I want to explore a question I’ve been thinking about lately: What exactly is syncretism, and can it ever be good? I was prompted to reflect on this while reading Most Moved Mover by Clark Pinnock for a PhD course on the doctrine of God. On page 72, he makes an interesting statement: that not all syncretism is bad.
That made me pause. My first reaction was, “That’s just not true.” But as I kept reading, I began to realize that the issue might not be disagreement on values; it might be disagreement on definitions. So let’s dig into that. What is syncretism? Why is it typically viewed negatively in Christian theology? And is there ever a case to be made for it being helpful (or at least not harmful)?
Continue reading “Is Syncretism Ever a Good Thing?”