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04-11-2017, 09:02 PM | #1 |
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The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
Hank flip-flopping on LSM says a lot about the state of the degraded Recovery.
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04-13-2017, 03:08 AM | #2 | |
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The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
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The LC has a dilemma with the rest of the flock, which impinges on their recruiting efforts, and they solve it with the same "box-shuffling" compartmentalised reality as with the issue of women. They have one box that says, "Watchman Nee was taught by women" and another that says "We as followers of Watchman Nee don't allow women to teach." The trick is, just don't open both boxes at the same time. Likewise, they can say, "Joe Smith of XYZ Seminary is part of the Great Abomination" and, "Joe Smith of XYZ Seminary accepts us as card-carrying, legitimate evangelical Christian expression." Just don't say both statements together, as that might produce some cognitive dissonance. But you can see why they hold both positions: each is helpful to recruiting. Just don't pay attention to the contradiction.
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04-13-2017, 07:32 AM | #3 | ||
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The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
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Taking a step back, I think a lot of the issue arises from how the blendeds have attempted to defend WL's teaching of deification. Why do they so adamantly defend his teaching? It's mainly for the simple reason of it being something that WL taught. But this is exactly what puts them in the awkward position of having to point to groups like the EOC and RCC in order to show 'precedent' for what WL taught (even though I'm sure there is a vast difference between the EO teaching of Theosis and what WL taught). Consider Hank though, his full-time job is apologetics. Obviously, people like him are not the type who are likely to be attracted to home-grown theology. Yet whatever happened through his interaction with the LCM was enough to have a significant effect on his views. So I think this created a dilemma for him. He didn't want to join the LCM like his colleague Paul Young did. Rather, he probably wanted something more 'structured', and thus for whatever reason moved in the direction of the EOC. What is so striking is that he so easily viewed the EOC as a viable and natural alternative to the LCM. I don't think that would be the choice for most who leave the LCM, but we can't forget that Hank is apparently completely sold on WL's teaching of deification. So perhaps he wanted a group that embraces a similar teaching, but is interested in supporting and talking about the teaching instead of telling people not to "get in their mind about it." In the LC, people are taught to embrace various teachings for the sole reason of it being something that WL taught. They are not given an actual reason as to why the teaching would be helpful or worth discussing.
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Isaiah 43:10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. |
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04-14-2017, 03:52 PM | #4 | |
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Re: The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
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Maybe the EOC gave him an opportunity to be more fervent, without the ignorance. When I say ignorance I mean this: the RCC split off from the EOC and largely lost the Fathers. Martin Luther broke off from the RCC and got separated further still from the historical church. So the Calvinist/Lutheran "me and my Bible" became a cover for "me and my concepts, with the Bible in an occasional supporting role". Witness Lee is my star example -- concepts galore. We should give it a name: "The Church of Witness Lee's Home-made Theology". Let people know what is really inside. But Hank liked the enthusiasm. So he looked for something to get enthusiastic about.
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04-14-2017, 04:37 PM | #5 | |
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Re: The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
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What I discovered is that they are well aware of the criticism that gets directed at them for things like the usage of icons or the veneration of Mary. And they are quite willing to explain their views and answer questions. To say they are an enthusiastic bunch would be an understatement. The LCM is also a group full of enthusiasm. But they feel that they are entitled to exist in a realm free of being questioned or having to explain their views. As such, when the enthusiasm is always accompanied by an evasiveness to questions, it acts as a people deterrent. So I don't really blame Hank for choosing the EOC over the LC. Decisions like that are basically inevitable as long as the LC chooses to act the way it does.
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Isaiah 43:10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. |
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04-15-2017, 02:12 AM | #6 |
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Re: The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
People here may or may not realise that joining the EOC is a big commitment. It's not like choosing to visit a different church every Sunday. There is a process of conversion. It's almost like joining a different religion entirely.
Conversion to the Orthodox Church from another Christian denomination, or from a non-Christian Faith or from a background of no religious practice is a very serious matter both for the Orthodox Church and for the person seeking to convert to Orthodoxy. It is, essentially, a lifetime mutual commitment. https://www.greekorthodox.org.au/?page_id=3875 So when you say he has "rejected the LC", he has also rejected whatever Christian/evangelical/open/free group you belong to as well. |
04-15-2017, 08:05 AM | #7 | |
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Re: The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
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LC coworkers invested a ton of effort and resource into actively wooing Hanegraaff for years, wining and dining him, jetting him all over the world visiting churches in China, Taiwan, Korea, Europe, and around the US, giving him reserved seating at conferences and trainings (even joining coworkers meetings), instructing members to pray for him and his dwindling radio ministry, coaching him in theosis. And after all that, Hanegraaff rejects the LC and joins Eastern Orthodoxy. That's embarrassing. |
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04-15-2017, 05:32 AM | #8 | |
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Re: The Bible Answer Man Converts to Eastern Orthodox Church!
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