Comments on: Billy Graham’s Theological Humility Should Challenge Evangelical Attitudes

By: Palosaari

Palosaari — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:47:31 +0000

Good article. But the part that doesn't make sense is: “Billy Graham has consistently maintained throughout his ministry that Christianity and evolution are compatible. While it may be fashionable for evangelical leaders today to speak of intelligent design over and against young earth creationism, Billy Graham goes even further by insisting that the Bible is not a science book,”

This seems to imply, in the use of the conjunctions, that Intelligent Design is a stepping stone towards Graham's statements, or that the ID hypothesis fits with Theistic Evolution. It isn't, and it doesn't. While IDists secretly support evolution in most cases and hope their followers don't discover this, the basic premise of ID as a hypothesis and philosophy is antithetical to evolution, science, and good theology. Graham is right, that the Bible is not a science book, and imo, he is right to see evolution and scripture as compatible. But Graham is not going further along that road than the IDists- the IDists are preaching the incompatibility of science and scripture. I applaud Graham's stance, and deplore the actions of those unnamed evangelicals leaders who support ID.

By: Jedidiah Abdul Muhib Palosaari

Jedidiah Abdul Muhib Palosaari — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:47:31 +0000

By: hammerud

hammerud — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:57:54 +0000

It was, but it was also “the world,” which includes all of us. Jesus
said, “the world hates me because I testify of it that its deeds are
evil.” And He also said, “if it hated me, it will hate you.” If, as
Christians, our interaction with the world is all nice and sweet, the
message probably isn't being shared.

By: lizdyer

lizdyer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:26:16 +0000

I'm a little late jumping in here but I just had to say “it was the religious people that were offended by Jesus”

By: letjusticerolldown

letjusticerolldown — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:45:04 +0000

Since I'm so mistaken–do you mind explaining just a wee bit more so I can see the error?

By: cipher

cipher — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:28:00 +0000

I'm sorry, but you're just wrong. That isn't what's being said here.

By: letjusticerolldown

letjusticerolldown — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:26:10 +0000

I guess my point was not complete. It is not a contradiction to assert that and still hold that a reconciled, saving, relationship with God comes solely through the provision of Jesus for which we make a willful decision.

By: cipher

cipher — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:16:50 +0000

“He asserts God's love is for all and eternal salvation available to all; that judgment of such salvation belongs to God and is not dependent on our labeling.”

Right – and my point is that is not what he used to say from the pulpit, even during the later years when he had become more “liberal”.

By: letjusticerolldown

letjusticerolldown — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:08:25 +0000

If you re-read the statement you will note there is no contradiction.

He asserts God's love is for all and eternal salvation available to all; that judgment of such salvation belongs to God and is not dependent on our labeling.

Maybe he is truly humble–able to take hold of what he believes he is accountable for–and able to let go of that which he understands to rest in God's hands.

By: cipher

cipher — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:23:39 +0000

Aaron, have you ever watched or attended a Billy Graham crusade? Right up to the end, he was preaching that dying without consciously accepting Jesus as one's savior would result in eternal separation from God. This “theological humility” is an act, or a facet of his personality he turns on during an interview. I don't believe for a moment that he believes there will be persons of other faiths, or of no faith, in heaven.

By: ChristGraceFaith

ChristGraceFaith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:22:24 +0000

No question, hammerud. Amen.

By: scottvolltrauer

scottvolltrauer — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:21:13 +0000

One of the most humbling and teachable moments of my life was when Billy Graham stood up from his chair to greet me; greet me. He has never met me and I was the one interrupting his conversation.

http://mysilentscream.com

By: hammerud

hammerud — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:45:51 +0000

We need to remember that Jesus offended his culture. He said, “The world hates me because I testify of it that its deeds are evil.” In speaking to crowds He said, “if you then being evil…” and on an other occasion, “…unless you repent…you will perish.” I agree with Billy Graham that what happens to unsaved people is God's call because God is the only One Who sees the secrets of the heart; but, having said that, anyone who ends up there will end up there only thru Christ — as it says in Acts, “…there is no other name under heaven whereby we might be saved.” Jesus' was committed to communicating Truth and Truth offends a God-rejecting world. In one case the crowd took him to a hill to cast him down because of what He said. Billy Graham is a wonderful man of God, but not all such people end up being popular with the culture. Jesus ended up on a cross. God bless Billy Graham and God bless Franklin Graham.

By: Billy Graham’s Theological Humility Should Challenge Evangelical Attitudes | The Just Life

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:28:22 +0000

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By: ChristGraceFaith

ChristGraceFaith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:27:11 +0000

I had the pleasure of working with the BGEA on two separate occasions. I cherish them both. At the meetings there was always a woman and a person of color who spoke and/or prayed from the platform. Yes, some of the larger independent churches stayed away. Nevertheless, CHRISTians of every stripe were involved including two Catholic dioceses with reps on the executive board. Record crowds were recorded at the venues and many, many souls rescued from a Christless eternity.

After the attack against us on 9/11, the national day of prayer in Washington was an amazing display of men and women of good will coming to together and speaking in their unique religious voices rather than some vapid universalism; truly America the beautiful. Mr. Graham was unapologetically but gently magnificent in what he said and how he said it.

The opening of the BG Library included speeches from Republican and Democratic US presidents. George Bush #41 was very emotional while speaking of Mr. Graham and Bill Clinton spoke powerfully of how the BGEA stood up to and faced down the Ku Klux Klan in Arkansas.

As far as the kids are concerned, on the night when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, I called Samaritan's Purse to make a donation, to do something. It was very late at night but a young woman answered the phone and took my money. I asked when she thought they would be getting into New Orleans. Her reply? Something akin to "Sir, as we speak there are tracker trailer trucks outside the city waiting for the storm to pass."

No, Franklin is not the speaker let alone the theologian his father is. As Francis of Assisi said: "Preach the Gospel to every creature. Speak if you must." Franklin's sister Anne is, in my humble estimation, the keeper of the evangelist's mantle: intelligent, persuasive, articulate.

God bless Billy Graham.

By: abasch

abasch — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:30:33 +0000

The first chapter

By: ckgmail

ckgmail — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:34:13 +0000

Abasch, which Genesis creation account are you sticking to?

By: kansasmennonite

kansasmennonite — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:04:11 +0000

What about Franklin Graham? Isn't he a lot more political, fundamental, and divisive? Kind of reminds me of the Schaeffers.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:55:44 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

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By: ford49

ford49 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:08:20 +0000

Amen, Amen, and Amen!!!! It's Micah 6:8 and Chronicals 7:14 come alive….