and that fruit is often relational, discovered in dialogue or the lack thereof, and centres around the centrality of Christ not just as the Truth, but as the Way and the Life too. Knowing him this way keeps us grounded. He is not our truth if he is not also the Way and the Life. Ongoing dialogue, ongoing attempts to proactively listen, but to aggressively maintain the unity of the Spirit (of Truth) in the bonds of peace will help. A lot of errors happen around wounds, rejection, and reactions to something or someone, whereas love rejoices in the Truth!
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I believe Pentecostals guard against falling into either theological errors by keeping in the forefront of our minds what is fundamental and what is secondary. After reading our statements of faith, I would suggest separating dogma from doctrine, doctrine from personal preference, and personal preference from personal opinion. What makes us Pentecostal is that we believe that we can still be baptized in the Holy Spirit today. There are far too many divisions in the global church today. Let’s work at bridging some of the chasms by focussing on the fundamentals of our faith.
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The Pentecostals can guard against these two errors by stay true and steadfast to the word or God. We can navigate through these situations with open dialog and agree to disagree.
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