Re: Rob Bell Tolls on the Bible
| Posted On: 09/14/06 09:46:01 PM |
Age 32, ND |
You might have considered excerpting a little more than you did where you stopped, in regards to Bell saying it can't be "scripture alone." You've made an unfortunate soundbite out of a bigger concept, kind of like prooftexting Bell's writing to prove your point.
Oddly, I only went out and bought and read Bell's book because you have spent so much energy here, on your blog, and at Slice, bashing every little thing. It seemed over-the-top and not quite accurate and I needed to check out what he was saying for myself. I'm actually glad I read the book and chewing on what he said in it, so I guess I ought to thank you. I do believe you paint an inaccurate picture with the way you excerpt and build your arguments.
And age and years in ministry has nothing to do with making an opinion right or more valued. Ask Timothy about that.
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Re: Rob Bell Tolls on the Bible
| Posted On: 08/30/06 09:38:00 AM |
Age 23, KS |
Mr. Silva,
Thank you for responding to my feedback. I very much appreciate the gesture. However, you said a few things on which I would like to comment. You mentioned that you have been in ministry for about as long as I have been on this earth. I am sure that is true, wonderful even. I praise God that He has used you for so long. However, it is not enough to rest on your laurels as a seasoned minister--you can only ride that so far. It is still bad scholarship to quote only the parts that fit your agenda. Read his WHOLE book. Take it ALL in. And then write an article.
Also, though I am young, please don't think me stupid or immature. I, too, am a minister of the Gospel. It's a terrible thing, whether you think it is or not, to call into question the validity of someone's ministry as you do with Rob Bell's. All I am saying is "be careful." You come off sounding pretty ignorant to the thousands who have grown in their relationship with Christ, due to Rob Bell's ministry.
Your fellow minister in Christ, Barrett Case
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Re: Rob Bell Tolls on the Bible
| Posted On: 08/26/06 02:59:47 PM |
Age 38, PA |
Mr. Silva,
I will respectfully disagree with your comments on Bell's comments in your article.
One gets very spurious interpretations of Scripture when one does not understand the historical contexts, the ocassion for writing the letter, the rhetorical context, etc. Those contexts are sometimes explained within Scripture itself, usually not though. So, in many, many cases it has been found that we misinterpreted Scripture because we did not understand the contexts.
One example is the term, 'evangelion' or 'good news.' A plain reading of the term would not give due understanding of what was being said by Paul. In fact, the word 'kurios' or 'lord' (in relation to Jesus)and what the early Christians were claiming about Jesus would not be fully understood without extra-biblical understanding.
Jim
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Re: Rob Bell Tolls on the Bible
| Posted On: 08/24/06 10:06:36 AM |
Age 51, NH |
Hello Barrett,
You say: "I am highly disappointed, and even shocked at your comments on Rob Bell and Velvet Elvis." Dr. Francis Schaeffer once stated, "Honest questions deserve honest answers." The principle behind that applies here. I'm sure you are upset and the truth has a way of doing that which unfortunately I can't help. Then you say: "please have an informed opinion." Meaning no disrespect because you seem very sincere, but I have been a minister fot he Gospel for about as long as you've been on the planet and I ask you to consider it might be possible I would have a more informed opinion than you theologically. I have read words like Bell writes in VE from a number of other sources and recognize what they mean. Then you suggest: "You conveniently place ellipses at the end of some of his thoughts to make your point. This is poor scholarship, indeed. Worse than that, I am not sure it qualifies as scholarship at all." I forgive you here and this is where your youth begins to show as I can see the passion you have to defend Bell starts to get the best of you. I can't quote his whole book and yes I abbreviate his quotes to make the points that need to be made. I must rely on the Lord to show you, but what Bell is saying has been said before by men like Bultmann and Fosdick and Barth and McLaren - same line of reasoning that we must "interpret" Scripture, etc. Who says we don't? Barrett these guys are using that term to set up their own liberal bias as the criterion for interpreting the Bible. It's a large part of my job to point that out to perople like you who aren't trained in this field as I am. You say: "Trust me, Rob Bell believes scripture to be inspired and infalliable as originally recorded and uses it as the basis of his teaching. If he didn't believe in its truth, I am sure that he would not be doing what he is doing." How do you know that Barrett? Have you talked with him personally? This is what I'm asked all the time by those who follow him. So now what do we do? We go to the Bible and measure what Bell says about the Bible and in part 2 you'll see he falls woefully short as a genuine pastor-teacher. He denies sola Scriptura, a cardinal doctrine of the Church he claims to be part of, and then through linguistic gymnastics attempts make that sound consistent with true Biblical Christianity. He fails to make that case because his neo-orthodox/neo-liberal view of the Bible is heretical. And study history and you will see that once a man opens that door the lord will abandon him. I humbly suggest you not waste your time worrying that I might "bad mouth God's Servants" or be concerned I am "condemning those whom God has commended," and pray that God will grant Rob Bell repentance before it's too late for him. You see Barrett, before I could "badmouth" Bell as a true servant of the LORD God Almighty or be rightfully accused of "condemning" someone whom "God has commended" Rob Bell would first have to become such. Pastor Ken Silva
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Re: Rob Bell Tolls on the Bible
| Posted On: 08/23/06 02:18:38 PM |
Age 23, KS |
Mr. Silva,
I am highly disappointed, and even shocked at your comments on Rob Bell and Velvet Elvis. Now, don't get me wrong, you are free to have an opinion on him and his book, but please have an informed opinion.
You quote a few sections from his book, but you do so out of context. You conveniently place ellipses at the end of some of his thoughts to make your point. This is poor scholarship, indeed. Worse than that, I am not sure it qualifies as scholarship at all. By doing this I can say that Jesus said "...Hate your enemies..." Do you see what I mean? You can make anyone say anything as long as you don't take into consideration the whole of what they said.
I encourage you to read the surrounding paragraphs of what Rob Bell said and make an informed decision and opinion about what he has to say about Scripture.
Trust me, Rob Bell believes scripture to be inspired and infalliable as originally recorded and uses it as the basis of his teaching. If he didn't believe in its truth, I am sure that he would not be doing what he is doing. Also, before you bad mouth God's Servants--the ones you call Hollow Men--make sure you aren't condemning those whom God has commended.
Sincerely,
Barrett Case
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Re: Rob Bell Tolls on the Bible
| Posted On: 08/22/06 03:59:05 PM |
Age 16, TN |
First, let me thank you for the kind comment you left, Mr. Silva, in the feedback section on one of your past articles on Mr. Bell. I have, and will continue to, look into those articles and do more research into this man and general subject.
While the things Mr. Bell has said are certainly enough to put me on guard, I would point out one very important point he is displaying that I would agree with. I do not believe that he is attempting to denounce the authority of Scripture, but more, the authority of OUR VIEW of Scripture. Certainly that idea should be approached cautiously-but I like the emphasis he puts on putting the Word of God (and a desire to study it in context) at such a high level. His desire to 'change' Christianity is however, something to be cautious about.
Mr. Silva, if you ever have the opportunity, I wonder if you could tell me what you know of John Burke's book 'No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come-as-you-are Community in the Church'
-KJ
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