RenewalCast Understanding Liberal Drift with Terry Johnson
Jan 21, 2024
38:32
About the Guest(s): Terry Johnson is the esteemed minister of the Independent Presbyterian Church located in Savannah, Georgia. Bringing with him over three decades of pastoral experience, Terry has devoted 37 years as the senior minister at his church. With a background rooted in Southern California, he pursued his education at the University of Southern California before honing his theological insights at Trinity Bristol, where he was under the tutelage of renowned figures such as J.I. Packer and J.A. Motyer. Furthering his education at Gordon Conwell and Erskine Seminary, Terry has solidified his position as a theological authority, particularly known for his work with Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old during his masters of Ministry and Doctor of Ministry studies. His contributions to the broader religious community extend into authorship, where he has a multitude of works to his name. Episode Summary: In this enlightening episode of Renewalcast, hosts Cole Robinson and Jay Wipf navigate through the intricacies of conservative and liberal ideologies within the Christian church. With the voice of theological wisdom, Terry Johnson steers the discourse towards understanding the impact of liberal drift in denominations and how it shapes the contemporary religious landscape. The episode peels back the layers of the fundamentalist controversy of the 1920s, where battles for denominational control underscored a pivotal shift in church dynamics. Terry Johnson brings to light the complexities involved in the tension between affirming orthodox Christian principles, such as the inerrancy of scripture, and adopting a more inclusive theology that broadened into liberalism. Using the Northern Presbyterian Church as a case study, he examines how moderate evangelicals' prioritization of church mission and unity over strict orthodoxy ultimately led to a seismic change in the foundational beliefs of the denomination. Delving into historical anecdotes and character studies of influential figures like Charles Erdman and Robert Spear, the podcast paints a detailed picture of emotional and intellectual clashes that have lasting repercussions. Key Takeaways:
- The fundamentalist controversy refers to the 1920s struggle over the control of mainline denominations, with a significant focus on the authority of scripture and foundational Christian doctrines.
- Moderate evangelicals compromised on strict orthodoxy for the sake of church mission and unity, resulting in the gradual liberal drift of denominations.
- A shift in focus from doctrinal integrity to adherence to the Book of Church Order marked a pivotal turn where bureaucracy trumped theology.
- The episode highlights the irony of liberal tolerance, which is often one-directional and leads to the marginalization of orthodox viewpoints.
- The podcast underscores the importance of pastors staying firm in their convictions and preaching the whole counsel of God systematically to combat liberal drift.
- "You pull the foundation out from under the biblical account of Jesus' life and ministry, in the end, you're going to lose Jesus too." – Terry Johnson
- "Toleration goes one way…Toleration until we're the majority, and then we kick out all those who don't agree with us." – Terry Johnson
- "The way to build the church is to preach the gospel…the watered down version is not. It has no power in it, so it's self-defeating." – Terry Johnson
- "You cannot reorder reality. You fight against reality, reality always wins." – Terry Johnson
- "Speak the truth in love. And where we get off is where we have truth and no love, or we have love and no truth." – Terry Johnson