You can listen to Part 1 mp3 and Part 2 here of this debate.
Greg Boyd is an author, self-professing Progressive Christian and senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church.
Paul Copan is a Christian theologian.
Greg wrote “The Crucifixion of the Warrior God.” You can read Paul Copan’s response to his book here on the Gospel Coalition. The basic summary is Greg does not believe that God has wrath and the Old Testament (that deals with God’s wrath) was merely written by man’s interpretation.
Paul’s summary response, at the end of the article, for Greg’s book is:
“God is wrathful because God is love.”
Greg has developed what he calls the “cruciform hermeneutic.” He believes we should look at the Old Testament through the lens of the cross instead of the way people wrote about God which Greg says was a “poopy” description of God.
Greg says “I can’t assume I know what God’s judgement is like.” This is a very progressive statement. First, he basically says the Old Testament is just man’s understanding of God’s judgement but then says how can he know?
You CAN know what God’s judgment is if you believe the Bible as it is written.
When you are not sure about judgement, you would have a hard time believing God would require for a sacrifice for sin. Greg also does not believe God requires the blood atonement of Jesus. You can watch him here at 2 minutes in. Here Greg flat out denies penal substitutionary atonement.
Because he doesn’t know what God’s judgment is like, Greg, of course would have a problem with eternal punishment in hell. He said, in this clip, “At Woodland Hills, we don’t have a doctrine about this (hell) because the things we want to agree on are the core things, that we need to get the job done, the job being building the Kingdom.” Here Greg endorses Rob Bell’s “Love Wins” and confirms he doesn’t believe in eternal conscious suffering.
When you doubt God’s wrath, his method of reconciliation and how it all ends, you would for sure not believe in how it began hence Greg does not believe we are born guilty.
A common theme I have noticed amongst progressives, is they want to get you to doubt the Bible, they mock old Testament stories and ways God displayed his wrath which can get you to question scripture.
This is exactly what satan did thousands of years ago in the garden with “Did God really say?” and people are still being used to try to get us to do the same. From the beginning of time questioning what God said has led to great falls and they will continue to lead to great falls. I am watching the fall happen over and over again in this deception.
Jesus showed us how to win in this fall. Satan tried to tempt Jesus, yet Jesus is the Word and He responded with Himself. WE must do the same. We must respond with the Word, even if progressives have a lowered view of Scripture.
When we use our own opinions to interpret Scripture, we make either ourselves God or make a god in our own image…the way we want Him to be rather than who He is.
This is why I would say Progressive Christianity is not Christianity.
Truth is not subjective and relative as it relates to the Bible. It’s objective and absolute.
Progressive Christianity reminds me of Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, and Muslims who believe SOME of the Bible, but question the validity of scripture. Some Christians don’t know the truth enough and actually think Mormons are Christians or would not be sure if Muslims go to hell if they don’t receive Jesus’ forgiveness.
Jehovah Witnesses claim the Bible had been corrupted, thus they have their translation. They had to alter their translation to make it fit their doctrine. Mormons believe the Bible “as far as it is translated correctly.” (8th Article of Faith). Which verses are considered incorrectly translated is not always made clear. (Got questions.) Muslims usually say the Bible was corrupted.
Nothing has changed with Progressive Christianity,
just a different title given to this other religion, that holds a lower view of Scripture.
