Douthat's “The Decadent Society” Misses the Mark
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“Douthat’s central argument is intriguing…it’s quite likely that the Western neoliberal order will keep limping along for the foreseeable future.
As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“Douthat’s central argument is intriguing…it’s quite likely that the Western neoliberal order will keep limping along for the foreseeable future.
“Gender confusion. …Experience-driven hermeneutics. …Personality-centered ministry. … Biblical [in]sufficiency.” - GARBC
Reproduced with permission from DBSJ 11 (2006). Read the series.
(Dedication in Romans 12:1–2, continued)
“Anthropology is a topic of ecclesiastical concern in my own denomination. Last summer at its General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church in America appointed a study committee to consider questions related to human sexuality, having only two years earlier received a report on women in ministry. Many of the public controversies among Southern Baptists regarding gender roles, sexual abuse, critical race theory, and even church-state relations also touch directly upon anthropological questions.
“Great works of literature reflect the author’s worldview and reflect the characters’ worldviews,” Prior says. “As we encounter those worldviews in the pages, we have to sharpen and refine our own worldview.” - F&T
Read the series.
We all know that sin stops us from inheriting the kind of world God the Creator envisaged for us—a world of peace, joy, righteousness, justice, and glory, not to mention communion with the Lord Himself.
God set the world in motion, permitting the Fall and the devastation that it has brought in its wake. He made covenants with man, signposts and promises to the better world that He still intends to bring about:
“The core distinction between ‘genetic’ ancestry and ‘genealogical’ ancestry seems valid. Adam and Eve could’ve been genealogical ancestors of all humans alive today, without leaving any genetic trace….Nevertheless, the genealogical hypothesis itself is still dissonant with the biblical Adam and Eve.” - TGC
We do a theology class for our congregation twice per month. We meet in the evenings for 90 minutes and discuss a few questions from the assigned reading. We use Grudem’s systematic theology. I’d prefer Erickson, but Grudem’s format is more user-friendly. This coming week, we’re discussing this question:
“We begin our journey through grace with the way God shows his grace – his love and favour – towards all he has made. David explicitly highlights this facet of God’s dealings with all his creatures in Psalm 145, captured in the words, ‘The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all he has made’ (145.9).” - Ref 21
Discussion