Cover image by Françoise Foliot *

In my book, Fatal Drift – Is the The Church Losing its Anchor? I wrapped up my remarks to do with the recent phenomenon known as Narrative Theology by quoting Desmond Alexander (Biblical Theology Word Press 2008)

I wrote, “I began this chapter with the premise that Satan is a master of offensive counter-information tactics. I then discussed the roots and current face of Narrative Theology. I came across this interesting blog which posed the question ,”Is there a wedge being driven between Biblical Theology and  Systematic Theology?” The author writes

I have recently been undertaking some research in the relationship between Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology. In light of this I was intrigued by the following remarks which I came upon in a Christian magazine published in the U.K.

‘The wedge that has  been intentionally driven between systematic Theology and Biblical Theology over recent decades in influential circles is starting to bear very bad fruit. Exclusive emphasis on the Bible as story telling has combined with a trendy cultural impatience both with the past and with the very idea of systematic theology, and this has provided fertile soil for the reception of the kind of ideas promoted by scriptural revisionists'”

I made the following conclusion,

I believe that some have taken Narrative Theology to mean that we we must get our stories straight… not by consulting scholars who teach systematic propositional truth from an inerrant Bible, but rather from the consensus of opinions of an increasingly secular religious cooperative. Remember the purpose of  Offensive Counter -Information is to render a group helpless and confused…in preparation for the man attack.

We are, and have been for quite a while, being set up  by a very patient adversary. The really good boxers and those who train them , know that in order to win, the fighter must not rely on one punch. No he must patiently take and receive what are called “Body Blows” Once the other fighter is fatigued.. weakened by repeated strategic blows to his solar plexus, his liver, and even his heart, he is then defenseless when the other fighter delivers the ‘hay-maker’.

Sports broadcast commentators often observe the so called ‘body language’ of team that is losing heart. They will say, “Look, they are gasping for air and they have their hands on their hips…”

What is the body language of the  Body of Christ in America and around the world? Do we not at times appear to be on the ropes? Do we not seem to be disoriented and confused and even wobbly? Perhaps it is time for us to realize that we have been subjected to a flurry of body blows that the devil has aimed right at out our liver (we can’t filter things anymore) to our solar plexus (a lack of inspiration) and even our heart ( a lack of will to stand up for what we know in our heart of hearts to be true…)

Let’s get this straight. The Bible is not just a series of stories. We have no right and in fact we have been repeatedly have been warned that we are never to add to it or subtract from it and that the pathway back is the way of repentance, and the humbling of ourselves before a merciful God.

Dr. J.

* By Françoise Foliot – Private collection Wikimédia France, Paris, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83871486

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