David F. Wells
Author of No Place for Truth: Or, Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?
About the Author
David F. Wells is distinguished senior research professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts, and an ordained Congregationalist minister. His many previous books include Above All Earthly Pow'rs, Losing Our Virtue, God in the Wasteland, and No Place for Truth.
Image credit: Boston.com
Works by David F. Wells
The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-Lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World (2008) 1,038 copies, 1 review
The Person of Christ: A Biblical and Historical Analysis of the Incarnation (Foundations for faith) (1984) 159 copies
Associated Works
Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be (2008) — Foreword, some editions — 1,159 copies, 12 reviews
The Modern Theologians: An Introduction to Christian Theology Since 1918 (2005) — Contributor, some editions — 217 copies, 1 review
Only One Way?: Reaffirming the Exclusive Truth Claims of Christianity (2007) — Contributor — 165 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Wells, David Falconer
- Other names
- 衛爾素
- Birthdate
- 1939-05-11
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Cape Town (BS, Architecture)
University of London (BDiv)
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (MTh)
University of Manchester (PhD, Theology)
Yale Divinity School (post-doctoral studies) - Occupations
- professor
theologian
architect - Organizations
- Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
American Theological Society
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (show all 7)
Rafiki Foundation - Short biography
- [from Banner of Truth website]
David Falconer Wells is Distinguished Senior Research Professor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
Born in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1939, he studied architecture at the University of Cape Town, graduating in 1960. It was during this time that he came to faith and sensed God's call to Christian ministry. He practiced architecture in England and in 1966 earned the Bachelor of Divinity degree from London University, followed by a Master of Theology in church history from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois (1967), and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in theology from the University of Manchester (1969). He was appointed a post-doctoral research fellow at Yale Divinity School from 1973 to 1974.
He began teaching at Trinity Divinity School in 1969, advancing to full professor, and was appointed chair of the department of church history. In 1977 he was named to the chair of the division of systematic theology. He joined the faculty at Gordon-Conwell full-time in 1979, serving in a variety of positions. He moved to his current position in 2008 after having served as the Andrew Mutch Distinguished Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology since 1991. He was Academic Dean of the Charlotte campus (1998-2000) and Special Assistant to the President for Institutional Planning (2001-2003). From 2003 to 2005, he directed Gordon-Conwell's self-study for 10-year re-accreditation.
Dr. Wells was elected to the American Theological Society in 1985, and that same year appointed a Distinguished Lecturer for the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. He served as a member of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and on its theology working group. For many years he has worked to provide theological education and basic preaching tools for Third World pastors. From 1989 to 1991 he was the recipient of a major grant for Senior Scholars from the Pew Charitable Trusts.
He also serves on the board of the Rafiki Foundation, Inc., whose goal is to establish orphanages and schools in ten African countries in order to raise and train orphans within a Christian framework. He travels to Africa annually to visit these orphanages.
Dr. Wells is a Council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He and his wife, Jane, live in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
Dr Wells is the author of numerous books and articles, and of the Trust's booklet The Bleeding of the Evangelical Church. - Birthplace
- Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
- Places of residence
- South Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia
Members
Reviews
This third book in Wells' series of six books on postmodernism (see also No Place for Truth, God in the Wasteland, Above All Earthly Powers, The Courage to be Protestant, and God in the Whirlwind) focuses on the erosion of ethics within contemporary culture. This book is, in many ways, a series of contrasts between what was and what now is.
Classical spirituality, which Wells' defines by its doctrinal basis, its devotional habits, its moral character, and its responsibilities in Church and show more Society" [33] is the backdrop against which the a-theological spirituality of postmodernism is viewed. Wells demonstrates that talk about virtues has given way to clarification of values, that emphasis on character has shifted to a focus on personality, that theology has been displaced by psychology, and that feelings of guilt, which are God-centered in their moral orientation, have degenerated into the emotions of man-centered shame.
Wells gets at his diagnosis of the moral state of the Church and culture in several ways. In chapter one, "A Tale of Two Spiritualities," Wells contrasts the hymnody of the historic Church with the contemporary praise and worship songs of today. The results of his research are somewhat alarming, whatever one's taste in music happens to be. Another chapter, "The Playground of Desire," draws more from a study of sociology, zooming especially on what Wells calls "the competition between law and freedom," the relevance of which to the political realm he unfolds with penetrating insight. In yet another place, Wells examines the ideology of Robert Schuller, Senior Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. Schuller's view of sin "is really nothing more than poor self-image, and salvation is its reversal," says Wells [200]. But, "where sin has lost its moral weight, the Cross will lose its centrality, Christ will lose his uniqueness, and his Father will no longer be the God of the Bible" [200].
One of Wells most astute observations is that "much of the Church today, especially that part of it which is evangelical, is in captivity to [the] idolatry of the self. This is a form of corruption far more profound than the lists of infractions that typically pop into our minds when we hear the word sin. We are trying to hold at bay the gnats of small sins while swallowing the camel of self" [203-204]. As can be seen, Wells operates with a sharp surgical scalpel. But let no one think that he is a knife-happy physician, for he not only diagnoses the disease and cuts away the cancer, he also prescribes the medicine that will heal the Church. That cure is nothing less than a recovery of the Gospel, with its high view of God's transcendent holiness.
This is a must read for Christians who are serious about engaging the culture on a philosophical or theological level. And those who are not interested in such an engagement may need this book most of all. show less
Classical spirituality, which Wells' defines by its doctrinal basis, its devotional habits, its moral character, and its responsibilities in Church and show more Society" [33] is the backdrop against which the a-theological spirituality of postmodernism is viewed. Wells demonstrates that talk about virtues has given way to clarification of values, that emphasis on character has shifted to a focus on personality, that theology has been displaced by psychology, and that feelings of guilt, which are God-centered in their moral orientation, have degenerated into the emotions of man-centered shame.
Wells gets at his diagnosis of the moral state of the Church and culture in several ways. In chapter one, "A Tale of Two Spiritualities," Wells contrasts the hymnody of the historic Church with the contemporary praise and worship songs of today. The results of his research are somewhat alarming, whatever one's taste in music happens to be. Another chapter, "The Playground of Desire," draws more from a study of sociology, zooming especially on what Wells calls "the competition between law and freedom," the relevance of which to the political realm he unfolds with penetrating insight. In yet another place, Wells examines the ideology of Robert Schuller, Senior Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. Schuller's view of sin "is really nothing more than poor self-image, and salvation is its reversal," says Wells [200]. But, "where sin has lost its moral weight, the Cross will lose its centrality, Christ will lose his uniqueness, and his Father will no longer be the God of the Bible" [200].
One of Wells most astute observations is that "much of the Church today, especially that part of it which is evangelical, is in captivity to [the] idolatry of the self. This is a form of corruption far more profound than the lists of infractions that typically pop into our minds when we hear the word sin. We are trying to hold at bay the gnats of small sins while swallowing the camel of self" [203-204]. As can be seen, Wells operates with a sharp surgical scalpel. But let no one think that he is a knife-happy physician, for he not only diagnoses the disease and cuts away the cancer, he also prescribes the medicine that will heal the Church. That cure is nothing less than a recovery of the Gospel, with its high view of God's transcendent holiness.
This is a must read for Christians who are serious about engaging the culture on a philosophical or theological level. And those who are not interested in such an engagement may need this book most of all. show less
God in the Whirlwind by David Wells is an explanation of God's holy love, how God is so different, even opposite, from how our society has imagined Him to be. "However it happened, the external God has now disappeared and has been replaced by the internal God. Transcendence has been swallowed up by immanence. God is to be found only within the self. And once that happened, the boundary between right and wrong - at least as we had thought about these things - went down like a row of falling show more skittles. Evil and redemption came to be seen as the two sides of the same coin, not the two alternatives in life." Or as he also put it, "We want God's love without his holiness..." Wells addresses this erroneous viewpoint by explaining who God really is, and what His love is really like. I really liked his critique of our culture, how it has a 'therapeutic vision'. As Wells indicates, sadly, the 'church' has been going this way as well, following the spirit of the age they adapt the gospel to be about the fulfillment of our needs, our self-promotion and about our happiness now. The church needs to actually live like a community of 'aliens' and 'strangers' not assimilating the cultures of this world but living as citizens of Heaven, proclaiming God's Word accurately. We are to live as sanctified people, not worldly ones, as Wells puts it, we are to "work out what God, in his grace, has worked in" us, living as citizens of Heaven.
I'm sorry to say that there are several things in the books that prevent me from giving this book a higher rating. First, the author's view of Israel and covenant theology, or reformed theology bothered me too much, . I have read books before where I have disagreed with the author's 'Reformed' eschatology and yet have still liked the book, but that was not the case with this one. Here are a couple of instances, first, his statement that"...Paul argued that being a 'Jew' was no longer a matter of ethnicity....'is one inwardly...(Romans 2:29)' The logic here is inescapable. Those who have been justified on the basis of Christ's work, be they Jew or Gentile, constitute the one 'Israel of God'(Gal. 6:16)" Yes, being a Jew was not JUST a matter of ethnicity but it includes ethnicity, the true remnant of Israel is the elect descendants of Israel, the Israel of God. But Israel never becomes Jews and Gentiles. The Bible does not teach this. Jews and Gentiles do not cease to become ethnically Jews and Gentiles before God and on this earth just because they are united in salvation. Just as men and women do not cease to be men and women before God and on this earth because they are united in salvation. God saves Jews, Gentiles, men and women indiscriminately, He has not chosen to save only one people group, like the Jews, or one sex, or only people who are not slaves, He saves all kinds of people Galatians 3:28.
Another instance is the author's view of types....for example, he thinks that the Exodus of Israel from Egypt is a type of Christ and his work. I just don't see that connection made in the Bible, rather if there is any pictorial connection, I see the event mentioned in support of the view that God will one day bring all of the physical descendants of Israel back to their land(Jeremiah 16:14-15) and that they will be able to stay there because, unlike the first exodus of Israel and the Mosaic covenant God made with them, God will make their hearts new, will make the new covenant with them(Jer. 31:31-35,Ezek. 36:22-38). So when this mass exodus(initiated by God) from the countries where they have been scattered happens, they will return to their land for good(Amos 9: 14-15)because they will then be righteous, which was the requirement for their staying in the land.(Ezek. 36:22-38).
Besides the eschatology/Reformed typological view that kept clouding things, it was also mentioned three times that Abraham stumbled over the promises of God. This view is blatantly contradicted by Romans 4:20-21, speaking of Abraham, "yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Even in the event with Hagar, God's word does not say that that was a wavering of belief on Abraham's part. Of course, he was mistaken in how God would give him an heir, but it does not seem as though he struggled with unbelief of the promise.
To sum this up, these things, especially the typological views, just bothered me too much and were too distracting so I can only give this book three stars.
I'll end with one of the quotes/points that I Iiked, here he is critiquing recent and modern society, "When God was displaced from the center of life, revelation was replaced by natural reason, salvation by psychology and eschatology by social progress. However, even as this worldview was becoming dominant, it also began to disintegrate......What has lingered on is the substitution of psychology for salvation, and therefore the main thread of continuity across these decades, the thread that links the older modernist culture and our current postmodern culture, is the autonomous self. This is the self, the person in his or her inner being who is unrestrained by the past, by any authority, or social convention, or community, or any truth as something other than his or her own private opinion. They are not restrained by any God external to themselves. This is what our culture is validating all the time.
Many thanks to Crossway for sending me a free review ebook(My review did not have to be favorable). show less
I'm sorry to say that there are several things in the books that prevent me from giving this book a higher rating. First, the author's view of Israel and covenant theology, or reformed theology bothered me too much, . I have read books before where I have disagreed with the author's 'Reformed' eschatology and yet have still liked the book, but that was not the case with this one. Here are a couple of instances, first, his statement that"...Paul argued that being a 'Jew' was no longer a matter of ethnicity....'is one inwardly...(Romans 2:29)' The logic here is inescapable. Those who have been justified on the basis of Christ's work, be they Jew or Gentile, constitute the one 'Israel of God'(Gal. 6:16)" Yes, being a Jew was not JUST a matter of ethnicity but it includes ethnicity, the true remnant of Israel is the elect descendants of Israel, the Israel of God. But Israel never becomes Jews and Gentiles. The Bible does not teach this. Jews and Gentiles do not cease to become ethnically Jews and Gentiles before God and on this earth just because they are united in salvation. Just as men and women do not cease to be men and women before God and on this earth because they are united in salvation. God saves Jews, Gentiles, men and women indiscriminately, He has not chosen to save only one people group, like the Jews, or one sex, or only people who are not slaves, He saves all kinds of people Galatians 3:28.
Another instance is the author's view of types....for example, he thinks that the Exodus of Israel from Egypt is a type of Christ and his work. I just don't see that connection made in the Bible, rather if there is any pictorial connection, I see the event mentioned in support of the view that God will one day bring all of the physical descendants of Israel back to their land(Jeremiah 16:14-15) and that they will be able to stay there because, unlike the first exodus of Israel and the Mosaic covenant God made with them, God will make their hearts new, will make the new covenant with them(Jer. 31:31-35,Ezek. 36:22-38). So when this mass exodus(initiated by God) from the countries where they have been scattered happens, they will return to their land for good(Amos 9: 14-15)because they will then be righteous, which was the requirement for their staying in the land.(Ezek. 36:22-38).
Besides the eschatology/Reformed typological view that kept clouding things, it was also mentioned three times that Abraham stumbled over the promises of God. This view is blatantly contradicted by Romans 4:20-21, speaking of Abraham, "yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Even in the event with Hagar, God's word does not say that that was a wavering of belief on Abraham's part. Of course, he was mistaken in how God would give him an heir, but it does not seem as though he struggled with unbelief of the promise.
To sum this up, these things, especially the typological views, just bothered me too much and were too distracting so I can only give this book three stars.
I'll end with one of the quotes/points that I Iiked, here he is critiquing recent and modern society, "When God was displaced from the center of life, revelation was replaced by natural reason, salvation by psychology and eschatology by social progress. However, even as this worldview was becoming dominant, it also began to disintegrate......What has lingered on is the substitution of psychology for salvation, and therefore the main thread of continuity across these decades, the thread that links the older modernist culture and our current postmodern culture, is the autonomous self. This is the self, the person in his or her inner being who is unrestrained by the past, by any authority, or social convention, or community, or any truth as something other than his or her own private opinion. They are not restrained by any God external to themselves. This is what our culture is validating all the time.
Many thanks to Crossway for sending me a free review ebook(My review did not have to be favorable). show less
David Wells provides a penetrating critique of the demise of evangelical theology over the past several decades. His book should be an alarm to evangelicals to wake them up to truth and discover how modernity has subtly eroded truth from its midst. He wrote the book in response to a student’s casual comment about the benefit or lack thereof on spending money to take a theology course that appeared to be irrelevant in enabling one to minister to people. The student’s comment is a current show more reality in the way many people view theology even ministers. Wells identifies the central purpose of his book is “to explore why it is that theology is disappearing.”
CHAPTER 1: A DELICIOUS PARADISE LOST
The book begins with a step back in history as Wells gives one a picture of life a small New England town over a century ago. This was a predominantly puritan community where the church was the center of spiritual and social life in the town. Everything within the community seemed to revolve around the church. The pastor and the church were responsible for educating the children in the community. The church was Calvinistic in its beliefs. During that time universities in the U.S. existed primarily for the education of ministers. Things did not change much in this town and everyone had a role to fulfill. Times changed and American society moved from a more rural community with people migrating to urban areas. The inventions of the telegraph, phone, and television improved communication. The inventions of the train, streetcars, and the automobile allowed people to become more mobile. The outside world with all its inventions intruded into this small community and subtly changed it over time.
CHAPTER 2: WORLD CLICHÉ CULTURE
An overview is given of how things have changed from the enlightenment to modernity. Rapid change, urbanization, capitalism, and technology have all influenced modernity. The democratization of society and the growth of the sciences exerted their influence on society. Society slowly became more pluralistic and even in the church, experience was trumpeted over truth. The modernization of society has been driven by capitalism and commerce, which has transformed the landscape into an urbanized America. The urbanization of society has brought individuals from different religious and cultural backgrounds and has in turn slowly caused the pluralism one sees today.
The external secularization, “process of accepting and perpetuating values,” and the internal secularism, “values of the modern age,” have arisen as people no longer take values from the church but determine their values in themselves. Pluralism is seen as one of the greatest threats to the Christian faith. This process of modernization has occurred slowly and its influence is being felt within the evangelical community. The basis of absolute truth has disappeared
CHAPTER 3: THINGS FALL APART
Wells argues for the point that theology should be the same whether in the academy or in the church. Doing theology according to Wells involves a “confessional element, a reflection upon the confession, and a cultivation of virtues that are grounded in the first two elements.” The New Testament church from the beginning has emphasized the passing on of true doctrine but it is quite evident in the past several decades how a belief in truth has eroded.
Evangelical Christians do not think and reflect much about God today but rather they desire what is pragmatic in meeting their needs. The urbanization of society has meant that generally more educated and professional people are involved in church and tend to have theological views that are more liberal than ones living in rural areas. Christian ministry has become a profession instead of a calling. The Doctor of Ministry degree has been an attempt to make ministers appear more professional. Leadership Journal emphasizes the pragmatic side of ministry with little emphasis on theology. Universities have slowly replaced theology departments with religious studies. The emphasis on the sciences pushed religion departments to emphasize the psychology and sociology of religion to sustain their place in the university. A large percentage of Americans even today call themselves evangelicals but the perceived beliefs are not grounded in confessional values.
CHAPTER 4: SELF-PIETY
The progression of modernism has led to an overwhelming emphasis upon the self. Wells draws the conclusion that one of the results of the Reformation was “that the individual has access to ultimate without the interposition of any intermediaries.” Although the reformers and puritans had a solid basis in truth that helped in the denial of self that can no longer be said of people today. Wells emphasizes the affect that television has had on modernizing our culture.
Culture as defined by Wells “is the outward discipline in which inherited meanings and morality, beliefs and ways of behaving are preserved.” The modernization of America has removed morality out of the schools and also has moved the value system from the church to the psychologist. The new church is about experience and what is in it for the individual. Truth is out and pragmatism and feeling is in. Wells says that the “psychologizing of life cuts the nerve of evangelical identity because the common assumption beneath the self movement is the perfectibility of human nature and this is anathema to the Christian gospel.” He also goes on to state that this psychologizing “undermines the desire and capacity to think, without which theology is obviously dead.”
CHAPTER 5: THE RISE OF EVERYPERSON
The culture has changed considerably due to the rise of “everyperson,” defined by Wells as, “the person who is the product of the American experience of democracy, the person for whom democracy is not simply a political system but an entire worldview and for whom, therefore, culture and truth belong to the people.” The democratization of America has led to “making up one’s mind” and “taking one’s destiny in one’s own hands.” It has also has led to the “importance of the public in which one’s views find their validation.” This has translated into the church in that “the audience is sovereign: and “ideas find legitimacy and value only within the marketplace.” This can be seen in the theological emphasis in such magazines as Christianity Today. Perhaps one of the most challenging sections of the book for ministers is found on pages 214-217 where he observes that ministers have abdicated the role as leaders with vision and have become managers of public opinion with a spiritual twist.
CHAPTER 6: THE NEW DISABLERS
The direction of professionalization in the culture and the decline of theological education led to changes in perception of a pastor and his role. The pastor changed from a “broker of truth” to a manager of people. When one moves away from the truth as found in the Word of God as the center and focus for all that one does then one allows other influences to determine function. Character, exposition of the Bible, and theology were replaced by interpersonal skills and administrative abilities. Pastors have followed careers instead of callings. Sermons became more centered on people and less centered on God. Not only have people in the pew become pragmatic but also people behind the pulpit. Theology is a rare commodity but the newest method is the new rave consumed. The view of a good church is one that is producing and growing not necessarily one that believes the truth.
CHAPTER 7: THE HABITS OF GOD
One of the key aspects of the Christian faith is that the Bible is the written history of God at work through his people in history. The truth contained is objective and historically verifiable. The prophets and apostles believed these truths and lived and preached like they believed these truths. An argument regularly surfaced is that the present is so distant from biblical times that it is impossible to have a biblical worldview. Wells identifies the assumptions underlying this belief as the rejection of old values and belief in future progress, an inability to adopt older worldviews, and a present pluralism that does not allow for a simplistic biblical worldview. Wells counters that humanity has not progressed much, that we have a choice in worldviews, and that the pluralism we now experience actually brings us closer to a biblical worldview.
In order to help one understand the perspectives above Wells identifies the beliefs of the pagan mind that may help one better understand the modern mind. Nature was the focus of their gods and their experiences connected them with the supernatural. The supernatural world was unpredictable and their religion was typically sexual. They made decisions based upon experience and focussed on the future.
Wells identifies three key historical events in the Bible, the call of Abraham, the Exodus, and the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom, which helped to shape the identity of the Israelites. In the New Testament “the incarnation, death, resurrection, and return of Christ bring each of these events to final fruition.” One of the key statements Wells presents about the biblical mind is that “God’s truth was transmitted through events external to the individual meant that it was objective, and the fact that it was objective meant, further, that his truth was public.”
Wells sums up the view of the modern mind that “reality is so privatize and relativized that truth is often understood only in terms of what it means to each person. A pragmatic culture will see truth as whatever works for any given person. Such a culture will interpret the statement that Christianity is true to mean simply that Christianity is one way of life that has worked for someone, but that would not be to say that any other way of life might not work just as well for someone else.” The process of recovering a biblical mind in the midst of such a culture is the biblical teaching of truth.
CHAPTER 8: THE REFORM OF EVANGELICALISM
Wells spends a tremendous amount of space in this book documenting “the evangelical bias toward modernity” but only provides some glimpses of solutions. He proposes a second book to offer some more helpful solutions. The challenge for evangelicals is to re-learn how to dissent instead of capitulating to modernity. The church must be the key place for theology to flourish. If the church is to regain her theological moorings and reject belief in modernity, then she must discover that “the holiness of God is the very cornerstone of the Christian faith, for it is the foundation of reality. Sin is defiance of God’s holiness, the Cross is the outworking and victory of God’s holiness, and faith is the recognition of God’s holiness. Knowing that God is holy is therefore the key to knowing life as it truly is, knowing Christ as he truly is, knowing why he came, and knowing how life will end." show less
CHAPTER 1: A DELICIOUS PARADISE LOST
The book begins with a step back in history as Wells gives one a picture of life a small New England town over a century ago. This was a predominantly puritan community where the church was the center of spiritual and social life in the town. Everything within the community seemed to revolve around the church. The pastor and the church were responsible for educating the children in the community. The church was Calvinistic in its beliefs. During that time universities in the U.S. existed primarily for the education of ministers. Things did not change much in this town and everyone had a role to fulfill. Times changed and American society moved from a more rural community with people migrating to urban areas. The inventions of the telegraph, phone, and television improved communication. The inventions of the train, streetcars, and the automobile allowed people to become more mobile. The outside world with all its inventions intruded into this small community and subtly changed it over time.
CHAPTER 2: WORLD CLICHÉ CULTURE
An overview is given of how things have changed from the enlightenment to modernity. Rapid change, urbanization, capitalism, and technology have all influenced modernity. The democratization of society and the growth of the sciences exerted their influence on society. Society slowly became more pluralistic and even in the church, experience was trumpeted over truth. The modernization of society has been driven by capitalism and commerce, which has transformed the landscape into an urbanized America. The urbanization of society has brought individuals from different religious and cultural backgrounds and has in turn slowly caused the pluralism one sees today.
The external secularization, “process of accepting and perpetuating values,” and the internal secularism, “values of the modern age,” have arisen as people no longer take values from the church but determine their values in themselves. Pluralism is seen as one of the greatest threats to the Christian faith. This process of modernization has occurred slowly and its influence is being felt within the evangelical community. The basis of absolute truth has disappeared
CHAPTER 3: THINGS FALL APART
Wells argues for the point that theology should be the same whether in the academy or in the church. Doing theology according to Wells involves a “confessional element, a reflection upon the confession, and a cultivation of virtues that are grounded in the first two elements.” The New Testament church from the beginning has emphasized the passing on of true doctrine but it is quite evident in the past several decades how a belief in truth has eroded.
Evangelical Christians do not think and reflect much about God today but rather they desire what is pragmatic in meeting their needs. The urbanization of society has meant that generally more educated and professional people are involved in church and tend to have theological views that are more liberal than ones living in rural areas. Christian ministry has become a profession instead of a calling. The Doctor of Ministry degree has been an attempt to make ministers appear more professional. Leadership Journal emphasizes the pragmatic side of ministry with little emphasis on theology. Universities have slowly replaced theology departments with religious studies. The emphasis on the sciences pushed religion departments to emphasize the psychology and sociology of religion to sustain their place in the university. A large percentage of Americans even today call themselves evangelicals but the perceived beliefs are not grounded in confessional values.
CHAPTER 4: SELF-PIETY
The progression of modernism has led to an overwhelming emphasis upon the self. Wells draws the conclusion that one of the results of the Reformation was “that the individual has access to ultimate without the interposition of any intermediaries.” Although the reformers and puritans had a solid basis in truth that helped in the denial of self that can no longer be said of people today. Wells emphasizes the affect that television has had on modernizing our culture.
Culture as defined by Wells “is the outward discipline in which inherited meanings and morality, beliefs and ways of behaving are preserved.” The modernization of America has removed morality out of the schools and also has moved the value system from the church to the psychologist. The new church is about experience and what is in it for the individual. Truth is out and pragmatism and feeling is in. Wells says that the “psychologizing of life cuts the nerve of evangelical identity because the common assumption beneath the self movement is the perfectibility of human nature and this is anathema to the Christian gospel.” He also goes on to state that this psychologizing “undermines the desire and capacity to think, without which theology is obviously dead.”
CHAPTER 5: THE RISE OF EVERYPERSON
The culture has changed considerably due to the rise of “everyperson,” defined by Wells as, “the person who is the product of the American experience of democracy, the person for whom democracy is not simply a political system but an entire worldview and for whom, therefore, culture and truth belong to the people.” The democratization of America has led to “making up one’s mind” and “taking one’s destiny in one’s own hands.” It has also has led to the “importance of the public in which one’s views find their validation.” This has translated into the church in that “the audience is sovereign: and “ideas find legitimacy and value only within the marketplace.” This can be seen in the theological emphasis in such magazines as Christianity Today. Perhaps one of the most challenging sections of the book for ministers is found on pages 214-217 where he observes that ministers have abdicated the role as leaders with vision and have become managers of public opinion with a spiritual twist.
CHAPTER 6: THE NEW DISABLERS
The direction of professionalization in the culture and the decline of theological education led to changes in perception of a pastor and his role. The pastor changed from a “broker of truth” to a manager of people. When one moves away from the truth as found in the Word of God as the center and focus for all that one does then one allows other influences to determine function. Character, exposition of the Bible, and theology were replaced by interpersonal skills and administrative abilities. Pastors have followed careers instead of callings. Sermons became more centered on people and less centered on God. Not only have people in the pew become pragmatic but also people behind the pulpit. Theology is a rare commodity but the newest method is the new rave consumed. The view of a good church is one that is producing and growing not necessarily one that believes the truth.
CHAPTER 7: THE HABITS OF GOD
One of the key aspects of the Christian faith is that the Bible is the written history of God at work through his people in history. The truth contained is objective and historically verifiable. The prophets and apostles believed these truths and lived and preached like they believed these truths. An argument regularly surfaced is that the present is so distant from biblical times that it is impossible to have a biblical worldview. Wells identifies the assumptions underlying this belief as the rejection of old values and belief in future progress, an inability to adopt older worldviews, and a present pluralism that does not allow for a simplistic biblical worldview. Wells counters that humanity has not progressed much, that we have a choice in worldviews, and that the pluralism we now experience actually brings us closer to a biblical worldview.
In order to help one understand the perspectives above Wells identifies the beliefs of the pagan mind that may help one better understand the modern mind. Nature was the focus of their gods and their experiences connected them with the supernatural. The supernatural world was unpredictable and their religion was typically sexual. They made decisions based upon experience and focussed on the future.
Wells identifies three key historical events in the Bible, the call of Abraham, the Exodus, and the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom, which helped to shape the identity of the Israelites. In the New Testament “the incarnation, death, resurrection, and return of Christ bring each of these events to final fruition.” One of the key statements Wells presents about the biblical mind is that “God’s truth was transmitted through events external to the individual meant that it was objective, and the fact that it was objective meant, further, that his truth was public.”
Wells sums up the view of the modern mind that “reality is so privatize and relativized that truth is often understood only in terms of what it means to each person. A pragmatic culture will see truth as whatever works for any given person. Such a culture will interpret the statement that Christianity is true to mean simply that Christianity is one way of life that has worked for someone, but that would not be to say that any other way of life might not work just as well for someone else.” The process of recovering a biblical mind in the midst of such a culture is the biblical teaching of truth.
CHAPTER 8: THE REFORM OF EVANGELICALISM
Wells spends a tremendous amount of space in this book documenting “the evangelical bias toward modernity” but only provides some glimpses of solutions. He proposes a second book to offer some more helpful solutions. The challenge for evangelicals is to re-learn how to dissent instead of capitulating to modernity. The church must be the key place for theology to flourish. If the church is to regain her theological moorings and reject belief in modernity, then she must discover that “the holiness of God is the very cornerstone of the Christian faith, for it is the foundation of reality. Sin is defiance of God’s holiness, the Cross is the outworking and victory of God’s holiness, and faith is the recognition of God’s holiness. Knowing that God is holy is therefore the key to knowing life as it truly is, knowing Christ as he truly is, knowing why he came, and knowing how life will end." show less
This is a very unsettling book. Like Mark Noll's "The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind" Wells, a Professor at Gordon=Conwell Seminary, documents the decline in importance of sound theology. This book came out almost 20 years ago. If anything the problem has gotten worse. Men and women ignoring sound doctrine and in some cases, the Gospels. Look at the Tea Party, the GOP and current thinking about you-name-it.
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