Are we seeing the rise of a new anti-theology theology?
With the recent debate stemming from Andy Stanley’s recent contentious sermon, and the counterpoint questions regarding why do we need a new Baptist Union Statement of Faith, I’m asking the question “Are we seeing the rise of a new anti-theology theology?” This new theology seems to sing out that classic song, “All we need is love!” finding its support from the NIV’s translation of Galatians 5:6, “The only thing that matter is faith expressing itself through love” and questions the need for a clearly defined theology and definition of biblical orthodoxy.
This new theology is underpinned by a deep suspicion of the so called organised church, going way back to Constantine, in what is called a corrupted “Temple Model.” Luther’s devision from the Catholic church and the resultant thousands of church splits are thus wrong and the result of a wrongly pushed personal interpretation and expression of a revised theology and as Andy Stanley puts it, “And protestants have been beating people over the head with the Bible ever since…”
It is no surprise then to find that we have a similar quiet “rebellion” against what is perceived to be the organised church, which is suspicious of any body seeking to define and sharpen up (and they would read redefine and corrupt) any doctrinal statement and especially any redefinition. They would counter that doctrine is described as, “faith expressing itself in love” (acts of faith) and needs no further expression. To what degree does this thinking underlie our Baptist anti-creedal stance and suspicion of any new definition of theology?