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Eldridge: Lots of good content, needs to be read discerningly.
While in my initial post I would agree with you that, “This type of partnership might just help CCC grow spiritually. So let's look at it from a positive perspective,” I also see many problems that still need to be overcome with CCC. One such problem is seen in your statement above. IMHO, presenting half-truths (Eldredge) does not equate to the Gospel. To say one needs to read his material discerningly is an understatement.

Eldredge’s books are about as far from Reformed orthodoxy as I can imagine (at least the two I have read). Let’ look at his book the Wild at Heart for an example:

Eldredge, while inviting men to "know and live from" their deep hearts, seems to have forgotten that the heart is deceitfully wicked (Jer 17:9; Mark 7:20f,). Eldredge does not stop here. He continues by saying, "Too many Christians today are living back in the old covenant. They've had Jeremiah 17:9 drilled into them and they walk around believing my heart is deceitfully wicked. Not anymore it's not." Eldredge's insight into the human heart is bad theology.

In describing Adam's relationship with God, Eldredge gives us his personal commentary: "Before the moment of Adam's greatest trial God provided no step-by-step plan, gave no formula for how he was to handle the whole mess. That was not abandonment; that was the way God honored Adam. You are a man; you don't need Me to hold you by the hand through this. You have what it takes." Eldredge does have an imagination—which has a stench of humanism and heresy. Eldredge says, "God is a person who takes immense risks" (p 30). "He did not make Adam and Eve obey Him. He took a risk. A staggering risk, with staggering consequences. He let others into his story, and he lets their choices shape it profoundly" (p 31).

Eldredge denies the omnipotence of Christ. In commenting on spiritual oppression (Luke 8:26-33), Eldredge writes, " . . . when [Jesus] encounters the guy who lives out in the Gerasenes tombs, tormented by a legion of spirits, the first rebuke by Jesus doesn't work. He had to get more information, really take them on . . . "

When CCC endorses tracts by Eldredge and others of questionable origins they do not embrace a full Gospel presentation. They also incite others to read other materials by these same authors which can be devastating to a proper understanding of the Gospel. Hopefully your presence and responsible handling of such matters from a Reformed perspective will have some impact on the organization as a whole.

Reformed and Always Reforming,