The teacher was talking to the adult Sunday School class about the book of Acts and how, over time, humans have intervened in the interpretation of events to change their significance. He was specifically referring to the story in Acts 19:11-12 where "God was performing extraordinary miracles" including handkerchiefs Paul was carrying that healed sick people. 'When men started messing with it," he said, "they distorted it so much that they now sell 'blessed handkerchiefs' they claim can heal." Now, the teacher was right. The part that really upset me was the comment from one of the female class members. "Yes," she said, "especially men." Apparently, if women had been in charge, these errors would have been avoided, an important lesson for us today.
I consider this syncretism. Syncretism is the practice of combining different beliefs into something new. It is most common in religions. The most obvious example is Santeria (which, translated, means "the way of the saints"), a primarily Afro-Caribbean religion that combines Roman Catholicism ... with voodoo. Ouch! We, of course, are much more subtle. We don't fall into that error. Oh, no. We only combine modern sexual mores with biblical Christianity and come up with a version that embraces sexual sin as a wonderful thing. In 2020 a poll showed that 57% of Protestants thought sex between unmarried adults was sometimes or always acceptable, and an earlier poll said 54% of Christians were fine with homosexual behavior. Or, in the case above, we see a merging of a firm belief in biblical Christianity with an equally firm grasp on modern Feminism. I've been in churches where the subject is something Paul wrote (like "Wives, submit to your husbands" or "I do not allow women to teach or exercise authority over a man") and women have expounded on how Paul seemed to have a bit of misogyny in his writings. Entire denominations have tossed Paul out on his ear over these things, knowing that today's Feminists are much wiser than God's inspired texts. Today, in Bible-believing churches, Christianity is merged with modern social values, and the outcome isn't in harmony with Scripture; it's in opposition.
We can be so foolish sometimes. We often start with "I know what's best" and go from there instead of "God knows what's best" and go from there. In Paul's terms, each of us seems to "think more highly of himself than he ought to think" (Rom 12:3) rather than using sound judgment. Christ doesn't call on us to not think. We are commanded to think better (Rom 12:2), to love the Lord your God with all your mind (Mark 12:30). So we should be very cautious about evaluating God's Word from the perspective of the world's values as if God necessarily conforms to our own sinful thought processes. Remember, "'My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' declares YHWH. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa 55:8-9). Syncretism forces human values into God's truth, and He's likely not happy about that.
7 comments:
Syncretism is a danger we must always be on the alert for, lest we diminish Scripture.
“Apparently, if women had been in charge, these errors would have been avoided....” In contrast to that female commenter’s sexist notion, Paul has told us differently in 1 Tim. 11-15, including the verse, “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Presumably, when the teacher used “men,” he meant it to refer to both men and women, both of whom sin in full and equal measure.
I bet that many of us can identify quite a few examples of such “syncretism” that distorts and refutes God’s clear Word as it is properly interpreted--indeed, the bulk of what passes as “Christianity” today would earn this label, to my mind. The instances all stem from the sinful heart of man (men and women!) who would answer, “Has God said…?” with “not my God!”--thus manufacturing a new version of the true faith. It is, basically, a form of rebellion towards the sovereign God of all. It seems clear to me that those “human values” in your final line today is code for “sin.”
I believe there's a difference between syncretism and "not my God..." Syncretism takes aspects and practices of other religions and combines it with others. "Not my God..." just takes internal predispositions and puts them in conflict with Revelation.
Correction: I should have typed 1 Tim. 2:11-15 in my above comment.
Funny how I unconsciously filled in the blanks in my head, so to speak, and understood what you meant without noticing the omission.
That is the happy outcome, I am sure, of knowing God’s Word “inside and out”--that “renewing of our minds,” which someone mentioned in the Bible somewhere. ;) (JK! Rom. 12:2)
Post a Comment