Theological Liberalism & Biblical Christianity Robert C. Newman Abstracts of Powerpoint Talks -...

Theological LiberalismTheological Liberalism& Biblical Christianity& Biblical Christianity

Robert C. NewmanRobert C. Newman

Abstracts of Powerpoint Talks

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The Influence of LiberalismThe Influence of Liberalism

Individually:Individually: My own experience at Duke U in 1960s.My own experience at Duke U in 1960s. Some others I know.Some others I know.

Collectively:Collectively: Europe since mid 1800sEurope since mid 1800s United States since early 1900sUnited States since early 1900s


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The Major DifferencesThe Major Differences

The main differences between The main differences between theological liberalism & theological liberalism & biblical Christianity involve:biblical Christianity involve:

Their view of the BibleTheir view of the Bible Their view of the Person & Their view of the Person &

Work of Jesus ChristWork of Jesus Christ


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The BibleThe Bible

Is it GodIs it God''s Word?s Word?


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Its Authority & InerrancyIts Authority & Inerrancy

Liberals reject full Biblical authority, noting Liberals reject full Biblical authority, noting the problem passages.the problem passages.

Evangelicals counter by noting the Biblical Evangelicals counter by noting the Biblical claims.claims.

We have a similar situation with:We have a similar situation with: The sinless of ChristThe sinless of Christ The goodness of GodThe goodness of God

We cannot prove all objections are We cannot prove all objections are mistaken.mistaken. These are revealed doctrines.These are revealed doctrines. But we have good evidence that the Bible is But we have good evidence that the Bible is

GodGod''s revelation.s revelation.


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Its AuthorshipIts Authorship

Liberals typically reject the Liberals typically reject the traditional authorship of many traditional authorship of many Biblical books:Biblical books: PentateuchPentateuch IsaiahIsaiah DanielDaniel MatthewMatthew JohnJohn''s Gospel & letterss Gospel & letters PeterPeter''s letterss letters


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Its AuthorshipIts Authorship

Evangelicals donEvangelicals don''t object in principle t object in principle to sources & multiple authorship.to sources & multiple authorship.

They do object to claims of They do object to claims of contradictory sources and false contradictory sources and false authorship.authorship.

Liberals reject external evidence for Liberals reject external evidence for speculation.speculation. See CS LewisSee CS Lewis'' article article ""On CriticismOn Criticism"" in in

his collected essays his collected essays On StoriesOn Stories and and Of Of Other WorldsOther Worlds..


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Its AuthorshipIts Authorship"Nearly all critics are prone to imagine that they know a great many facts relevant to a book which in reality that don't know. The author inevitably perceives their ignorance because he (often he alone) knows the real facts… Surely he is as well placed for guessing about me as any scholar is for guessing about the dead. Yet he seldom guesses right. Hence I cannot resist the conviction that similar guesses about the dead seem plausible only because the dead are not there to refute them…" On Stories, 132-33


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Its MiraclesIts Miracles

Liberals reject the historical reality of Liberals reject the historical reality of miracles.miracles.

Liberal Arguments against Miracles:Liberal Arguments against Miracles: HumeHume HarnackHarnack Bultmann Bultmann

What Would a Miracle Look Like?What Would a Miracle Look Like? CreationCreation Fulfilled ProphecyFulfilled Prophecy


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The Person & Work of The Person & Work of JesusJesus

Who is He? Who is He?

What did He come to do? What did He come to do?


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His Deity & HumanityHis Deity & Humanity

Taught throughout the BibleTaught throughout the Bible OT and NTOT and NT Gospels and EpistlesGospels and Epistles

Liberal SubstitutionsLiberal Substitutions Jesus never made any such claims. His Jesus never made any such claims. His

followers got carried away.followers got carried away. Jesus made such claims but was Jesus made such claims but was

mistaken.mistaken. Jesus was just a good man.Jesus was just a good man.


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His SinlessnessHis Sinlessness

As measured by Biblical standards, As measured by Biblical standards, not by secular ones.not by secular ones.

Liberalism stresses GodLiberalism stresses God''s love to the s love to the neglect of his righteousness and neglect of his righteousness and justice.justice.

Thus they must reject any Bible Thus they must reject any Bible passages that disagree with this.passages that disagree with this. Abstracts of Pow

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His Death as Payment for SinHis Death as Payment for Sin

Liberalism tends to reject this as Liberalism tends to reject this as unworthy and substitute Jesusunworthy and substitute Jesus'' death death as example.as example.

But this is also taught throughout the But this is also taught throughout the Bible.Bible. Isaiah 53:4-6Isaiah 53:4-6 2 Corinthians 5:212 Corinthians 5:21 1 Peter 3:181 Peter 3:18

Necessary if God is to be just and also Necessary if God is to be just and also declare sinners righteous.declare sinners righteous. Romans 3:26Romans 3:26


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Isaiah 53:4-5Isaiah 53:4-5

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV) Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.


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New TestamentNew Testament

2Cor 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin {[21] Or be a sin offering} for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1Pet 3:18 (NIV) For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit…


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God as just, yet justifying sinnersGod as just, yet justifying sinners

Romans 3:26 (NIV) he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.


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His ResurrectionHis Resurrection

Liberals typically claim JesusLiberals typically claim Jesus'' resurrection was really:resurrection was really: Recovery from a comaRecovery from a coma Fraud by Jesus or disciplesFraud by Jesus or disciples HallucinationsHallucinations

But Jesus appeared on numerous But Jesus appeared on numerous occasions, for extended periods of occasions, for extended periods of time, to multiple witnesses, of whom time, to multiple witnesses, of whom hundreds were still alive 20+ years hundreds were still alive 20+ years later.later.


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His ReturnHis Return

The liberal rejection of this teaching The liberal rejection of this teaching takes the form of the scoffing takes the form of the scoffing pictured in 2 Peter 3:3-4.pictured in 2 Peter 3:3-4.

We need to remember (& remind We need to remember (& remind others of) the evidence that others of) the evidence that Christianity is true.Christianity is true.

It will be too late for them to change It will be too late for them to change sides when they die or when Jesus sides when they die or when Jesus returns.returns.


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Peter on ScoffersPeter on Scoffers

2Pet 3:3 (NIV) First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."


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ConclusionsConclusions What can we do? What can we do? Jude 1:20-25 (NIV) But you, dear friends, build

yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. 24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.


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ConclusionsConclusions

What can we do? What can we do? Keep ourselves.Keep ourselves. Have mercy on others.Have mercy on others. Trust God.Trust God.


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The EndThe End

Some form of unbelief will Some form of unbelief will continue till Jesus returns.continue till Jesus returns.


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Theological Liberalism & Biblical Christianity Robert C. Newman Abstracts of Powerpoint Talks -...

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