Page 426 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

NEW EVANGELICAL

Moderator Bill Phipps said Jesus Christ is not God), A. OUR EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION IS NOT
asked Graham a series of questions. His answers CONCERNED TO PASS JUDGMENT -- FAVORABLE OR
demonstrate his positive-only, non-judgmental style: ADVERSE -- ON ANY PARTICULAR DENOMINATION.
Q. Do you believe that we who teach that Christ is the WE DO NOT INTEND TO GET INVOLVED IN THE
VARIOUS DIVISIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH. We are
word of God and that the Bible bears witness to God's simple Gospel preachers, not scholarly theologians --
revelation in him -- but that the Bible is full of parable, though several of our team members have their earned
myth, allegory and is often quite unhistoric and inexact doctorates. We feel that our calling is that of specialists
-- are ‘false teachers’? -- winning people to a personal commitment to Jesus
A. Refused to answer. Christ! We do not intend to allow ourselves to become
Q. In your book you speak of ‘false prophets’. You say bogged down in the many religious crosscurrents.
it is the ‘full-time effort of many intellectuals to Q. Do you think a literal belief in the Virgin birth -- not
circumvent God’s plan’ and you make a quotation from just as a symbol of the incarnation or of Christ’s
Paul Tillich. Do you consider Paul Tillich a false divinity -- as an historic event is necessary for personal
prophet? salvation?
A. I HAVE MADE IT A PRACTICE NOT TO PASS A. While I most certainly believe that Jesus Christ was
JUDGMENT ON OTHER CLERGYMEN. I do not agree born of a virgin, I do not find anywhere in the New
with many of Dr. Tillich's interpretations. I heard one Testament that this particular belief is necessary for
of the greatest liberal preachers of this century in an personal salvation...
emotional moment say: ‘If Paul Tillich is a Christian Q. Do you reject those theories of evolution that
then I am not.’ I would not go that far! However, Dr. suggest man may have descended (or ascended) from
Tillich confused and misled many young clergymen in lower forms of life?
his attempt to make religion relevant. His basic
teaching was not in line with the New Testament A. Yes. As modern scientific research increasingly
Kerygma. I would have to know a man much more shows, variation and adaptation take place within the
thoroughly than I knew Dr. Tillich to call him a ‘false species which are genetically closed communities.
prophet’. There is some evidence that would indicate HOWEVER, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IF DIFFERENCES AT
that during his last few months of his life he was THIS POINT REALLY MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE. If
changing considerably. man came through a long evolutionary process, he
Q. Do you think that churches such as The United really did not become a ‘man’ until God breathed into
his nostrils and he became a living soul... The Bible
Church of Canada and the great liberal churches of the does not tell us exactly how God created man. There is
United States that are active in the ecumenical no use speculating any further...
movement and whose ministers study and respect the
work of Paul Tillich and other great modern teachers Q. Do you accept the theories and evidence of the
are ‘apostate’? scientists that man has lived on earth for hundreds of
A. I COULD NOT POSSIBLY PASS THIS TYPE OF thousands of years?
JUDGMENT ON INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES AND A. Since modern scientists vary in their estimates of
CLERGYMEN WITHIN THE UNITED CHURCH OF the period of man's existence on earth from ten
CANADA -- my knowledge of The United Church of thousand to hundreds of thousands of years, which
Canada is too inadequate, and my ability to make such ‘evidence’ is to be believed? I seriously doubt if any
discernment is too limited. My books and writings are responsible thinker could satisfactorily answer this
public knowledge but I love fellowship and work with question. I DON’T SEE THAT THE AGE OF THE EARTH
many Christians who don’t agree with me theologically HAS A GREAT BEARING ON ONE'S FAITH. FOR A
in everything. As to my calling everyone ‘apostate’ CHRISTIAN TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH A
who reads and gets help from Tillich -- this is SCIENTIST DOESN’T MAKE HIM ANY MORE OR LESS
preposterous. There are too many shades of A CHRISTIAN (“Billy Graham Answers 26 Provocative
theological opinion in a large denomination to lump Questions,” United Church Observer, July 1, 1966).
them all off as liberal, neo-orthodox, conservative, This is pure New Evangelicalism. The New
fundamentalist, or what have you! Evangelical will preach against error in general terms
Q. In Canada some of the most ardent supporters of but rarely will he do it plainly and specifically. When
Billy Graham -- Toronto’s Peoples Church and Dr. Paul questioned directly by either side, he tends to fudge and
Smith for example -- are consistently hostile and dodge. He is not a prophet but a religious politician.
carping critics of the United Church curriculum being No one is better at this than Billy Graham, which is
taught in our homes, nearly 100% of church schools why he has been called “Mr. Facing Both Ways.” He is
and Bible classes. Does your organization stand with us
for a modern, enlightened, scholarly attempt to explain for creation but he doesn’t think evolution is deadly; he
to our people what ‘The Bible says’? Or does it stand is for a young earth and an old earth; he is for the
with those who describe us as ‘an apostate church liberal position and for the evangelical position; he is for
spreading our unbelief’? the virgin birth but he doesn’t worry about those who

426 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity