Just when you start to think that theological liberalism is dead (or at least mostly dead) you realize that, no, it has just been re-packaged as a newer and friendlier ravaging enemy of the church. The old liberalism chopped at the roots of orthodox religion. It was all about undermining Scripture and respect for Scripture in the church. The old theological liberals attacked the authority of the Pentateuch by claiming that those books of Moses were not books of Moses but rather a conglomeration of writings by authors unknown. They went on to attack the authenticity of the prophets, particularly Daniel, asserting that the prophetic books were actually written after the events they predicted. They undermined the reliability of the New Testament books, especially the Gospels, holding conferences where they tossed beads into bowls to vote on which New Testament words of Christ were really His.

The goal of all of this was never to discover any new truth. Truth was the victim not a treasure being sought. The old liberal theologians brought forward minimal evidence for their claims but boat loads of speculation. Endless speculation about JEPD was just that – endless speculation. Evidence was not needed because truth was not the goal. The goal was to disconnect the church from society and to build a culture based on non-biblical, humanist principles. Liberal theology provided a mask of respectableness and authority behind which the enemies of the church could thrust and parry, all the while claiming to be our friends—fellow seekers after truth.

The war they waged was astonishingly successful. Liberal theology ran wild through the church and the larger society. Its effects were brought forward culturally and politically as a steady clamoring for change toward a more enlightened management of things. Core duties of the family and church were pried out of their hands and given to civil government, and the moral cohesiveness of the covenant family was bludgeoned from every direction. First came government schools in direct confrontation with the Biblical admonition of “Parents teach your children.(Deut.6).” Following this came women’s suffrage, government welfare, and birth control, all within about a century.

Outside the church there was a sense of euphoria, concerning the direction of the culture, during those years. The American bastion of conservative Christian ideals was being pulled apart piece by piece and liberals reveled in the destruction. This was to be the culmination of enlightenment philosophy as expressed in American society. If America could be conquered the rest of the world would follow, Europe already had. But, liberalism, both theological and political, though successful in many ways has been unable to entirely crush the church or Christian civilization. Neo-liberalism is the natural follow up to the older attack. It carries the destruction deeper into the fabric of the family and church and ultimately the nation. The new liberals in our midst do not make a frontal assault on our doctrine or view of Scripture. What they do is to reject Biblical commands in areas where the Bible and culture clash. For instance, if you ask almost any evangelical if a woman should be a keeper at home the answer will most always be “Oh that is just cultural. That instruction was intended for 1^st century Christians, not us.” Ditto for other clear Biblical prerogatives such as male leadership in the home (they claim ‘mutual submission’ which is pure mumbo jumbo like square circles or liquid ice), male pastors, home education for children, avoidance of heavy debt and so on. Anything that clashes with the culture is to be discarded, and the apparent goal is to have our families and churches look just like the culture. They are succeeding. The church looks like the culture.

This is why so many evangelicals can support liberal politics and vote for a hard leftist like Obama. Neo-liberal Christians have rejected the Biblical structures for society and accepted the humanist’s dream. Civil government has become their de-facto god who will supply every need in glory. They believe that Biblical ideas are outmoded. They believe that anywhere that the Bible touches culture the Bible is wrong and the culture is right. You can not argue with them. They will just blow you off as a Bible thumper, an unsophisticated boob whose intelligence and education are a little lacking. Yet almost everywhere we look in America the church is losing strength and respect. Neo-liberalism is dragging the church toward its death, but the church is too self-inebriated with its own desire for acceptance and safety in the culture to change. The church appears to be pretty happy with its fatal attraction.

The theological seeds planted by the old liberals express themselves now in a second generation philosophy of skepticism directed at both Scripture and the church, but more tellingly, those seeds have produced the fruit of disobedience. Actually, this fruit has been common to both liberal gardens. Old guard liberals rejected the big pieces of Christian culture like faithful marriage, Sunday rest, rearing up a godly generation after them etc. The neo-liberals carry forward those failings and add to them a rejection of all cultural commands.

The real heart of all these difficulties is the heart—our hearts actually. Jeremiah was correct when he told us that the human heart is desperately wicked. Out of the hearts of fallen men comes a spirit of disobedience. Without the redeeming power of Christ we will not obey God. Ultimately, our theological rebellion is the fruit of rebellious hearts. Fallen man searches for any way he can to live outside God’s law. He pursues the exaltation of a different kingdom. The answer to changing this is found within the church if the church is faithful. First, the church has to be faithful in preaching truth. In many cases the preachers the churches hire will not preach either correct doctrine or obedience to God’s law. They also will not live out Biblical ideals as an example for their congregations (for instance—when will the preachers get their children out of government schools and start rearing them in the fear and admonition of the Lord?). Those of us in the pews need to obey God in all things regardless of what the preachers are doing. We just need to start obeying God. This is how the enlightenment is pushed back and a second reformation begins.

For Christian Culture,

Don Schanzenbach

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