# Liberalism in the 20th Century



## C. Matthew McMahon (Aug 7, 2005)

How do you think Liberalism crept into the church in the 20th century?

Why did the church allow it in?


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## Peter (Aug 7, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> How do you think Liberalism crept into the church in the 20th century?
> 
> Why did the church allow it in?



From the liberalism of the 19th century.:bigsmile:


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## RamistThomist (Aug 7, 2005)

Reaping the fruits of the Enlightenment.


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## Puritanhead (Aug 7, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Peter_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by webmaster_
> ...



From the liberalism of the 18th century.:bigsmile:


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## Puritanhead (Aug 7, 2005)

> _Originally posted by webmaster_
> How do you think Liberalism crept into the church in the 20th century?
> 
> Why did the church allow it in?



I never really pondered it... but hasn't it always been that way -- that is the leaven of unsound doctrine creeps in and takes root... look at the medieval church and the superstititions before the Reformation.

One must doubly ponder how _liberalism and tolerance of the world_ has altered the ostensibly conservative and orthodox churches even today. Many can call themselves conservatives by the standards of the liberal fringes of Christendom, but how have most churches changed in worldview, doctrine, practice, worship and preaching? 

The roots of liberalism are much deeper than the 20th century--- I always found it ironic that supposed stalwarts of orthodoxy like J. Gresham Machen who criticized liberalism in church, himself believed in theistic evolution... I like Machen by the way. Every old Presbyterian knows about the Westminster and Princeton split as well. 

[Edited on 8-8-2005 by Puritanhead]


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## crhoades (Aug 7, 2005)

A lot of times the church will capitulate to culture to be more relevant. In a seemingly desirous way people want to make the gospel message more palitable to the unbelieving world and ultimately lose the gospel in the process.

Also I think there grew a level of expediency. Who has the time to devote to all of the rigorous studies?

Couple that with an influx of the German system into the old princeton and voila.

For what it's worth, love him or hate him, almost everyone has given Gary North's book Crossed Fingers .


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## RamistThomist (Aug 7, 2005)

Man tried to do theological/philosophical studies from an anthropocentric basis (seeing the facts as "neutral") rather than a theocentric base (seeing all facts as God-interpreted and covenantally related). In other words, we tried to fight the liberals on a battlefield that the liberals handpicked. Little wonder we nearly lost.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 7, 2005)

Christianity and Liberalism by J.G. Machen


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## rmwilliamsjr (Aug 19, 2005)

i need a piece of data on the relative numbers of conservatives left in the PCUSA.

from: http://members.aol.com/rlongman1/PFR.html


> Another stems from the fact that there are virtually no more true
> Fundamentalists left within PCUSA, as individuals or congregations.
> Almost all of them left earlier to join the 'split-Ps' such as the
> Orthodox Presbyterians, PCA, Bible Protestants, and even the Christian &
> ...



this essay is from 1993.
have most of the conservatives, which i've defined as those who are opposed to the ordination of women, departed?

so that the liberal conservative split is now clean, meaning separate denominations.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Aug 19, 2005)

B.B. Warfield and his view of Scriptural inspiration, which led to an undermining of Biblical authority, which led to liberal views on everything (homosexuals, women ministers, worship, piety, etc.)?


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## brymaes (Aug 19, 2005)

> _Originally posted by crhoades_
> For what it's worth, love him or hate him, almost everyone has given Gary North's book Crossed Fingers .



If they could make it through!

I actually liked _CF_ very much.


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## RamistThomist (Aug 19, 2005)

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> B.B. Warfield and his view of Scriptural inspiration, which led to an undermining of Biblical authority, which led to liberal views on everything (homosexuals, women ministers, worship, piety, etc.)?



Could you give examples? I know Van Til mildy critiqued Warfield's approach, but even CVT was generally appreciative of it.


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