We all want to leave a quiet and peaceful life as much as it depends on us. However, I do know there are times when we need to turn the tables with righteous anger. I often wonder: when do we turn them? When do we keep quiet? Jesus was quiet throughout his trial and crucifixion, with very few words here and there. He was vocal at the temple with the money exchanging tables. In our world: when do we do it? Do we speak out against a coworker who is transgender or do we speak up at the ballots? Do we limit ourselves to refusing to use pronouns, or do we actively teach against it? Oh, Lord, give me wisdom! But I am so thankful I am not a man, the provider for our family. If I lose my job over what is right, oh well. But for the men, the stakes are much higher. I pray the Lord will give you all wisdom and boldness to act at the right time…
There is a range of actions we might take in any given circumstance, and wisdom has to dictate what options are available to us. Sometimes we might act with righteous anger, other times we might not. The point of this essay is that pietism has convinced Christians that they must always be in a defeatist mode of action, when that's not always the case. So, for example, I think going along with transgender pronouns is a violation of the 9th commandment that forbids bearing false witness. Eight of the 10 Commandments are framed negatively ("you shall not") because it's easier to define and forbid bad actions than to prescribe and require good actions.
There’s a point soon after Hitler was rising in power that a German Pastor Martin Nemour had a meeting with Hitler, still hoping that this rising leader wasn’t that bad of a guy.
Upon entering, Nemour is confronted with a transcript of phone calls where he was making light of Hitler.
And Hitler says to him, “listen Mr. Pastor, you shut up… you just worry about your sermons. I’ll worry about the Third Reich. You stay in your religious lane, you preach your little gospel and WE will run the world. You will bow your knee to the Furher!”
That same lie is what pastors in America are believing today. That: “Our sermons are to be only about the Gospel.” In order to keep favor with most people, because we certainly want everyone to like us.
But Jesus said we are to be in the world, but not of it, and for that reason we will be hated(John 15:19).
How do we break out of pietism, by sharing truth in every platform/situation we can.
Jesus truth defeats the devil’s lies.
Transgender lies have been propagating here in America because Christians have been silent, inviting pietism.
Pastors haven’t been encouraging their people to resist evil by speaking out against evil.
Bravo! I just read an article in the Living Church today by a bishop friend of mine that represented everything you talked about here. Most institutional Churches today belong to the Diocese of Laodicea.
Excellent analysis. I've studied the problems in American evangelicalism for some time. But I've yet to see the link to a sort of pietism exposed this well.
Just before surgery last week, I posted an essay that touches upon much of this same problem that has spread like contagion into many churches and our culture. My own thoughts are reflective of what I perceive as the deeply deceptive allure and desire of having a plastic Jesus with a wax nose on hand.
I think this 'Toxic Pietism' you've written about here is the saltless garnish in today's apostatic soup of feel-good Christianity. Never mind the content or nutritional value, it just looks good and sounds good.
Good work, Michael. I'm considering a follow-up piece to the one I just wrote as I am bed-bound until late February. I have a lot of time to write, and I think God's purpose in our ministry is to be challenging, to be honest and precise, to be convincing and not condemning such that through these messages some will repent and through grace, be brought into salvation.
Unfortunately, there's a kind of willful blindness and arrogance at play in our modern church that has many Christians adopting what I term, "Golden Bus Ticket" theology. (Essentially, they've got their tickets home, no need to do any of that 'other' stuff.)
Here’s another take: we were meant to exert dominion over the world for the sake of heaven, not to repudiate the world wholesale for the sake of heaven.
If we are to be for God and against the world, and we are naturally weak compared to Him, why must we also be weak in the world? It makes no sense.
Another piece of the puzzle here is that for a couple generations now, in the West pastors, when making altar calls or evangelising have stopped seriously talking about sin, judgement, confession of sin and repentance BEFORE talking about God’s love and grace. The result? Most unconverted will only hear in churches a maimed Gospel which is typically expressed by means of the following (totally ineffective) formulas: "Come to Jesus and he will bless you" (capitalist version), "Come to Jesus and he will give meaning to your life" (intellectual version) or even "Who wants to invite Jesus into their heart?" (the universally appealing emotional version). There is good reason why serious preaching about sin, judgement and repentance is rarely heard in Western Evangelical churches, FEAR OF MAN. The generation around us HATES with a vengeance the concept that we are accountable to SomeOne (especially regarding our sex lives). If you think I’m “exaggerating”, then ask Canadian pastor David Lynn who was arrested in 2019 for only preaching in general terms that we are all sinners, but in a Gay quarter in Toronto.
Police handcuff and arrest black pastor for preaching plain gospel message. (Blog Winter Knight)
It should come to NO SURPRISE that this compromised Gospel which is typically preached Evangelical churches has no effect on Western Culture. It should come to NO SURPRISE that many non-Christian Westerners despise Western Christianity. We need to compare the Gospel we preach to that preached by John the Baptist, Christ and the Apostles, and then repent. Then we have to find the courage to face the hatred of the postmodern generation around us to the idea that we are all accountable to our Creator...
If Evangelical leaders of this generation now have so little political or cultural influence, as you point out this must be attributed in large part to the influence of the Pietism. The Pietist movement has deep roots in evangelicalism. Pietism began in the 18th century, when Enlightenment thinking was gaining power in Europe. In reaction, Pietists, rather than seeking to oppose Enlightenment thinking and have a purifying effect on culture, the arts, philosophy, science or politics, abandoned all these fields of activity to Enlightenment pagans... They surrendered without having fought. They retreated into their own ghetto and bet EVERTHING on evangelism. And it must be said that this was a decision with very serious consequences. If, for example, William Wilberforce (1759–1833) had been a consistent Pietist and had refused all political involvement, then slavery would still exist... If Wilberforce had stayed in his church singing “Hallelujah!!” then today when you leave your house in the morning, the guy driving the garbage truck in your neighbourhood would be a slave, the lady at the local daycare would be a slave and the bus driver who driving down your street would also be a slave as well as the lady at the grocery store checkout. And among evangelicals, the profound influence of pietism stifles any serious thinking about the relationship of the Christian to the State and serves as a pretext for Christian leaders who REFUSE any questioning of the behaviour of the State or the political class and refuse to play their role as salt of the earth in their generation. How many dare say (as did John the Baptist) to the Herods (in the State, in education, culture or business) of our time “It is not lawful for thee to...”
Great article! Catholic here so feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt. There is certainly a trace of this in modern Catholicism, even though it's not to be found in our theology. I see these attitudes as a form of self-hatred or insecurity imposed by caring so much about what society thinks about us while still refusing to apostatize -- a Stockholm syndrome if I may. Luckily, there are many Catholics who are faithful to the Church's teaching on power (See JD Vance, Clarence Thomas & about half the supreme court). I think some medieval kings can provide great examples to us now of how Christian men should wield power, men like Louis IX and Alfred the Great.
Well articulated! Tom Price said, “ when the light of the world retreats inside the walls of the church. The world becomes a very dark place.” The privatization of the Christian faith is unbiblical because Christianity is a public truth.
Excellent article. I taught at our church a couple years ago that piety-teaching (sermons about virtues in the home) are good and necessary but by ONLY teaching that form of piety, we don't speak the truth to the world. Surely the adversary has something to say about government, politics, economics, laws, justice, sexuality, music, art, etc - but the Logos is silent or dismissive? Surely not.
Thank you thank you thank you🙏🙏🙏You put into words exactly what I have been feeling for years. As Christians, we must fight for what is good and holy because so many are powerless against the evil that is all around us. Turn the other cheek is meant to assure us that we can take whatever they dish out. They strike at us; we take the hit and keep moving forward because we know we are on the right track; we are over the target. I have family members who are appalled that public schools in some states are using the Bible, biblical context in American history courses. And when I ask why, they recite the separation of church and state canard while simultaneously extolling the virtue of Islamic principles or other religious practices into the curriculum as tolerant and open-minded
We all want to leave a quiet and peaceful life as much as it depends on us. However, I do know there are times when we need to turn the tables with righteous anger. I often wonder: when do we turn them? When do we keep quiet? Jesus was quiet throughout his trial and crucifixion, with very few words here and there. He was vocal at the temple with the money exchanging tables. In our world: when do we do it? Do we speak out against a coworker who is transgender or do we speak up at the ballots? Do we limit ourselves to refusing to use pronouns, or do we actively teach against it? Oh, Lord, give me wisdom! But I am so thankful I am not a man, the provider for our family. If I lose my job over what is right, oh well. But for the men, the stakes are much higher. I pray the Lord will give you all wisdom and boldness to act at the right time…
There is a range of actions we might take in any given circumstance, and wisdom has to dictate what options are available to us. Sometimes we might act with righteous anger, other times we might not. The point of this essay is that pietism has convinced Christians that they must always be in a defeatist mode of action, when that's not always the case. So, for example, I think going along with transgender pronouns is a violation of the 9th commandment that forbids bearing false witness. Eight of the 10 Commandments are framed negatively ("you shall not") because it's easier to define and forbid bad actions than to prescribe and require good actions.
Right on Pastor Clary…
There’s a point soon after Hitler was rising in power that a German Pastor Martin Nemour had a meeting with Hitler, still hoping that this rising leader wasn’t that bad of a guy.
Upon entering, Nemour is confronted with a transcript of phone calls where he was making light of Hitler.
And Hitler says to him, “listen Mr. Pastor, you shut up… you just worry about your sermons. I’ll worry about the Third Reich. You stay in your religious lane, you preach your little gospel and WE will run the world. You will bow your knee to the Furher!”
That same lie is what pastors in America are believing today. That: “Our sermons are to be only about the Gospel.” In order to keep favor with most people, because we certainly want everyone to like us.
But Jesus said we are to be in the world, but not of it, and for that reason we will be hated(John 15:19).
How do we break out of pietism, by sharing truth in every platform/situation we can.
Jesus truth defeats the devil’s lies.
Transgender lies have been propagating here in America because Christians have been silent, inviting pietism.
Pastors haven’t been encouraging their people to resist evil by speaking out against evil.
This is exactly what Eric Metaxas spoke of in his book ‘Letter to the American Church’.
Or how the russians are not resisting putin, (other example)
You nailed it! Sometimes it takes nails.
Bravo! I just read an article in the Living Church today by a bishop friend of mine that represented everything you talked about here. Most institutional Churches today belong to the Diocese of Laodicea.
Excellent analysis. I've studied the problems in American evangelicalism for some time. But I've yet to see the link to a sort of pietism exposed this well.
Just before surgery last week, I posted an essay that touches upon much of this same problem that has spread like contagion into many churches and our culture. My own thoughts are reflective of what I perceive as the deeply deceptive allure and desire of having a plastic Jesus with a wax nose on hand.
( https://pastormike.substack.com/p/triggering-your-plastic-jesus ) '
I think this 'Toxic Pietism' you've written about here is the saltless garnish in today's apostatic soup of feel-good Christianity. Never mind the content or nutritional value, it just looks good and sounds good.
Good work, Michael. I'm considering a follow-up piece to the one I just wrote as I am bed-bound until late February. I have a lot of time to write, and I think God's purpose in our ministry is to be challenging, to be honest and precise, to be convincing and not condemning such that through these messages some will repent and through grace, be brought into salvation.
Unfortunately, there's a kind of willful blindness and arrogance at play in our modern church that has many Christians adopting what I term, "Golden Bus Ticket" theology. (Essentially, they've got their tickets home, no need to do any of that 'other' stuff.)
Blessings from the horizontal pulpit.
Thanks brother! May the Lord grant you a swift recovery as well!
Excellent
Here’s another take: we were meant to exert dominion over the world for the sake of heaven, not to repudiate the world wholesale for the sake of heaven.
If we are to be for God and against the world, and we are naturally weak compared to Him, why must we also be weak in the world? It makes no sense.
Another piece of the puzzle here is that for a couple generations now, in the West pastors, when making altar calls or evangelising have stopped seriously talking about sin, judgement, confession of sin and repentance BEFORE talking about God’s love and grace. The result? Most unconverted will only hear in churches a maimed Gospel which is typically expressed by means of the following (totally ineffective) formulas: "Come to Jesus and he will bless you" (capitalist version), "Come to Jesus and he will give meaning to your life" (intellectual version) or even "Who wants to invite Jesus into their heart?" (the universally appealing emotional version). There is good reason why serious preaching about sin, judgement and repentance is rarely heard in Western Evangelical churches, FEAR OF MAN. The generation around us HATES with a vengeance the concept that we are accountable to SomeOne (especially regarding our sex lives). If you think I’m “exaggerating”, then ask Canadian pastor David Lynn who was arrested in 2019 for only preaching in general terms that we are all sinners, but in a Gay quarter in Toronto.
Police handcuff and arrest black pastor for preaching plain gospel message. (Blog Winter Knight)
https://winteryknight.com/2019/06/10/police-handcuff-and-arrest-black-pastor-for-preaching-straight-gospel-message/
It should come to NO SURPRISE that this compromised Gospel which is typically preached Evangelical churches has no effect on Western Culture. It should come to NO SURPRISE that many non-Christian Westerners despise Western Christianity. We need to compare the Gospel we preach to that preached by John the Baptist, Christ and the Apostles, and then repent. Then we have to find the courage to face the hatred of the postmodern generation around us to the idea that we are all accountable to our Creator...
If Evangelical leaders of this generation now have so little political or cultural influence, as you point out this must be attributed in large part to the influence of the Pietism. The Pietist movement has deep roots in evangelicalism. Pietism began in the 18th century, when Enlightenment thinking was gaining power in Europe. In reaction, Pietists, rather than seeking to oppose Enlightenment thinking and have a purifying effect on culture, the arts, philosophy, science or politics, abandoned all these fields of activity to Enlightenment pagans... They surrendered without having fought. They retreated into their own ghetto and bet EVERTHING on evangelism. And it must be said that this was a decision with very serious consequences. If, for example, William Wilberforce (1759–1833) had been a consistent Pietist and had refused all political involvement, then slavery would still exist... If Wilberforce had stayed in his church singing “Hallelujah!!” then today when you leave your house in the morning, the guy driving the garbage truck in your neighbourhood would be a slave, the lady at the local daycare would be a slave and the bus driver who driving down your street would also be a slave as well as the lady at the grocery store checkout. And among evangelicals, the profound influence of pietism stifles any serious thinking about the relationship of the Christian to the State and serves as a pretext for Christian leaders who REFUSE any questioning of the behaviour of the State or the political class and refuse to play their role as salt of the earth in their generation. How many dare say (as did John the Baptist) to the Herods (in the State, in education, culture or business) of our time “It is not lawful for thee to...”
Great article! Catholic here so feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt. There is certainly a trace of this in modern Catholicism, even though it's not to be found in our theology. I see these attitudes as a form of self-hatred or insecurity imposed by caring so much about what society thinks about us while still refusing to apostatize -- a Stockholm syndrome if I may. Luckily, there are many Catholics who are faithful to the Church's teaching on power (See JD Vance, Clarence Thomas & about half the supreme court). I think some medieval kings can provide great examples to us now of how Christian men should wield power, men like Louis IX and Alfred the Great.
Well articulated! Tom Price said, “ when the light of the world retreats inside the walls of the church. The world becomes a very dark place.” The privatization of the Christian faith is unbiblical because Christianity is a public truth.
This was an incredible article…
Excellent article. I taught at our church a couple years ago that piety-teaching (sermons about virtues in the home) are good and necessary but by ONLY teaching that form of piety, we don't speak the truth to the world. Surely the adversary has something to say about government, politics, economics, laws, justice, sexuality, music, art, etc - but the Logos is silent or dismissive? Surely not.
Thank you thank you thank you🙏🙏🙏You put into words exactly what I have been feeling for years. As Christians, we must fight for what is good and holy because so many are powerless against the evil that is all around us. Turn the other cheek is meant to assure us that we can take whatever they dish out. They strike at us; we take the hit and keep moving forward because we know we are on the right track; we are over the target. I have family members who are appalled that public schools in some states are using the Bible, biblical context in American history courses. And when I ask why, they recite the separation of church and state canard while simultaneously extolling the virtue of Islamic principles or other religious practices into the curriculum as tolerant and open-minded
Absolutely amazing article!!!! 👍
Thanks Scott! Glad you found it helpful