A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing - Theological Liberalism: The Classic Collection with R.C. Sproul

Summary

The speaker discusses the concept of liberalism, distinguishing between its broad cultural use and its specific theological meaning as a 19th-century movement. He critiques liberal theology for reducing Christianity to ethical teachings and misinterpreting foundational concepts like 'Father' and 'brotherhood.' The talk also examines the reaction to liberalism, known as fundamentalism, and highlights the resurgence of biblical Christianity in contrast to the decline of liberal churches.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker discusses the broad concept of liberalism, emphasizing the need to understand such categories due to their frequent and often loose use in culture.
• 🔍 The suffix –ism in 'liberalism' indicates a comprehensive set of ideas, suggesting a foundational philosophy or worldview.
• 🌱 The root 'liber' in liberalism is derived from Latin, meaning 'free,' highlighting the idea of being free thinkers, especially in the context of pursuing truth without being confined by human conventions.
• 🙏 The speaker asserts that true liberalism should not declare independence from God's authority but should seek truth with a zeal for discovering God's truth wherever it may be found.
• 🤔 The speaker criticizes a naive liberalism that fails to critically examine ideas and refuses to form convictions, referencing Erasmus and Luther's debate on skepticism and the certainty of divine truths.
• 🏛 In theology, 'liberalism' refers to a specific 19th-century movement with a defined agenda, distinct from general cultural uses of the term.
• 🌐 The 19th century saw the emergence of comparative religion, leading to an effort to find a common essence in all religions, which liberal theology attempted to identify and emphasize.
• 📉 The speaker argues that 19th-century liberal theology reduced Christianity to ethical teachings, dismissing supernatural elements as non-essential, leading to a loss of the unique aspects of Christian doctrine.
• 🛑 The speaker contends that liberalism in theology is not just a different perspective but is fundamentally anti-Christian, as it rejects the foundational principles of Christianity.
• 📉 The script describes a reaction to liberalism known as fundamentalism, which sought to preserve the essential core of Christianity against liberal reductionism.
• 🌟 The speaker concludes with optimism about the decline of liberalism and the resurgence of biblical Christianity, noting a shift towards conservative and evangelical seminaries and churches.

Q & A

What was the main topic of the lecture given by the speaker at the Episcopalian church in Charleston?

The main topic of the lecture was 'What is liberalism?', which the speaker had to address after being asked to lecture to the adult Sunday school class.

What does the suffix '-ism' attached to a word signify in terms of worldview or philosophy?

The suffix '-ism' signifies a whole cargo of ideas attached to the root, indicating a life and worldview, or a foundational philosophy, suggesting a systematic way of thinking.

What is the Latin root of the word 'liberal' and what does it mean?

The Latin root of the word 'liberal' is 'liber', which means 'free'.

How does the speaker define 'liberal' in the context of being free from human conventions and traditions?

The speaker defines 'liberal' as being able to think critically and being free from the trappings of all human conventions and traditions, with the aim of pursuing truth under the authority of God.

What is the historical definition of 'liberalism' in theology according to the speaker?

In theology, 'liberalism' refers to a specific movement with a defined agenda and theology that occurred in the 19th century in Europe, known as 19th-century liberal theology.

What was the emerging field of study in the 19th century that contributed to the development of liberal theology?

The emerging field of study was the science of comparative religion, which involved the examination of different world religions to find a common essence.

What was the essence of Christianity according to Adolph R. Harnack's popular book 'What is Christianity?'?

According to Harnack, the essence of Christianity could be reduced to two foundational concepts: the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man.

What is the speaker's critique of the concepts of 'universal fatherhood of God' and 'universal brotherhood of man'?

The speaker critiques these concepts as being a reduction of Christianity and not actually found in biblical Christianity, arguing that they obscure the unique concepts of adoption and neighborhood as taught in the Bible.

What was the reaction to 19th-century liberal theology known as 'fundamentalism'?

Fundamentalism was a strenuous reaction against liberalism, emphasizing the essential core and non-negotiables of Christianity, and was initially a response of classical Christian scholarship.

How does the speaker describe the current state of theology in relation to 19th-century liberalism?

The speaker describes the current state as the age of neo-liberalism, where the central points of 19th-century theology have triumphed in many circles, institutions, and denominations.

What is the speaker's conclusion about the impact of liberalism on Christianity and the current trend in religious institutions?

The speaker concludes that liberalism is anti-Christian at its core and has provoked a crisis in the church. However, there is a positive trend of decline in liberalism and a reemergence of biblical Christianity in growing conservative and evangelical seminaries and churches.