A former student of mine (Levi Moore) asked for my review and response to a video they found on YouTube. The video was produced by Brenda Marie Davies on her channel, "God is Grey." The video was an interview of Wm. Paul Young, the author of "The Shack," and Young makes some bold claims during this interview. This is my response.
Show Notes and Links
Introductions
Why Does God Allow Evil - Author of The Shack - WM Paul Young | God Is Grey, YouTube, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc_cvszIuC0.
“Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws,” Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws (Orlando, FL: Bright Media Foundation, Inc., 2003), https://crustore.org/media/wysiwyg/pdf/FourSpiritualLaws_English.pdf
On Biases
Wm. Paul Young, “About,” Wm. Paul Young, September 8, 2016, http://wmpaulyoung.com/wm-paul-young-about/.
“Quick Facts,” Warner Pacific University, 2019, https://www.warnerpacific.edu/about/quick-facts/.
References to the term Scripture throughout this discussion are used with the understanding that I am referring to the Holy Bible of the Christian faith, to include the sixty-six books beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation.
Gavin Ortlund, “The God of William Paul Young,” The Gospel Coalition, April 28, 2017, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/lies-we-believe-god-william-paul-young/.
“God is Grey.” Twitter, 2020. https://twitter.com/GodisGreyxo
“Meet Brenda Marie Davies of God Is Grey - Voyage LA Magazine: LA City Guide,” Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide, March 12, 2019, http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-brenda-marie-davies-god-grey-east-la/.
For more information about the beliefs and doctrines of the Southern Baptist Convention as a denomination, go to http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp to read the Baptist Faith and Message (2000).
On the Interview
All Scripture quoted or referenced, unless otherwise noted, comes from the English Standard Version (ESV), 2016.
Psalm 51:4 (ESV): “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”
Ecclesiastes 11:2 (ESV): “Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.”
Here I am referencing these assertions made by Young during the interview: “Wholeness is the same root as holiness in the Greek…. Holiness is a relational term, fundamentally, nothing to do with sin and all that kind of stuff that we grew up thinking…. Wholeness is when the way of your being matches the truth of your being. Wholeness is when how you live your life and the choices you make is an expression of the truth of your being.”
Bill Mounce. ἅγιος. https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/hagios
When Young quotes Luther, he neglects to provide any reference as to where Luther makes this statement, but I did find an article from a somewhat reputable source that discusses the alleged statement made by Luther. The article states that Luther never explicitly made this statement, but that it is in line with his teachings. Armstrong, Dave. “Luther's ‘Snow-Covered Dunghill’ (Myth?),” Last modified May 14, 2019. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2016/04/luthers-snow-covered-dunghill-myth.html.
“Shame.” Merriam-Webster. Accessed July 14, 2020. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shame.
See Genesis 11:27-12:9. Terah and his family (including Abram and Abram’s wife Sarai) leave Ur of the Chaldeans to go to what would become Israel. Halfway there he and his family decide to stop in a place called Haran. Terah dies there and then Abram, his wife Sarai, and Lot leave for the future Israel, but they find it occupied by the Canaanites. Fast-forward 450 years or so, and Abraham’s descendants have been enslaved in Egypt, rescued by God from slavery, and then have to fight to take the land which God had promised and planned to give them originally without a fight.
Romans 8:28 (ESV): And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
John 3:19 (ESV): And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
On Truth
Some might contend that Atheism is not a religion, but I submit to you that atheists exhibit the same faith in the lacking of a deity as those who cling to any deity.
Concluding Remarks
Acts 17:11 (ESV): Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
About Your Hosts
Levi Moore (https://www.allthemoore.com/hosts/levi) is a husband, associate pastor @everettbaptist (https://www.everettbaptist.org), former science teacher, musician, aspiring theologian @SWBTS (https://www.swbts.edu), Linux advocate, and a child of the One True King.
Aaron Moore (https://www.allthemoore.com/hosts/aaron) is a husband, pastor, farmer, research plant pathologist, musician, and a disciple of Jesus Christ @NOBTS (https://www.nobts.edu).
Social Media
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The Scripture
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture read in this podcast is read from the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible. If you would like more information about the ESV, you may read the FREE online version at esv.org (https://www.esv.org/Hebrews+11/).
Seminaries
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (https://www.swbts.edu)
One of the largest seminaries in the world, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary equips men and women with a strong theological foundation to fulfill God’s calling on their lives since 1908. Preach the Word. Reach the World
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (https://www.nobts.edu)
Since 1917, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has prepared students to Answer God's Call.
