Monday, February 02, 2015

Let's redefine core doctrines

Over the weekend, I was talking to someone who was enamored with a particular pastor. The Holy Spirit set off alarm bells in my head, so I did a quick Google search. But the particular person in question isn't the point of this post. The criteria used to judge his teaching is. Here's the relevant page and here's the paragraph:
Mr. Murray denies the doctrine of the Trinity, denies the existence of hell and the rapture, and states that Eve had sexual relations with the devil and that this union produced Cain....

[He] also frequently refers to the Christian identity movement which teaches that the British and, therefore, the Americans and Canadians, are the true descendants of the ancient Israelites the 10 lost tribes. Jews in Israel are really descended from Cain who was the result of sexual intercourse between Eve and Satan. Murray also teaches that all people had a pre-existence in spirit-bodies before they were born here on earth.

OK. Some major problems here with the guy's teaching, there's no denying that! But "the rapture" as a criteria for orthodoxy!? In that case, most Christians throughout the history of the church weren't orthodox! The doctrine of the rapture was created by dispensationalists in the 19th century. It isn't widely held outside of the U.S. and other places where Scofield's Notes are disseminated.

<rabbit trail>
When I was a part of a highly dispensationalist Plymouth Brethren church, we used to sing (jokingly!)
My hope is built on nothing less than Scofield's Notes and Moody Press! (sung to the tune of My Hope is Built)
There was a variant version that replaced Scofield's Notes with Zondervan.

Debbie hates it when I sing it because it destroys what is otherwise an excellent hymn...
</rabbit trail>

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