Tonight we take up the subject of C S Lewis’ view of what is essential in Christianity. Here is the quote we will explore. “Ever since I became a Christian I have thought the best and perhaps the only service I could do for my unbelieving neighbors was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.” (Preface to Mere Christianity.) To help us explore Lewis thinking is Rev. Dr. Bryan Burton, Senior Pastor of John Knox Presbyterian Church. He is joined in segment two by Jennie Spohr, an ordained Presbyterian pastor and producer of TKM and Brian Luke who was raised and educated in South Africa and is a Microsoft executive. Segment three includes audience questions and response.
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While I enjoyed the discussion about the lack of unity among American Believers, I found Dr. Burton’s emphasis of orthodoxy over orthopraxy disconcerting. The essence of the Christian faith in the Scriptures is a simple trust in Christ manifested incarnatly (as He was incarnate) in our actions. It is not a complex system of doctrines and theologies that result in denominational divides that work against the very ecumenism which is necessary in American faith.
I find it suspect when anyone approaches literature theologically; theology approaches with the intent to analyze, not appreciate. That is how it does so much harm: it approaches God analytically, and never relationally. I fear we’ve deified theology to the extent of the numbing of the rest of our experiences.
I don’t believe Dr. Burton was separating theology and praxis. Those who don’t practice what they preach probably don’t actually have good theology — no matter what they claim to believe. For, there are the things we say we believe, and then, there are our true convictions below the service. They are not always one and the same.
So, for me, there is no true separation between core convictions about Jesus and the life we actually live out.
spelling correction: On my above post, “service” should read “surface.” I was too much in a hurry!