Articles
"God's Work" a Review
This book by Randy Harris, Bible teacher of Abilene Christian University, is subtitled, "Confessions of a Standup Theologian." Harris and the school he serves are both leaders in the change movement now damaging the church. The book is informative in that it gives us an insight into the thinking and actions of a change agent.
• [1] First, we note that of himself, Harris says, "I am a postmodern, mystic, panentheist. Happily situated in Churches of Christ. And I am going nowhere. You can be a postmodern, mystic, panentheist and be perfectly happy in this tradition" (p. 95).
• [2] You may wonder, what is panentheism? Panentheism is "the enlightened mystic theology of transcendence and immanence, beyond theism." Panentheists believe that "Everything is pervaded by divinity." This includes trees, rocks, rivers, animal, human, and insect life. "In panentheism, God is not necessarily viewed as the creator or demiurge, but the eternal animating force behind the universe." They like to say, "The whole is God." Panentheism is common in Hinduism, Baha'i, in many North American tribal religions, and in the Unitarian-Universalist church. Panentheism is a pagan belief about God and cosmos.
• [3] From first to last, there is an undercurrent of disdain for those Churches of Christ not embracing his program of change.
• [4] The author strives to be "chic," "cute," and "edgy" in his presentation. Although he identifies himself as a preacher, he tells us he does a bit of light gambling (p. 40). He enjoys movies about Satan (p. 39). He laughingly tells us he lied (p. 61).
• [5] As are most change agents, Harris is more comedian than truth teller and teacher of God's Word.
• [6] He is very tentative about his faith and convictions. "I'm guessing there's a difference in making good decisions and bad decisions. In being obedient to God and disobedient to God" (p.41).
• [7] He has a low view of Scripture. He speaks of the Apostle John "toss(ing) in little throwaway lines..." "John does this stuff on the Holy Spirit that we don't see in the synoptic" (p. 77). He thinks Paul "made a mess of the Corinthian's situation." Of Esther, he says "there is this crazy book of Esther" (p.89).
• [8] Harris finds his inspiration among a band of Catholic "hermits." There in the desert, with the monks, he "had the experience of coming to understand that God loves me..." (p. 82). "I began to hear in my head God's call to me to be a hermit" (p. 83). He concluded his tale about his experience in the desert with the monks, "I want to encourage you to be open to that" (p. 84).
• [9] Beginning with a family view of God's grace, ("Grace. Grace. All is grace") (p. 72), he reached the conclusion that God's grace will cover personal failures in conduct and personal beliefs about things sacred. From that he jumps to the conclusion that one's belief on questions such as instrumental music in worship are not consequential (p. 73). He concludes this section by saying, "What I've described to you is basically my postmodernism. That is, I am learning to make peace with a loss of certainty." In contrast, Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth" (John 8:32).
• [10] Harris speaks often of his "faith heritage." This is a popular term among the ranks of change agents. They no longer believe the Church of Christ is Christ's church. Nor do they believe that members of the Church of Christ are truly non-denominational Christians. They do not believe the faith and worship of Churches of Christ are thoroughly biblical. To them, it is largely a matter of tradition. To call our brethren Christians and our brotherhood the Church of Christ seems to curdle in their mouths. They prefer to refer to their "faith heritage" or some similar term.
• [11] Like others of his peers at Abilene Christian University, Harris is dabbling in mysticism and other "spiritual" practices borrowed from New Age practitioners, medieval Catholics, and eastern religions such as Hinduism. When discussing those who pursue the mystical, experiential approach to religion, he tells us, I cannot and will not, because it would be both unethical and unchristian, pass judgment on anyone else's claim to religious experience." This is a basic tenet of Postmodernism, but Jesus said, "Jude righteous judgments" (John 7:24).
• [12] Harris feels the historic evidence for Christ's resurrection is not compelling. He says "It is somewhere between Elvis at the 7-11 and the Gettysburg Address." He goes on to say, "The Holy Spirit is the continuing presence of God that testifies in us to the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (p. 79). I do believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in the heart of each Christian, but I am curious about the way and manner of the Spirit's testifying to Bro. Harris. Is it by dreams and visions, or a still small voice? Is it like the trumpet sound on Sinai or a nudge within? The Spirit speaks to me and every other Christian through the Scripture, which he guided chosen men to write (II Pet. 1:20-21). Any other communications are of uncertain origin.
• [13] The author assures us, "if we want genuine experience of the living God, the way is more likely to be found along the path of the traditional spiritual disciplines than along any other path. Because Scripture and 2,000 years of Christian history testify to them. And as we follow the great saints of history down that Path..." Now these great saints he refers to are the great saints of the Roman Catholic faith. Saints of the desert caves, the monastery, the pinnacles. Emaciated saints, unwashed saints, ascetic, celibate saints, mendicant (begging) saints, saints who inflict pain on their bodies, saints who live in speechless isolation, and saints with robes and habits. He does not tell us if he wants the whole of their disciplines or just those few things suitable for Postmodern man. His spiritual disciplines have been learned not from Scripture but from emissaries of the Emergent Church movement, Catholic mystics, and other New Age practitioners.
• [14] Harris does not believe that the church is God's kingdom on earth. "We say that (the church) is not the kingdom of God" (p. 144). Strangely, Jesus spoke of the church as his kingdom (Matt. 16:18).
• [15] He evidently thinks God has called him to be a preacher of his panentheistic gospel. "All of us who preach must feel some call to issue a prophetic message to our churches" (p. 122). For over 200 years, gospel preachers here in America have thought that God calls us through the gospel (II Thess. 2:14).
• [16] He argues that preaching and teaching don't "seem to work anymore." He advocates that we just follow Jesus. Why does he make his living as a preacher and teacher?
• [17] He writes, there are "Some Christians" ... who would argue that the use of violence is justified if the cause is serious enough. These would be people who would blow up abortion clinics, ... or other forms of such terrorist activity" (p. 129). As in other cases, he uses the word "Christian" very loosely. Biblically, the word refers to true followers of Jesus. They don't resort to terrorist activities. He knows that. It is dishonest and disrespectful to imply that some crackpot from some cult who resorts to violence is in any way a "Christian." But that is his "edgy" style.
• [18] He says, "Christianity is so easily seduced, so easily taken captive by the power of this world" (p. 145). This is his only prophetic statement. For it explains why so many of our young adults and congregations have fallen victim to the seductions of the apostles of the change movement that emanate from Abilene Christian University and others of our Christian Universities.
• [19] He mentions that he observes Lent with his Catholic brothers, including repeating 300 times a breath prayer asking Jesus to have mercy on him (p. 158). He must have missed Jesus' instruction against using "vain repetitions" when praying (Matt. 6:7).
• [20] Like other liberals, he must imply that the church and Christians are racist. He offers the worn out and outdated cliché that "the most segregated moment in American life is at 10:00 A.M. Sunday. Every aspect of American society is more deeply integrated than churches" (p. 160). Poor Harris has been cloistered too long. He needs to visit among our churches. Can he find a congregation that refuses to fellowship those of other races? A very large percent of our congregations have a racially diverse membership.
• [21] I must note that my reading was not all in vain. I did find one paragraph about the commitment of the Apostle Paul that was biblical and helpful (p. 116).
• [22] The most disturbing thing about this worthless book is that its author works as a mentor of students at ACU. He works "mostly with Bible majors" (p. 31). This helps explain the growing number of congregations, staffed by ACU-trained preachers, that have abandoned the goal of being the Church revealed in the Bible. They have settled for being like the Christian Churches rather than the old biblical model.
