Book Comment: The Rise of Benedict XVI

The full title of this 2005 John L. Allen book is The Rise of Benedict XVI. The Inside Story of How the Pope Was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church. I am not a Catholic and so have no standing one way or the other on this. I do not wish to offend. But, speaking as an outsider, as one of the “separated brethren,” I personally think the tragedy of this book is that Benedict did not ultimately complete the promise of his election. He did speak about the problem on numerous occasions. Then, he resigned eight years into his papacy.

I am sure that I am not alone as one who was thrilled at the thought that a champion of the faith had arisen. Joseph Ratzinger, elected as Benedict XVI, had identified relativism as the “gravest problem of our time.” 

Many thought that he would marshall the resources of the Catholic Church to battle what he called  the “dictatorship of relativism.” Many conservative Evangelicals understood this phenomenon by a different terminology, the “war on Christianity”

Exactly what is relativism? It is the idea that objective truth does not exist or that, if it does exist, it is not attainable by the human mind. Truth is defined as it is determined by the community. Sometimes the community is as small as one person. That is how one can hear the absurd statement, “Well, that is your truth. That is not my truth.”

Proponents of relativism talk about tolerance, pluralism, avoidance of imperialism and colonialism, and of non-interference in other cultures. All of these things are good but the relativists go even further. 

They utterly deny and even condemn the possibility of any absolute truth which is valid for all people in all cultures and for any time in history. This is a direct hostile frontal challenge to Christianity which is based on an absolute truth claim. The claim is this: God has revealed the Truth about Himself and about humanity in the revelation presented in Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. As Jesus said, “No man comes to the Father except through me.”

Relativism attacks Christianity in several ways.

1. It denies the exceptionality, the exclusivity, and the universality of Christianity. It sees Christianity as just one religion among many, all of which are equally valid.

2. It declares evangelism and missions to be imperialistic and colonialistic. It sees them as an attempt to force our beliefs and culture upon others.

3. In its zeal to be “tolerant” relativism seeks to punish and suppress those whom it defines as intolerant; such as those who wish to not be involved in cooperation with same-sex marriage.

4. Relativism can lead to totalitarianism because it removes any legitimate basis for moral judgement over the limits of state power used to enforce "tolerance."

5. Relativism’s removal of moral limits has caused a cheapening of human life. This has led to the abortion and human cloning controversies. Human rights are seen as being determined by social convention rather than by any absolute intrinsic human value.

As Benedict XVI said, “All ideologies of power justify themselves in exactly this way. They justify the destruction of whatever would stand in the way of progress and the liberation of humanity. God, who became a lamb, tells us that the world is saved by the crucified, not by those who crucify. Pray for me that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.”

Pray for all of us that we may not flee for fear of the wolves!

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Back to the book.

The Rise of Benedict XVI is a fascinating unfolding of the history of the events and politics which swirled around the last days of John Paul II, the various factions, the leading papabili (papal candidates), a discussion about how Joseph Ratzinger was viewed before his election, why smoke is used to signal the populace of Rome about the progress of the conclave, the meaning of various rituals and declarations, why three sets of robes are prepared for the incoming pope, and why the Cardinals are locked into the conclave rather than other people being locked out. There is also speculation about what Benedict might do as pope.

Back to the concern which began and ended this post. Why did Pope Benedict resign and who  are the wolves he referenced? Benedict XVI was the first pope to resign in 600 years, citing waning physical and mental powers. This flew in the face of the adage, "The Pope is not sick until he is dead."

John L. Allen, the writer of the book being discussed, was present at the papal announcement and says that as soon as Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and said the name "Ratzinger," several of the monsignors from the Secretariat of State turned around and went inside the building.  Benedict's butler, Palo Gabriele, leaked documents which exposed numerous Vatican power struggles. Benedict's successor, Pope Francis, has declared that "the court is the leprosy of the papacy." Cardinal Carlo-Maria Martini is quoted as having told Pope Benedict, "The curia is not going to change, you must go ..."

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A general caution: books may give you wonderful new insights and explanations of subjects, but you should never base your Christian beliefs on any one book or the teachings of one person, no matter who they are. All teachings must be consistent with scripture. Read as the Bereans did, with discernment. “… for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11 NASB

Any doctrines must be consistent with the historical full body of Christian thought. Doctrines or teachings inconsistent with scripture in any way must be rejected. You would not eat cheese which had a fuzzy fungus growing on it.

Rick and Bubba Cut Ties With World Vision

Rick and Bubba are comedians, authors, and nationally syndicated radio personalities who are openly and outspokenly Christian.  They have been ardent supporters of World Vision, an international Christian charity which fights child poverty by sponsoring needy children.  They have abruptly cut ties with World Vision after their personal friend, the organization’s president Richard Stearns, told Christianity Today that World Vision is changing their employment policies.  They previously required employees to remain faithful within marriage, abstinent outside of marriage, and only recognized heterosexual marriages.  The new personnel policy does not overtly endorse same sex marriage but includes legal same sex marriages.

Readers of this blog understand that the blog is written from an orthodox Trinitarian Christian understanding based on a very high view of scripture.  The biblical standard for marriage is one man married to one woman.  It is clear that the Bible does not in any way condone the practice of homosexuality. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

What Rick and Bubba have done is not “hate speech” or “homophobia.”  Christians should not hate (1 John 3:15) and we do not have a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).  The historical orthodox position is admittedly absolutist.  The biblical claim is that God is the Absolute Truth and that He is the only arbiter of that truth.

Moral relativism, of which I have spoken before, is a very recent development which challenges the idea of Absolute Truth.  Advocates of moral relativism see traditional understandings of numerous issues to be repressive and oppressive.  They see Truth, if it exists at all, as being determined by the individual or by a community of agreeing individuals.

Several Christian denominations have been influenced by the philosophy of moral relativism and have adopted reinterpretations of historic doctrines in an effort to become more “relevant” to the modern world.  Some include openly homosexual members and a few have no problem with sexual relationships (heterosexual and homosexual) outside of marriage if the sexuality is in the concept of a “committed relationship.”

I personally know several homosexual Christians who are aware of my stand on this matter.  We do not hate or fear one another (“homophobia” is an insult word); we look at one another and are puzzled.  I am sure that this divide exists among readers of this blog as well.

Opponents of the traditional orthodox view on this matter must understand that our opposition to their view is not motivated by hate or fear.  They must also understand that we will not compromise.

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* Luke 14:26 refers to loving no one more than Jesus.  The verse reflects an Aramaic understanding of love and hate.

The Worldview Shift in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

“What happened in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was that what for many had been the minimal theology of the Old World became the maximal of the New. … They found it in the world of Nature.”  John  V. Fleming (a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, university professor at Princeton University, and medievalist).

The “minimal theology of the Old World/maximal theology of the New World” is that the obvious order, mathematical nature,  and logic of the natural world all strongly imply the existence of an intelligence, a Creator.  Everything works as it must for us to exist at all.  If anything at all; gravitation, body pH, the amount of radiation in the atmosphere, the attractive and repellant forces between subatomic particles, etc.,  is  varied by even minute amounts, we will all die.  The extreme order and complexity of the physical world led to what is called the Argument from Design.  Design implies a Designer.

The shift  in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries denied the importance and sometimes even the existence of the Designer.  At best this is Deism (God exists but that is all that can be said), at worst, it is Atheism (God does not exist).

This shift in worldview led ultimately to the philosophy known as scientific materialism or naturalism.  This is the idea that the only things which can be known are those things which can be empirically measured.  A few steps more led to overt militant atheism.  A few steps more led to the idea that nothing can be known absolutely; that there is no Absolute Truth of any sort.  From this, people feel that they can, with a straight face, declare , “That is your truth, my truth may be different.”  Essentially, they are saying that there can be no universal standards of any sort, no declaration that anything is always wrong or right, and, ultimately, that “there can be no criticism of ME.”  This is the ultimate meaning of sin, the elevation of self above everything and everyone else.  Man making himself into God.

This is the Bible’s response to Deism and Atheism: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” Romans 1:20

Book Comment: The Challenge of Postmodernism

The Challenge of Postmodernism.  An Evangelical Engagement, edited by David S. Dockery, 2001

The modernist philosophy, the prevailing worldview of the 19^th, 20^th , and early 21^st  centuries, holds that there is a truth to be known and that it is knowable by the scientific method.  In its most developed form, it holds that everything which can be known is knowable only from measurable and observable phenomena.  There is an absolute denial of the supernatural and a denigration of knowledge derived in other ways than the scientific.

A new worldview is replacing the scientific/modernist philosophy.  Postmodernism has been building since the early 20^th century.  It rejects the idea of a knowable single absolute truth and stresses the idea of pluralism.  There are many truths.  Community is favored over individualism.  Truth is mediated through social relations, true because it is accepted with a particular community.  In effect, anything can be true because it is accepted by a particular community.  The truth of one community is just as true as the truth of another community, even if the truths are incompatible.  Since there is no absolute truth,  truth becomes subjective and relative to the situation and community in which It is believed.

Meaning is defined by how one feels.  Your truth may not be my truth,  but all truths are equally valid.  Reality becomes a social construct.

To a postmodernist, truth, if it exists at all, is a social relation.  It is what a particular group declares that it is.  To assert truth is to assert domination over other groups that define truth differently.  Absolute truth claims are seen as oppressive and imperialist.  Those who uphold traditional orthodox Christianity are derided.  Pope Benedict XVI has called it “the dictatorship of relativism.”

Postmodernist H. Tristam Engelhardt has said, “Insofar as individual do not share in the consensusof a common religious belief, including the divine roots of state authority, appeals to religious consideration will appear to those without faith or with a different faith as an appeal simply to force in order to support private interests.”

Obviously, then, postmodernism is a direct and hostile challenge to Christianity because Christianity declares that  “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

The point of The Challenge of Postmodernism is that Christians must not be caught unaware.  Postmodernist philosophy is all around us; perhaps you have heard it expressed by someone you know.  Postmodern thought can even be found in many Christian churches, especially those which pride themselves on their inclusiveness and those which accept Christianity as merely one religion among many.  

The Challenge of Postmodernism discusses the background information Which Christians need to know in order to understand postmoderism so that they may counter it intellectually and successfully evangelize the new culture.

I would strongly recommend this book to pastors, theologians, and those others who are not intimidated by a bit of “heavy” reading.  It is good to be aware of the bear before he attempts to eat you.

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I bought a trade paperback copy of The Challenge of Postmodernism at 2^nd and Charles, a used bookstore.  When I got it home, I realized that it was a signed copy.  The inscription reads, “Soli Deo Gloria, David S. Dockery.”

“Soli Deo Gloria” is Latin and translates as “glory only to God” or “glory to God alone.”  Some have translated it as “glory to the only God.”

What They Think Of Us: Thomas Paine

"My own mind is my own church." Thomas Paine (1737-1809)  This quotation is a foreshadowing of the  post-modernist philosophy which states that there is no objective reality, no absolute truth.  Truth is whatever each observer decides that it is and there may be multiple truths, all equally valid.

Film Comment: Un Chien Andalou

I have written before about the modern relativistic idea that there is no absolute truth, that even the idea of truth itself is meaningless.  This anti-intellectual philosophy is rapidly becoming the predominant view in much of modern Western civilization.  The statement that all philosophies are true actually means that none are true.  There is no basis for determining what is right or wrong.  What you declare to be evil, another person might declare to be good, and you both have no valid reason for your claim.  Everything is subjective, based only on opinion.  There is no universal logic, There is no universal sense.  There are no universal ethics. There is no universal meaning.

This idea has begun to become mainstream, but it is not new. “Pilate said unto him, What is truth?”  John 18:38

In the most studied short film in history, Un chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog, 1928), director Luis Bunuel (1900, Spain – 1983) and surrealistic painter Salvador Dali  (1904, Spain – 1989) collaborated in coming up with totally unrelated scenes that they patched together in no particular order.  Their intent was to offend the society they despised.   Bunuel said, “No idea or image that might lend itself to a rational explanation of any kind would be accepted. … Nothing, in the film, symbolizes anything.”

Bunuel and Dali wrote the film together, with Bunuel directing.  There is no plot or continuity of ideas, just one shocking image after another.  The image almost universally recognized as the most shocking is the one in which a woman’s eyeball is sliced with a shaving razor.  Many have tried to interpret the film along preconceived philosophical lines, but all have ultimately failed because the message is that there is no meaning.

Christians utterly reject this world view because we know that absolute truth does exist.  Jesus is The Truth.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

What Americans Believe

"America's religion is broad but not deep.  It's not that Americans don't believe anything.  They believe everything." George Gallop Jr (1930-2011)

As relativism becomes more and more the prevailing world philosophy, religion becomes so "personal" that there are multitudes of individual religions with each person picking and choosing bits and pieces from here and there and declaring themselves to be "spiritual."  If there is no absolute knowable truth, as the relativists insist,  this is the ultimate result.

The Truth of Christianity

"It is the reliability of the Bible that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. ...  The same methods of historical investigation used to determine the authenticity of any ancient document can be applied to the Bible. ... In every area in which it can be checked out, the Bible is proven to be totally reliable.  If its verifiable contents are proven to be accurate and reliable, it is logical to assume that its subjective truth-claims (ie., its spiritual contents) are equally trustworthy.  There is no logical reason to reject this.  The key here is that the Bible's subjective truths do not attempt to stand alone.  They rest squarely and firmly on a foundation of verifiable facts." Dan Story, Christian apologist

Book Comment: Think

Think.  The Life of the Mind and the Love of God (2010), by John Piper, is a book which challenges Christians to use their minds.  "My goal is to encourage you to make serious thinking an important part of the way you pursue the knowledge of God." In the book Piper opposes prideful intellectualism, Christian anti-intellectualism, and the poison that is relativism.

Relativism, the philosophy that there is no universal external standard for judging the truth or falsehood of any statement, is seen by many Christians as a cancer on the world.  Piper goes further, he declares relativism to be evil (2 Timothy 4:3-4) and a treason against God.  Piper attacks the relativist philosophy, showing its gaping logical inconsistencies and exposes it for what it really is, a glorification of the self in opposition to God, which is what all sin ultimately reduces to.

Pastor Piper is no kinder to Christian anti-intellectualism.  One subchapter heading is Not Thinking Is No Solution for Thinking Arrogantly. "I we abandon thinking, we abandon the Bible, and if we abandon the Bible we abandon God."  Rather than being suspicious of deep thinking, we need to learn a humble way of thinking deeply.

"... the main reason God has given us minds is that we might seek out and find all the reasons that exist for treasuring him in all things and above all things.  He created the world so that through it and above it we might treasure him."

A Kid's Ear

     My doctor told me today that I had a "kid's ear," one of the worst cases of an ear infection that he had seen in years.  I know now why infants and young children fuss, fidgit, and cry when their ears hurt.  It is a true case of "walk a mile in my shoes."

     Non-believers and some more liberally minded believers use this idea to declare that Christians have no right to criticize, or even question, the actions and beliefs of others.  We must take into account their life experiences, their religious heritage, their nationality, their race,  ... whatever.  The effect is paralyzing moral relativism, the inability to admit that right is right and wrong is wrong.  It all depends on the situation.

     Of course, Christians should understand the influences which have shaped a person and their beliefs and actions, but the influences to which a person has been exposed are no excuse for bad actions.  Each person, and no one else, is responsible for their own choices and actions.  A truly great man, George Washington Carver (1864-1943), who was born as a slave and sold as an infant for a horse. became a scientist, inventor, and educator rather than a bitter twisted man. 

     Christians are called to be compassionate and caring, not judgmental, and to perform good works.  We are also not to dilute the gospel in any way, not to change the gospel in any way, not to compromise to win the favor of other people, and not to be afraid to speak the truth.

Book Comment: The Rise of Benedict XVI

     Allen, John L., Jr., The Rise of Benedict XVI.  The Inside Story of How the Pope Was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church (New York: Doubleday, 2005)

     John Allen is a correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and is the Vatican analyst for the Cable News Network and for National Public Radio.  His book details, almost minute by minute, the events leading up to the death of Pope John Paul II and the subsequent election of Joseph Ratzinger as the 265th Pope, Benedict XVI.

     Allen believes that the main thrust of Benedict's papacy will be directed against the "dictatorship of relativism," the belief that objective truth does not exist.  Benedict has declared relativism to be "the greatest problem of our time."

     Benedict is not alone in this belief.   

Book Comment: When Religion Becomes Evil

     Kimball, Charles, When Religion Becomes Evil (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2008)

     In his book, When Religion Becomes Evil, Charles Kimball is talking more about human corruption of religion than about religion.  He points out the danger signs which indicate that a religious movement could descend into violent and destructive activities and gives concrete examples to make his points.  And, he makes the sad point that religion, while vitally important to millions of people, has not overall caused their behavior to be demonstrably different from that of non-religious people.  Religious people (including Christians) have committed heinous crimes in the name of their deities.

     The warning signs Kimball discusses are:

1. Absolute truth claims

2. Blind obedience to a charismatic leader

3. Trying to force world events to a desired conclusion

4. The end justifies the use of any means

5. Declaring holy war 

     Kimball shows a few biases in his book:  he goes to great lengths to stress how peaceful Islam is;  he dismisses Biblical literalists as ignorant; and he sees Christianity as merely one religion among many.

     When Religion Becomes Evil is an interesting read and has many valid points to make about the temptation to declare one's religious views as the only correct way and to take the step into trying to force others to agree.  The one major criticism I have for the book is that it steps dangerously close to , and perhaps steps over, the line into relativism and denial that there is any Absolute Objective Truth.