The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
January 18, 2011
Moody Press recently commissioned Carl Trueman to write an ebook which is entitled The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. Carl was kind enough to allow me to read an advance copy some months ago. I read it again this weekend. I know I get excited about books. But this one really is a must. I'm serious people.
Dr. Trueman identifies evangelicalism's vague doctrinal boundaries (and its attendant unwillingness to exclude anyone who violates even those merest of boundaries) as the true scandal within the movement.
A movement that cannot or will not draw boundaries, or that allows the modern cultural fear of exclusion to set its theological agenda, is doomed to lose its doctrinal identity.He warns about the trend within evangelicalism toward making "conversation" an end rather than agreement on biblical orthodoxy.
[When] conversation rather than content becomes what is truly important, something critical is lost. Thus, as theology becomes a "conversation," traditional notions of truth face the danger of assuming less importance than mere aesthetics or modes of discourse. Indeed, doctrinal indifferentism can creep forward in a way that ends only with the sidelining or even repudiation of orthodoxy in any meaningful sense.The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind is an important book. It is brief and highly readable. Carl provides a clear and convincing call for evangelicals to soberly consider our future in light of our troubling present. This is especially important for those of us who are a part of churches that are non-denominational or which have rather minimal statements of faith. Highly recommended.
