Tag: Christian discernment

When Doctrine Gets Personal: Why I Wrote Contending for the Truth

Most Christians know what they believe, but far fewer know why they believe it. And fewer still have taken the time to compare the popular teachings in Christian culture with what the Bible actually says. That tension—between tradition and Scripture, assumption and truth—is where Contending for the Truth lives.

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Is Syncretism Ever a Good Thing?

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)?

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