Emotional post-modern theology/philosophy undermining protestantism.?

I have been a member of the Protestant faith for most of my life. I have grown up in it, and now I think that it is time to reject it for something of substance. Primarily Orthodoxy. I have seen the deterioration of protestantism most evident in the past few years. Sermons in church leave you feeling good, that is if you have no intelligence to insult. "Christian" bookstores prostitute my faith, with such things as "Faith Gear" and other ridiculous and irreverent objects. It is as if the very reformation Luther started has been forgotten. Pastors ignore the wealth of intellectual information and theology that can be found in the pages of C.S. Lewis, Chesterton, Dostoevsky, and countless other great, creative minds. Instead we listen to Joel Olsteen and his prosperity gospel message. Church is a revolving door, with nothing keep me there. What is it that has caused the church to ignore the beauty of art, poetry and intellectuality?

What can one do to return the church to substance?Emotional post-modern theology/philosophy undermining protestantism.?
Your path very closely parallels my own. If you don't mind, e-mail me, since I can't e-mail you.



I think this would require way too much analysis to fit into a one or two paragraph answer. But I think one of the driving factors, at least in the American Protestant church, has been the lack of a broad-based education for our ministers. Protestant ministers, depending on where they go to school, have typically been presented with one of three approaches to the Bible, and all of them are inadequate. Most seminaries teach either dispensationalism or liberal theology, with nothing in between; one takes the Bible seriously to the point of idolatry, and the other negates it. "Bible school" preachers tend to learn the Pietist approach to Christianity, which basically says, "Who cares about theology, let's deal with practical things like prayer." The problem with that is, you tend to get wonderful Christian pastors who can't exegete scripture to save their lives.



All of this effects the congregations. If the leaders whose job it is to understand the faith and interpret scripture can't do an adequate job, how is the average layperson supposed to become solid in the Faith?



I do see signs of hope, though. If you look at the seminary choices available today (compared to 50 years ago) you'll see some solid options. Many are returning to patristic interpretations of scripture as an alternative to the either-or of fundamentalism or liberalism. That means the church as a whole has the potential to reconnect with its roots. There's more interdenominational and interfaith dialogue going on than ever before. Christian pastors are talking to Jewish rabbis, etc.



But what can you and I do as individuals? I don't know. I try and educate myself as best as I can, and I enjoy spending time on here, trying to bring a substantive Christian viewpoint to the table, offering thoughtful answers when I can.



Peace to you.
Well for one you're religious, so I do not respect you in the slightest. So I don't really care what you do. Waste your time however you wish. Just don't try to convert anyone else. That is sad and it always angers me.Emotional post-modern theology/philosophy undermining protestantism.?
i agree with you that Othodoxy has more substance than Protestantism. thats a step in the right direction.
AMEN! and AMEN! Ok now that that is out of the way. What I did about it was to go to seminary pursue my Masters in theology and begin to teach the Bible to those who are interested. It is slow going but even Willow Creek is beginning to realize the people are being left dry and they are going elsewhere to find feeding.



So, I guess I would dig into the word, start a Bible study group and then reproduce your group and let God spread it.



By the way, check out the following link for balanced, high quality theology training.

http://www.bible.org/index.php?scid=2Emotional post-modern theology/philosophy undermining protestantism.?
That's a tough one. Normally I'd tell you to do what has been done in the past, but you can't really do what Martin Luther did. Talk to your pastor about your feelings and need for change. If you can't resolve it, find a church that helps you grow spiritually. There has been a wave of movement back to fundamental practices, so I'm sure you'll find your answer.
I am in complete agreement and am also most likely converting to Orthodoxy from Protestantism. The history of the Church for the first one thousand years is the history of the ORthodox Church. This alone holds great sway with me. The emptiness and superficiality was just what led me to start looking for authentic Christianity. Happy motivational speaches and praise songs are not enough for me and border on heresy.
Apparently, you presuppose that a church with substance is an attainable reality and/or a desired distinction of life. Has it ever occurred to you that the very substance of "church" is exactly what you described? You're mistaking a church that has lost its message with the misconception that there IS a message! When all is said and done, at the end of a very long day, it will be discovered that the substance of the "church" you so desperately seek to return to its pedestal is an idea and a concept, the function of which is a bankrupt, disingenuous and unnecessary parasite on human activity.
If you wish to join an "orthodox" "protestant" religion, might I strongly urge you to look at the LCMS (Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod)? They are about as orthodox as so-called protestant religions go. Having grown up in the LCMS, deep in our "hearts" we do not consider ourselves protestant, because Luther had no intention to break AWAY from the Catholic church, but to bring it BACK to the Biblical truths it was straying from. You might even consider us to be "Reformed Catholics."



The other protestant denominations, even some of the other Lutheran denominations, seem to be pulling farther and farther away from the Biblical foundations they were ALL based on. It is sad, and it is tearing people away from believing in ANYTHING. When a religion tries to be "all things to all people," they fail to be anything to anyone. Even Jesus said that He came NOT to bring peace, but a sword. It is unfortunate that these "post-modern" religions, as you term them, seem so desperate to appeal to everyone, they are failing miserably to appeal to anyone, AND, even more importantly, failing to uphold the faith that they were based upon. The Lord does not look kindly upon people such as these.... they will pay a terrible price.



If you wish, have you contacted the Billy Graham website? I know that they work with Bible-based churches world-wide, and can possibly help you find one near you that DOES hold fast to "that old-time religion."



Good luck, and don't give up the good fight!





Have a blessed day.
If everything has a divine purpose then even the gimcrackery of prosperity gospels serves some greater purpose (eg as an object lesson to people like yourself who strive for greater perfection). Vanity Fair probably had tawdry fair-ground booths with hucksters shouting out their easy formulas for salvation.
I feel you I'm Catholic I had a automobile



accident in '94 was in a coma for 6 months



then I was in a wheelchair for ten years, during



that time I asked GOD why he had let this



accident happen to me %26amp; almost die. but I



recalled that when I was in the COMA he was



there with me like the footsteps



poster/painting/verse so I no longer go to



church I call on GOD when ever I have doudts.



As long as you keep the faith you don't need



to 'belong' to any church as long as you have



YOUR faith don't fuss over anything else.
wherein forsooth wouldst thou, for yet a parsec more, instill within this heartless breast a chambering that would allow the permanent echoing of thy repose? Yay verily thou spillest over.