COG Woman Shocked That Worldly Christians Study the Bible

We have a couple here in Southern California who are being threatened by legal action by their city because they are holding Bible Studies in their home that garner 50+ people in attendance.  It is impacting the neighborhood and people are complaining about it.  They are not upset with the Bible Study part, but at the number of people showing up each week.

This has led to a comment from a conservative COGger who's mind is so small she cannot grasp that people outside the COG study their Bibles.   Obviously in her view anyone outside a COG is a pagan Christian who does not care about Bible Study. She is shocked that over 50 people would show up at this pagan's Christian's home.  God knows only REAL Christians in the COG attend Bible Study! Can Armstrongites minds really be this shallow?

My mom used to have a Wednesday Bible study group at her house (it rotated among the members homes)--There were about 5-8 people. I can't imagine 50 people showing up for Bible Study who are not in a CoG!

Another person responds:

The bible in most people's hands is a dangerous thing. Especially Prostestants who are a bit more whacky than most with their once saved always saved nonsense etc.

Some of this is true when it comes literalists.  However, in this woman's mind no one outside of the COG can understand the Bible.  There are close to 700 splinter groups now with almost 700 different ways of interpreting the Bible, so I would think these Armstrongites would stop throwing stones because their own glass houses have been shattered beyond repair!

Thank God For Evolution

Evolution has always been a hot topic in Armstrongism. Well, at least WE thought it was. GTA was well know to mock the theory of evolution and published numerous books on it.  To the ordinary lay person in WCG this information was all they need to know about evolution and never studied into it further.  If HWA or GTA did not say it they could care less.  Most church members were totally ignorant about what evolution was all about.  

Since almost all the men in the COG's who write about the subject have never received higher education outside of Ambassador College they have no clue what is involved either. They are not up to speed on recent discoveries.  They do not even consider that there is another side to the argument which they have espoused all these years. 

A thinking person would inform themselves about the topic they wish to debate or critique.  They read, and read and read.  The COG leaders and members only look up a booklet about 20 or so pages long and take that as God's final word on the matter. 

Leaving Armstrongism led me to many interesting conversations with deeply religious people who believe in evolution.  It does not shatter their faith or destroy the message that scripture attempts to bring out. 

Here are a couple of books that might interest some here:

 "The earth is old, and animals and plants have changed over time. If you know somebody who doubts these two well-established propositions, this is the book to share with them. I remember, as a teenager, in the early 1980s, reading Duane Gish's "Evolution: The Fossils Say No," as well as the other standard texts of creationism, and Prothero's book would have helped me think through (and past) creationism a lot quicker than I did. Prothero's book might have been aptly titled, "Evolution: The Fossils Say Yes." It is a lavishly illustrated, thoroughly readable, and authoritative dismantling of creationism. Because of the patient work of contemporary scientists writing accessible popular texts on evolution, no thoughtful 21st century young person need be intellectually derailed by creationist literature. Dr. Prothero's is perhaps the best of the current spate of these types of books. I especially liked the chapter on the origins of life, and the chapter on the Grand Canyon. One of the strengths of this book is that Dr. Prothero does not dodge difficult questions, but attempts to address them directly. It is always refreshing to read somebody who does not obfuscate or downplay contrary lines of evidence, and who is willing to say "I don't know" when something is uncertain. The book is thus, in addition to its overt purpose, also an excellent model of sane and measured reflection. A good companion volume to Dr. Prothero's book might be "The Counter-Creationism Handbook," by Mark Isaak, recently published by the University of California Press"

 

A Groundbreaking Perspective

A movement has been growing over the past few decades that takes our common creation story—the epic of cosmic, biological, and human evolution revealed by science—as the basis for an inspiring and meaningful view of our place in the universe. Rev. Michael Dowd, “America's evolutionary evangelist,” is at the forefront of this movement. This well informed, thoroughly researched, and inspired book proclaims a gospel billions of years old. It builds bridges, provides guidance, and restores realistic hope for virtually everyone, regardless of belief or worldview.

Thank God for Evolution presents in a lively and accessible manner the reasons why it is now possible to view evolution as a call to deep integrity; how a dozen scientific disciplines reveal evolution to be measurably creative, rather than meaningless blind chance; practical methods for using evolutionary insights to achieve greater joy and personal fulfillment; and how aligning with evolutionary trends can guide activists and others hoping to make our world a better place. As a Christian minister, Dowd especially addresses the concerns that Christians have about evolution, but this book contains insights that will appeal to all people of faith and of no faith. Fun and uplifting, Thank God for Evolution goes beyond the current debate to offer up a whole new way of thinking about science and religion.

As evidenced by endorsements from a long list of Nobel laureates and other science luminaries, including noted skeptics, and by religious leaders across the spectrum, this is a book the world has been waiting for.

Book web site is here with lots of interesting facts:  Thank God For Evolution

Two New Books On Biblicism

The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical Reading of Scripture

By Christian Smith

Product Description (Amazon)

Biblicism, an approach to the Bible common among some American evangelicals, emphasizes together the Bible's exclusive authority, infallibility, clarity, self-sufficiency, internal consistency, self-evident meaning, and universal applicability. Acclaimed sociologist Christian Smith argues that this approach is misguided and unable to live up to its own claims. If evangelical biblicism worked as its proponents say it should, there would not be the vast variety of interpretive differences that biblicists themselves reach when they actually read and interpret the Bible.

Smith describes the assumptions, beliefs, and practices of evangelical biblicism and sets it in historical, sociological, and philosophical context. He explains why it is an impossible approach to the Bible as an authority and provides constructive alternative approaches to help evangelicals be more honest and faithful in reading the Bible. Far from challenging the inspiration and authority of Scripture, Smith critiques a particular rendering of it, encouraging evangelicals to seek a more responsible, coherent, and defensible approach to biblical authority.

From the Inside Flap

"Many books have been written either defending or detracting from an evangelical view of the Bible. Christian Smith, as a trained sociologist, offers a much-needed perspective: explaining evangelical biblicism as a sociological phenomenon. Smith demonstrates, respectfully but critically, that the type of biblicism that often characterizes evangelicalism cannot account for how scripture itself behaves. Biblicism is retained, however, because of its sociological value for 'maintaining safe identity boundaries.' Smith's analysis of the problem of biblicism and his offer of a way forward are important contributions to the current developments surrounding evangelicalism and the Bible."--Peter Enns, author, Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament

"Christian Smith plainly says what so many others have been thinking or implying for some time--namely, that many strands of evangelicalism believe things about the Bible and theology that are simply impossible. Smith exposes the scholastic alchemy that holds this fragile theological edifice together and helps us understand that serious damage is done to the church and its witness when we perpetuate the errors of biblicism."--Kenton L. Sparks, Eastern University

"Smith vigorously presents a compelling possibility: The Bible could be more alive, the church could be more unified, those of us who care deeply about scripture could be less fearful about some collapse of authority and more honest about what is actually in the Bible if we simply began to listen with more humility and openness to what it is God seems most concerned to reveal. A great book for this time in the life of evangelicalism."--Debbie Blue, pastor, House of Mercy; author, Sensual Orthodoxy and From Stone to Living Word

 

 Confessions of a Bible Thumper:
My Homebrewed Quest for a Reasoned Faith


Whether you are a restless evangelical or consider yourself spiritual-but-not religious, you'll enjoy this spiritual memoir and vision for progressive Christianity. Michael Camp was on a tenacious quest for a vibrant and reasonable faith in God. Thinking he found it among evangelicals, he eventually faced deepening doubts and uncovered eight startling discoveries that turned conservative Christian theology on its head—and himself into a heretic among his peers.

Without running into the arms of angry atheists or throwing the baby out with the baptismal bathwater, Camp reveals a vision for an open, broad-minded faith in Christ, ironically based on a fair exegetical reading of the Bible and the history of the early church. His conclusions are eye opening, yet rarely stereotypical.

 

You can read an excerpt here:  Pub Theology

 

 

*WARNING: Camp’s heresies are hard to detect. He critiques
both religious and secular dogma. He actually thinks for himself.
What a concept. While deploring the Religious Right, he
is also known to good-naturely mock Richard Dawkins fans
who buy A-is-for-Atheist pins and is sympathetic to intelligent
design theory. Besides Jesus (and gay activist Mel White and
author Frank Schaeffer), one of his heroes is another brand of
atheist—Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Somali champion of Muslim women’s
rights. Go figure. (Hint: she’s better looking than Dawkins).
Then go read his screeds and forthcoming book.

The Happy Heretic