How Do Lee's Teachings Compare to Orthodox Christianity?
In my previous post, I quoted Duddy's statement (below).
Quote:
Originally Posted by The God-Men page 104
If our analysis is correct, we should not be surprised to discover that Lee's followers hesitate to fellowship with most Christians. Local Church teachings seem to conflict with orthodox Christianity at several key points*.
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On the page opposite this statement, there is a graphical comparison of LC teaching vs Christianity, to provide context to this quote. Let me transcribe that list here - so that those who believe that the the LC is (at worst) only another evangelical Christian denomination can see just how different it is from evangelical Christianity.
.................................................. ......................A Graphic View of Critical Issues.................................................. ................
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................................................Witness Lee.................................................. ........The Bible................................................
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Source of Theology:..................... Sensations and impulses within a............................... Scripture.
.................................................spirit-Spirit complex.
Reality: ......................................Higher spiritual reality plus a..................................... Spirit world plus the material world
.................................................lower shadowy reality, (IE a sacred-.......................... equally real and valuable; hence, no
.................................................secular split.).................................................. ....... sacred-secular split.
Scripture:.................................. Not completely inspired; fallible.................................. Inspired, infallible, and authoritative.
.................................................and not authoritative.
Authority:.................................. Invested in Witness Lee as an.................................... Scripture.
................................................"Apostle of this age".
God:.......................................... Antimony (a contradiction) .......................................God is a Trinity: Three Coexisting Persons =
.................................................Trinity and a modalistic Godhead................................ One God.
.................................................Father-is-Son-is-Holy Spirit.
Redeemed Humanity:................... Mingling: Fusion with God in essence............................ Creator/Creature distinction retained.
.................................................and identity.
Source of Ethics:........................ Impulses and sensations from the ................................Scripture.
................................................spirit-Spirit complex.
Eschatology (end-times view): ......Millenial purgatory awaits many Christians...................... Full attainment of redemption and glorification
................................................who are "soulish".................................................. ..... at Jesus' Second Coming.
Church Structure &..................... One church per town/city............................................ No limitations.
Growth.
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..............Now, ones first reaction (as a member or ex-member of the LRC) might be to argue that we (as individuals) maybe didn't embrace all of these teachings attributed here to Lee, so this must be false - but on some level, we did.... Earlier in the book each of these points was driven home with relevant quotes from Lee's writings - and who ever contradicted Lee (besides the man himself, of course)?
These are not minor differences such as might exist between denominations (in terms of ecclesiastical structure, form of a worship service, or even interpretation of Scripture (IE Calvinism vs Arminianism, and every point in between). Calvinists and Arminians can, after all, fellowship together (I know, I've done it) - but the LRC cannot fellowship with other Christians, due to the radical nature of the differences in their theologies. Perhaps it is for this reason that we ought to heed Lee when he makes statements about his movement like
"This is not Christianity!" Don't sweep that under the rug as Lee simply being overly-dramatic. The man meant what he said, and I think he proved that he was right.