On the 2nd Friday night of every month my church has a program which features lectures on Reformed Theology by various theologians, pastors, etc. (last night Os Guiness spoke)

We also have a display case set up with quite a few articles which we give out.

Last night a Pastor friend of mine from a nearby Reformed Baptist Church (and a Highway participant) expressed some concern over one of the authors whose articles we have been using for sometime. He forewarded me the E-mail which he based his concern on so I thought I would include that portion:

Quote
I wonder if anyone has seen the latest issue of Viewpoint. I think it can safely be said that in some of his latest statements, he has, in fact, broken faith with reformation Christianity, clearly denying the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Here are a couple of samples...


"When we ask, 'What did the church believe about this and why?' we can't stop with the sixteenth or the seventeenth centuries. We have to go back to the first centuries of Christianity...So, we ask, 'How did the early Christians understand this and why?' and, 'What did the Church conclude about this mystery of faith and how did they obey this particular command?' Evangelicals appeal to Sola Scriptura for many ideas. Somehow it has become the basis for 'believe what you will as long as you find a text.' This approach disdains the work of listening to the collective confessional voice of the Church. This doctrine of Scripture results in a Gnosticism that has little concern about how anyone read the text before we came along."

"Protestantism has often focused upon faith being found through rational encounter with the words of the Bible. (We endlessly promote the idea that if you know the Bible better you will be a better Christian!)...I believe that the whole Christian life, properly understood, is sacramental...One reason some very bright young evangelicals have moved to Rome or to Eastern Orthodoxy is to be found here. They seek a faith that is not reduced to propositions or experiences, but rather a faith that opens the heart's door to knowing and loving Jesus." (J. A. then goes on to quote one of these converts to Orthodoxy, Matthew Gallatin)


There is much that Armstrong says in critique of evangelicalism that we would all, pretty much, agree with. Unfortunately, the basis of his critique is drifting from the solid foundation of the Word. Sadly, I would not be surprised if in the next couple of years we hear that John has joined the Orthodox church. That seems to be his direction.


I tried to do a search and find this particular article but couldn't find it. I know Armstrong has at least one article on The Highway so I was wondering if any of you have heard anything bothersome about him drifting.

Mark