Hello CRN.info family! Sorry I’ve been away for so long. I’ve had alot of really incredible opportunities over the last few months that have needed my full attention. It’s nice to have a few weeks off to breathe.
I recently heard news about a new policy that LifeWay is implementing. For those of you that do not know, Lifeway is the publishing company of the Southern Baptist Convention. They have decided to place “Read with Discernment” labels on materials from select authors that they feel “may have espoused thoughts, ideas, or concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology.” Info on these labels can be found here and here.
Among the authors on the list are Rob Bell and Donald Miller (no surprise there). The bios that LifeWay supplies for these authors are far from biased. They also leave the door wide open for more authors to be affected by this spiritual witch hunt. “You may contact [them] anytime to notify [them] if you encounter a title that you have a concern about. If [they] agree that it is not appropriate, [they] will remove it from the website immediately.”
These labels actually say so much about modern Christianity. They imply that there are books that can be read without discernment. As if there are certain authors with whom we should all just sit back and soak everything in as truth – no questions asked. This isn’t surprising though, right? I mean, most of the Christian subculture banks on the facts that its followers are not going to think for themselves and ask tough questions about what they are hearing. If people did, Christianity and the church might look dramatically different. So, when books that question any part of our traditions, the leaders must warn the followers to “read with discernment.”
I really hope that we can eventually find ourselves in a place where we read everything with discernment and compare everything with the scriptures. A place where Christians don’t need warning labels from publishing companies about authors that may find fresh insight in ancient and true scriptures.
Anyhow, I just feel like these labels are a huge step back for the faith. What’s next – approved book lists so we ONLY read the truth that the denominations agree with?
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27 Comments(+Add)
I hope that whenever Christians read anything I write – even if its an essay titled ‘Why Jonathan Edwards is absolutely wonderful – they would do so with discernment.
Welcome back, Nathan, I’m so glad to see you finally made bail.
Who decide which books get the label? Are the health and wealth books labeled? Calvin’s biography? And if they are concerned about such, why sell them$?
And do they provide a manual on “How to Discen Properly”? Do they provide the book against which we should judge and discern the label leper books? What they mean by applying these labels is enough customers complained who frequent their stores and spend money so they were “inclinded to acquiesce to their request”.
Rummaging through a Christian bookstore has become a browse through a “ball of confusion”. (Temptations)
Steve – than why aren’t ALL the books labeled as such?
If it doesn’t have a pretty glossy cover I discern it to be not worth the reading.
Classic.
Generally speaking, if it has the Oprah seal on it, I definitely read with discernment.
And if it has Johnny Mac’s moniker on it, I read it with Extra Discernment(TM)…
If it has Oprah or Johnny Mac on it I tend to ignore it…
Hardly the most helpful thing to do. Despite my disagreements with folks like Bell and Miller, I’d hardly go around posting “Read with Discernment” labels on everything. As much as I love the ministry of John MacArthur, even his books need to be read with discernment. While you live in a human body, everything is subject to scrutiny under the light of Scripture.
I would hope they put a “Read with Discernment” label on Calvin’s biography. There’s much unbiblical behavior in there, more than Tom Sawyer.
I think we ought to Read our books with Discernment and love, or love to read with discernment or Love our discernment with books
or read with love our discernment.
Michael Servetus was unavailable for comment.
Nathan,
Great to see you back! We had a discussion about this a few months ago here, if it’s any interest to you.
This all sounds so…
High Middle Ages.
Nathan – who decides which books may contain “thoughts, ideas, or concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology”? How many people are in on that decision? And the label does not give the “historical evangelical theological” position that it mentions, so what is it so I can use it as a template for discernment.
I love the phrase “concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology.”
Historic? I didn’t know that dispensationalism was historic.
Evangelicalism is such a broad reality.
What is historic evangelicalism?
Is it embodied in the Lausanne Covenant or all the commonly held points of non-mainline church statement of Faiths?
I was in a Life-Way today. Didn’t see a single sticker and I looked. It’s their store, the publishing arm of the SBC. Their own business, just like Mars Hill is their own business, just like Saddleback is their own business, etc., etc.. Don’t patronize them if it upsets you, or better yet, go by 10 copies of all the books they put warning stickers on. That will show those neo-fundie censors and you will have struck a blow for freedom everywhere!
I find it somewhat comical and self-incriminating, but I have bought a lot of books I vehemently disagree with for research purposes and have actually written a disclaimer in the front, lest I croak and my wife indescriminately disburses my library to the unsuspecting public.
Richard Foster’s works are some of them. Anyone want dibs on Celebration of Discipline after I croak? (196_ paperback edition).
Well, that basically what I said in my article about this – they are free to do whatever they want as a business. I do think it is a bit duplicitous though to carry a product that you are saying is potentially harmful from one side of your mouth but still saying you want people to buy it by selling it on the other side. It’s a bit like the logic of using funds from cigarette taxes to pay for anti-smoking commercials.
At least Wal-Mart refuses to actually sell albums they deem too raunchy. If a company actually claims to have convictions about something, they should at least have the balls to back them up where the rubber meets the road.
Phil,
Your comment makes me wonder about people who would sell music they’ve written in the past, whose content (were it not written by them) they would heavily criticize today, but yet would be willing to sell these songs to somebody else to record to make a quick buck today.?
It seems quite similar to the historical context of a class of people (tax collectors) hired to “sin” for the religious elite (Sadducees), establishing their permanent place as “sinners”…
#20
I was wondering when someone would comment on those posts…
From what I can tell things are pretty rough in some ways for the folk over there.
They need prayer. It sucks to be struggling financially and physically.
I can see your point, but I guess it depends on the degree of the disagreement. Maybe it was a compromise with the publishing house or something. Or perhaps they are just spinless wimps.
Anyone read a good Joel Olsteen book lately?
The irony of Silva quoting a verse in which Jesus (through Isaiah) condemns those who elevate their traditions above the moving of God is about as rich as it comes… Though it does fit since Ken believes he is able to discern the hearts of men.
It’s all about the $$$$. They sell those books to make money, and they put labels on those books to placate others who spend money in their stores. And I am sure that the health and wealth books sell like hot cakes, all without any warning.
The SBC has many differing views. So on one hand there are the “Ken Silva” types who are out there complaining about books and then there are people who are like Gary Lamb and some of my more open minded friends in the SBC who are part of the emerging conversation or some that are PD.
On one hand if Lifeway is going to put warning labels on books I see it as cheesy and weak as they are not taking a stand… on the other hand, I think it is just there to shut up some of the “Silvians” out there.
It really is a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation for them… really it is sad that if they sell prosperity type books and don’t put labels on them as it seems more spiritual damage can come from them that Blue Like Jazz…
iggy
Igs,
you said “damn”…
Nope I said, “Damned”…