By A.J. Johnson, Retired United Methodist pastor

Reprinted from The Times-Reporter, (New Philadelphia, Ohio)

April 1998 – Just about the time I think there is a turning of the corner in a spiritual awakening in the mainstream church, I am shot down.

Case in point: Ecufilm, a cooperative involving the National Council of Churches and United Methodist Communications, Inc., has produced a new video series, Questions of Faith, that features some of today’s most radical theologians.

The series is aimed at Sunday school audiences. The nearly 15 hours of video include interviews with those who have either rejected historic Christianity or make a firm endorsement for left-wing political causes.

Among the unorthodox or untraditional theologians are those who deny the virgin birth and the physical resurrection of Christ.

From New York’s Union Seminary a woman who has rejected the atonement of Christ said at the 1993 re-imaging, “We don’t need folks hanging on crosses and blood dripping and weird stuff.”

Another has denied that God is a personal deity who reveals Himself exclusively through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Another has written that Sophia is the “erotic Heart of the Universe” and she alone is responsible for resurrecting Jesus.

Another believes that God is not eternal but is simply an “experience of life.”

Yet another teacher from a seminary in Kansas City advocates ordination for practicing homosexuals within the United Methodist Church. In the five-part video series most of the people’s views are reflected profusely. The authority of the scriptures, the reality of human sin, God’s ability to answer specific prayer, the expectation of eternal life, the need for sexual morality, are more often dismissed or ignored for the most part.

Walter Brueggemann of Columbia Seminary stated, “I think on a good day God has power to do his stuff, but God has a lot of off days.”

Ignacio Castuera, a United Methodist pastor from California,states, “Is God in control? I hope not. God is one power among other powers. The past is far more powerful than God.”

What is depressing is that rarely is Jesus Christ or any concept of a personal and ever-present God offered as a solution for mankind’s troubles.

Is it any wonder that mainline churches are losing members by the thousands? Those churches whom God at one time raised up to proclaim salvation’s message have left the teachings of the Redeeming Lord and followed after teachers who have a form of godliness but deny the Lord and His leadership.

How sad it is to see the denominations that God raised up to lead people to Him for saving grace undermine key beliefs that are essential for authentic Christianity.

Until Christ is allowed to be the Lord of the church and until the Holy Scriptures are accepted as God’s final Word for mankind to live by, there will be a continual exodus away from these unscriptural denominations.