[continuing on from my previous post here]
In another chapter of Walter Martin's book The Kingdom of the Cults, on the cult of Unitarian Universalism, Waltar Martin outlined the history of the Unitarian Universalism (pp. 332-349), which is both fascinating and tragic.
Unitarian Universalism started off as Socinianism, named after the anti-Trinitarian heretic Faustus Socinus (1539-1604), who also denied the deity of Christ. As his heretial doctrines spread, it became known as Universalism in Transylvania, England, and evantually America. At that time, Universalism does not mean what it meant today i.e. that all people would be saved at the end, but the term then refers to the doctrine whereby Christ made Universal Atonement for the sins of all and everybody (one of the points of classic Arminianism, I would add). Universalism entered the English-speaking world with John Briddle (1615-1662), the Father of English Unitarianism, and America with William Ellery Channing (1780-1842), the Apostle of Americn Unitarianism.
As time progressed, the Unitarians started to undergo the process of 'doctrinal entropy'. Whereas before they claim to follow the Scriptures, the cult devolve with the enbracing of 19th century Transcendentalism developed by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the embrace of pluralism. The embrace of humanism in the 20th century and New Age paganism in recent times have destroyed whatever 'Christian' distinctive they even once had.
Through all this, it can be seen the destructiveness of embracing of any errant doctrine. What one generation embraces, the next generation would attempt to smooth out the logical inconsistencies in the position taken by the preceding generation, normally in the direction of unorthodoxy. Just because a Christian can live a Christian life while being logically inconsistent does not mean that s/he should do so, for the next generation would grow further into unorthodoxy. As quoted by Martin, heterorthodox religious movements observe a kind of "second law of theological thermodynamics" (Alan W. Gomes, "Winds of Change in the Worldwide Church of God: With Special Emphasis on the Doctrine of the Trinity," Presbyterian 20:2 (1994): 91). And this is the worry I have for the Singapore churches as well. Many Singaporeans are happily living as evangelical 'Calminians'. However, what is the direction the next generation of Christians would go? By Man's own fallen nature, the tendency would be to slide into full-fledged Arminianism, followed by ... perhaps Arianism and then Socinianism (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The "Downgrade" Controversy, Pilgrim Publications, Pasadema, Texas). By degrading and ignoring doctrine, Singapore Christians would be a ripe harvest for the enemy of our souls to plant his seed of heresy and destruction, which he has already done so in the form of the Word-faith heresy, the Neo-apostolic heresy, the Seeker-sensitive/Purpose Driven paradigm, the 'Emerging church' heresy, and the fusion of business and church. May God have mercy on us all.
[to be continued]
Interesting material.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned CH Spurgeon on the Downgrade Controversy - how does that particular controversy tie up with the current situation? What is the connection?
Well... it's not exactly linked. But CH Spurgeon was the one who noted that churches on the downgrade typically went through the phases from Calvinism to Arminianism to Ariniamsm and then to Socinianism. The only 'link' I see is that I am afraid that the churches of Singapore would follow the same downgrade.
ReplyDeleteHave you read the book "The Downgrade Controversy"? What do you think of it?
ReplyDeleteYup... I read the book. I bought the book while I was in London during my SEP. I think it is good, though not something you read for reading pleasure.
ReplyDeleteIs there a book with the exact title "The Downgrade Controversy?" Can someone give me the ISBN or publisher plus author details? I only know of Murray's "The Forgotten Spurgeon," Sheehan's "C.H. Spurgeon and the Modern Church: Lessons for Today from the 'Downgrade' Controversy," and Macarthur's essay in "Ashamed of the Gospel." Would be nice to read another book on this matter. Thanks.
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ReplyDeleteOh, and just to add, I have a feeling that this book can only be bought in a few places like Met Tab's bookstore etc. Perhaps Jenson can inform us?
ReplyDeleteVincent:
ReplyDeleteThere is a book with the exact title The "Downgrade Controversy". It is a collation of letters and notes by C.H. Spurgoen on the issues, both public and private, as well as a sermon and a section of Spurgoen's autobiography on the issue. The author is thus written as Charles Haddon Spurgeon and the publisher is Pilgrim Publications, Pasadena, Texas. I can't see any ISBN on the book. From the looks of it, I think this book was published before the ISBN system was invented.