Harding, Prayer & Our Loving Abba

Harding, Prayer & Our Loving Abba

One of my constant struggles in the last 11 months is the temptation to become a naval gazer in my prayer life. There are days that I am so consumed with "me" that I forget to pray for other people and even the advancement of the kingdom of God. But as comments in my previous blog more than reveal I am hardly alone in sometimes feeling that the world is full of bad stuff. Today I have been snatched back to reality somewhat by reflecting on two folks who have dealt with more hell than I hope to ever deal with ... John Mark Hicks (Yet Will I Trust Him) and James A. Harding. These two men inspire me greatly as much by their genuineness as anything else. Let me tell you a little about Harding and what he taught us ... this is stuff I've known for some time now but its interesting how God moves things from the realm of theory to life ...

James A. Harding was a legendary evangelist, debator, and co-founder of Nashville Bible School (David Lipscomb University) and founder of Potter Bible College. During his prime, Harding was one of the most influential men in the Churches of Christ.

What is often not remembered about Harding is that he was a prayer warrior. Harding cultivated prayer believing it to be the most powerful tool available for Christian living in this present age. Indeed for Harding prayer was the "secret" weapon or power that is granted to disciples of Christ and through prayer Christians literally co-author the future of the world with God.

Prayer for Harding was rooted in the belief that the Creator of the Universe was the Abba of the Christian. As our Abba he is just as active and involved in the world today as he was in the days of the Patriarchs or the Apostles.

"I believe that God loves his faithful children with a very great love. I believe he is near to them, takes great pleasure in them, knows their needs perfectly, and that he can supply their wants at any time, any where, under any circumstances. Indeed, I believe he loves these faithful children so much he guards them with a perfect care." (Harding-White Discussion, p. 3)

Prayer, for Harding, was not simply rooted in a belief that God exists. Real prayer is instead rooted in passionate faith in a certain kind of God . . . a God who is "the gentlest and most loving, the most just and most merciful of all fathers."

But, unfortunately, not all Christians (in Harding's view) believed in this gentle, gracious, and attentive Father. In fact many were trading the God of the Bible for more rational and scientific god of the present age. The God these folks believed in used to be active in the world: at one time long ago he created the world, at one time long ago he would alter the path of the world in response to the cry of a saint, at one time God would get his hands "dirty" but that was long ago.

These modern Christians believed that God had replaced his hands on approach with a more distant, and reasonable, management style and governed only through the rule of law. Everything was done according to "laws" and even God was subject to these "laws." This perspective is known as the infection of deism. Harding described this prayer destroying phenomena.

"Now a few people seem to be under the impression that all divine interventions have ceased since the death of the Apostles, and that since then there have been no super mundane or super-human influences known on earth. They think God gave the word and stopped - a very low and very erroneous conception of the reign of Christ . . . God has not changed in the least from all eternity. He is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. He has always loved and blessed those who love him and serve him in trusting faith" (Prayer for the Sick, The Way, May 9, 1901, p.41).

Harding laments the invasion of this modernism invading the church that banishes God to a book (even if that book is the Bible!) or the distant past.

"I feel sorry for those who are afflicted by these blighting, semi-infidel materialistic notions, that leave God, Christ, the Holy Spirit . . . wholly out of the Christian's life -- for those who think all spiritual beings left us when the Bible was finished, and who think we now have to fight the battle alone. Some of these people pray, but what they pray for is more than I can tell, unless it is for the 'reflex influence.'" (Atlanta-God's Providence-The Holy Spirit, Christian Leader and the Way, June 19, 1906, p. 9).

What a radical statement by one of the "pillars" of the Churches of Christ. Harding would suggest that it is Satan who has actually convinced religionists that God had subjected the world to "law" and then withdrew.

Harding was constantly calling for faith, simple trusting faith, in the Father who is revealed in the biblical narrative. He is the God we worship, he is the God we pray to. He remains the God of 2 Kings 20.1-11 (a story also related two other times in the Hebrew Bible, 2 Chronicles 32.24-26 and Isaiah 38.1-8).

When you read the things Harding says about prayer, faith and our Loving Abba it is easy to assume he is quite naive or insensitive to pain, suffering and the fallenness of the world. But it is precisely out of incredible and intimate knowledge with death, pain and suffering that Harding makes such radical claims. He married Carrie Knight. He and Carrie had three children together but Harding buried two. After a mere five years of marriage his beloved Carrie died too. He remarried Patty Cobb and had six children with her but lost three with her too. I cannot imagine burying five children!!! And yet he believed in such a God as the one he dared to pray to as Abba. I am humbled when I think of such things. I am called on the carpet for my own lack of prayer ... and I am also inspired. May you be too.

You can read more about Harding's Spiritual Disciplines in my book, with John Mark Hicks, Kingdom Come: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of David Lipscomb and James Harding. 

Read More

Kingdom Come Exposed: Unknown Tongue of Theobabble

Today is Halloween. And as is fitting for the spirit of the day my good friend Lee Freeman has sent me a treat (or was it a trick?). He gets a little paper in the mail called Christianity Then & Now that is published here in Arizona. I have never seen the paper before but I was able to find it online. The editor of the paper is John Waddey who I believe was at one time associated with East Tennessee School of Preaching (but I am not sure about this). At anyrate the reason Lee forwarded this to me was because of the article "Speaking in the Unknown Tongue of Theobabble" which mentions John Mark Hicks and myself as authors of Kingdom Come. Let me quote from the opening paragraphs to get the flavor.

Speaking in the Unknown Tongue of Theobabble

In Corinth, misinformed and misguided brethren insisted on speaking in the assembly of the church in a tongue unknown to their hearers (I Cor 14:2,9). Paul insisted that he would rather speak five words understood by his audience than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue (I Cor. 14:19).

Among the fellowship of change agents at work among churches of Christ are highly educated theologians who prefer to speak in a strange tongue spoken and understood by only a select few who inhabit seminaries or who were educated there. It is the exotic language of theobabble [sic].

In their recent book, Kingdom Come, Dr. John Mark Hicks, Professor of Theology at David Lipscomb University, and Bobby Valentine, a Master of Divinity, illustrate the use of theobabble. Below are some classic examples of this exotic language:

"Their vision was antagonistic toward modernity in significant ways-especially the inbreaking kingdom of God" (p. 16).

"Living in the shadows of the second coming meant that God was profoundly active in this world to redeem and restore it. God takes the initiative to repair the 'vandalism of shalom' in creation" (p. 32) ...

"There are many methods and resources for contemplative Bible reading ... but one of the most classic and ancient is the Benedictine method of lectio divina (divine reading)(p. 89)." ...

"Unlike many modern westerners, the Old Testament sees humanity as a psychosomatic unity" (p. 133).

" ... the Jesus story begins with a 'pentad of prayers.'"(p. 134)

There is much more of this lectio divina to be interpreted in light of the eschaton, but this illustrates my point.

The authors' theological peers read such fluffy, opaque phrases and congratulate them on their scholarship. Their students read them, awed at the brilliance of a professor who uses such spectacular, incomprehensible terms. The man and woman in the pew who hears or reads them, scratches his/her head and wonders what in the world are the authors trying to say? They ask, 'What language is he speaking?' To accept the conclusions drawn from such theobabble is as dangerous as the signing of a binding legal contract without reading and comprehending the fine print thereof. JHW." (Christianity Then & Now {October 2007}, 2)

The only parts omitted here of this "review" are a few more illustrative quotes for theobabble. I have to be honest beloved blog readers, when I read this I thought to myself that if I was one of John's regular readers I would be insulted! Does he imagine that the people in the pew are so ignorant that they can not use vocabulary beyond elementary school?

I have no doubt that Kingdom Come is not a perfect book. But if these quotes are the weakest link in the book then I must confess that John Mark and I did a better job than I had previously imagined. Since Lee is a good sport he also sent page 3 of the October issue of Christianity Then & Now. On that page John Waddey recommends an old book by Harold Lindsell called The New Paganism. In light of his attack upon KC what he quotes from this volume is most interesting.

"[Lindsell] reminds us that 'the public education processes at all levels, function in full accord with the pagan Weltanschauung and [sic] Zeitgeist ..."

Ok, I am scratching my head on this one. Then John quotes Lindsell as saying "It is at the higher collegiate and seminary levels where the major problems exist." What a prejudicial statement.

Returning to Kingdom Come. In the previous two congregations I have served (Southside in Milwaukee and PV here in Tucson) the saints have had no problem reading and understanding the book. Wayne and Bruce, fine elders if there ever were any, I guess speak theobabble too. May be it is not because they were educated in a seminary but because they let their minds grow.

I looked up each illustrative quote cited by John and I believe the meaning of each one is clear in its setting. Shalom is a biblical word brother Waddey, not only is it biblical it is incredibly important, and everybody knows what "vandalism" is. Where a truly new term is introduced, like lectio divina, it is defined and explained. But you know what, I grew up in a congregation where neither the preacher nor anyone else had a clue what Greek was but eis, psallo and baptizo were thrown around a lot and no one ever rebuked the preacher for theobabble.

I took the time to look at a few of John's other reviews online and have noticed a similar pattern exhibited in this one. There is zero substance in this piece. One would hope for a substantive critique but alas we got a hatchet job ... I guess in that sense it is really a trick then, :-)

I wish Brother Waddey well but I would rather see a good critical review like that of Gardner Hall's. I have kept Gardner's, I put John's in the recycle bin.

Shalom ... I mean peace,
Bobby Valentine

Read More

Reaction to Kingdom Come: Gardner Hall

Reaction to Kingdom Come by Gardner Hall.

Last week I became aware of a review of my book, Kingdom Come, by Gardner Hall. I have never met Gardner before. Gardner published his review in a journal called Biblical Insights and has placed it also on his website. I read his reaction and then asked him if I could place it on my own website. I was thrilled by his review because he took the book seriously, he has wrestled with it and gave both positive and negative. I think Gardner is mistaken in some of his interpretations (regardless of my point of view on the role of women that is not a subject in the book itself). We disagree on matters here (I obviously disagree with what he calls problem areas) and there but unlike some critics he also sees some value in the book ... to the point of recommending its purchase. Gardner is the grandson of Flavil Hall, I have learned (mentioned in the book too). He is from, I gather, what is commonly called the "non-institutional" wing of the Churches of Christ. Be that as it may he is a brother in the Lord. I appreciate the effort he made to join the dialogue ... and the book if nothing else is an effort to get us in Churches of Christ to dialogue about some important theological concepts. One thing that pleased me is the fact that Gardner is the only reviewer known to me that calls attention to the written prayers at the end of each chapter. John Mark and I believed they were among the most important things in the book. With these thoughts in mind I share Gardner's review unedited.

Kingdom Come,

Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of David Lipscomb

and James Harding

by John Mark Hicks and Bobby Valentine

A new book, Kingdom Come, Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of David Lipscomb and James Harding, will leave careful Christians with a mixture of admiration and apprehension. The admiration will be for Lipscomb and Harding’s emphasis on personal devotion to Christ and holiness, articulately summarized by authors, John Mark Hicks and Bobby Valentine. The apprehension will come from some of the applications that Hicks and Valentine draw from the writings of the two giants who lived at the turn of the twentieth century.

It is no secret that "mainstream churches of Christ" became increasingly worldly in the last part of the twentieth century, emphasizing parties, recreation, pop "Bible" study (for example, drawing spiritual lessons from the Andy Griffith TV show) and other spiritual fluff. The most eloquent protests against such worldliness have come not from the more conservative elements of "the mainstream" but from progressives such as C. Leonard Allen, John Mark Hicks and Rubel Shelly. In various books and publications, they plead for more personal spirituality, Bible study and prayer even as they press for women in the pulpit, acceptance of instrumental music in worship and other elements of their progressive agenda. The authors of the book, Kingdom Come... are from this progressive group.

The authors take a similar historical approach to the Stone-Campbell restoration movement as that taken by Richard Hughes in his 1996 book Reviving the Ancient Faith. They divide the movement into three spheres of influence: (1) A compromising, materialistic stream represented by liberal Christian churches of today, (2) A dogmatic and somewhat sectarian influence seen in many churches in Texas. Austin McGary and the Firm Foundation magazine represented this approach during the lifetimes of Harding and Lipscomb. It later characterized men such as R.L. Whiteside and Foy E. Wallace. (3) Harding and Lipscomb represented the third stream seen among churches around 1900. The authors call it the "Nashville Bible School Tradition." Richard Hughes used the term "apocaliptic" to describe this third approach and feels that it originated with Barton W. Stone. Ed Harrell prefers the term "cultural separatism." It was characterized by an emphasis on separation from the world, pacifism, a belief in the personal indwelling of the Spirit, concern for the poor, God’s providential intervention apart from the Word and in the case of Harding, R.H. Boll and others, premillennialism.

The authors summarize the thrust of their book on page 19.

Though the Nashville Bible School Tradition was prominent in the early years of the twentieth century, ultimately the Texas Tradition practically absorbed it in the south and became the majority perspective in the 1940’s and 1950’s through the influence of such leaders as Whiteside and Wallace. However, we believe the Nashville Bible School Tradition is particularly compelling, more biblically authentic and needed in the contemporary church... This book endeavors to facilitate the appropriation of communal practices, individual habits and kingdom vision that shaped the life and teachings of Harding and Lipscomb.

Restoration History and Denominational Attitudes about God’s Church

Biblically, the church of Christ is all the saved individuals in the world known only to God (Acts 20:28). It is not synonymous with the "Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement." Churches of Christ are congregations that God stills considers to have a "candlestick" in spite of different levels of growth (Revelation 2,3). They do not belong to a movement that has a Nashville Bible School tradition, Texas tradition, One-Cup tradition, No Bible Class Tradition, or any other tradition. They belong to Christ. Unfortunately, studies in Restoration History often reinforce denominational concepts.

However, just as the Corinthians could not have denied the influence of Paul and Apollos even as they were told to identify spiritually only with Christ, historical reality is that men like Lipscomb, Stone, Campbell, etc have influenced many disciples today. The key to benefiting from a study of "Restoration History" while avoiding denominational concepts is to identify spiritually only with Christ and remind ourselves constantly of the spiritual truths about the makeup of God’s church mentioned above, even as we learn from the successes and avoid the mistakes of those who have sought God before us. That’s where books such as Kingdom Come... can be helpful.

Strengths of the book

Persuasive calls for renewed spirituality, prayer and separation from the world aren’t only needed among mainstream "churches of Christ" but also among more independent groups of disciples that have been also affected by the materialism of twentieth century America. Excellent practical suggestions about making prayer, holiness, study and service more a part of the daily lives of disciples make this book much more valuable than its $14.99 price tag. The written prayers at the end of each chapter are unique and help the reader consider his own pleas to God for more holiness, separation from the world and spiritual fellowship.

More difficult issues

Hicks and Valentine follow their protagonists, Lipscomb and Harding, into the deep waters of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and direct providential intervention. Harding in particular argued energetically that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and intervenes in our lives apart from the influence of the word.

Certainly, it is possible to overstate the case made by Foy Wallace and others of "the Texas tradition" regarding the Spirit’s indwelling and Divine intervention only through the Word. To do so is to overlook the fact that we can never grasp all the ways that God works in our lives and to put Him as it were in a box. While acknowledging that God’s ways are often beyond our understanding, the scriptures do emphasize the fact that the Word is His sufficient means of revelation for us today, and at least His primary tool of intervention in our lives. If those of the "Texas tradition" have helped Christians see that fact, we can thank them for it.

However, just as the "Texas tradition’s" position about the Spirit and divine intervention can be overstated to the point of mechanical dogmatism, so can Harding’s position lead to outright subjectivism. Irrational testimonials about God’s providence and seeking His guidance through subjective feelings or occurrences in our lives ultimately promote pride and confusion. It’s better to trust in the Word as God’s primary tool of intervention, even as we thank Him for His workings that are beyond our comprehension.

Inconsistencies

The authors eloquently use Harding and Lipscomb’s writings to plead for separation from the world. However, they have allowed the feminist movement of the world to pressure them into a distorted interpretation of texts such as 1 Timothy 2:11,12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34,35 so that they can promote women in the pulpit.

Though arguing persuasively in chapter nine that separation from the world implies aloofness from its carnal wars, at the end of the chapter they advocate political activism to promote legislation and political change. It seems that detachment from one, carnal warfare, would imply detachment from the other, political activism. Such trust in politics would be anathema to Lipscomb and Harding.

An inconsistency of Harding’s that is surprisingly shared by the writers is that Christ will reign again in some way on the earth. On page 186, they quote Romans 8 and Anthony Hokema, to advance the idea that the physical world will not be utterly destroyed, but redeemed. They say, "Our hope then, is to reign with God on the earth... The old heaven the old earth will be purified by fire and renewed for inhabitation by God’s saints." (page 187) This, of course, in spite of Peter’s declaration that our "one hope" is "reserved in heaven" (1 Peter 1:4) and that the earth and the elements in it will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10). Perhaps I am missing something, but it seems that there is an inherent inconsistency in linking the concept of other-worldliness with the promotion of an earthly heaven.

Hicks and Valentine disassociate themselves from what they called the "ecclesial hermeneutic (‘command, example and inference’)" of Harding and Lipscomb and their participation in the battles with the Disciples of Christ denomination over instrumental music and the missionary societies. They obviously don’t see that such common-sense Biblical interpretation and the battles with those who were losing confidence in restoration, were integral parts of their other-worldliness. Inevitably, there must be separations between those who cling to primitivist principles and those that reject them. Division, though it must be avoided until there is no other recourse, is sometimes necessary (1 Cor. 11:19).

Though correct in promoting personal holiness, an emphasis on grace and other-worldliness, the progressives’ rejection of a careful approach to Bible authority and their push for ecumenism will probably land them into something like the first of the three streams of Restoration Movement they mention, that of the liberal Disciples of Christ denomination. It will not lead them into the third stream they claim to be reviving, that of Harding and Lipscomb.

Lipscomb and Harding are indeed fascinating case studies. Though flawed in a few of their approaches, their overall emphasis on separation from the world and personal holiness is greatly needed today! Hicks and Valentine’s book also has its weaknesses. However, their passionate, heartfelt and well-articulated thoughts can help strong Christians who are mature enough to separate the wheat from the chaff.

( Kingdom Come, Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of David Lipscomb and James Harding by John Mark Hicks and Bobby Valentine was published in 2006 by Leafwood Publishers in Abilene, Texas and can be ordered from the publisher, www.leafwoodpublishers.com, or from Amazon.com.)

Read More

Update on Kingdom Come

Update on Kingdom Come

I have recently become aware of two more reactions to my book, coauthored with John Mark Hicks, that I would like to pass on to my blog readers. I call attention to these for two reasons. First, these brothers have a good blog and deserve to be read. Second, I have an interest in how folks are reacting to the material in this book.

I have decided that it does not matter if a person really agrees with what John Mark and I have written or with our intepretations (the footnotes are there for others to follow up on). We believe that the conversation about the nature of the church, discipleship and God's relationship to the world are matters of utmost importance ... more important than the book. Thus if the book stimulates deeper reflection then we feel we have accomplished our task.

Alan Rouse placed a review of Kingdom Come on his blog "Christian Unity" at the following address http://rouses.net/blog/2006/11/book-review-kingdom-come.html While there you may wish to read through some of Alan's previous blogs. I appreciate his perspective ...

Mike Exum place a reaction to the book on his blog called "Messianic Gentile" (you have to love that title). You can access this as well as Mike's other blogs at http://mikez-blog.blogspot.com/2006/11/sojourning-with-kingdom-come-quote.html

John Dobbs has been doing occasional reactions to the book on his blog "Out Here Hope Remains." John's address is http://johndobbs.wordpress.com/ John is the Barnabus of the internet and I appreciate his ministry more than he will ever know. I am humbled and grateful for these brothers for taking the time to share as they have shared.

And I want to call attention to an excellent ministry by a friend of mine Joel Solliday. "Campus CrossWalk" is a national web-magazine devoted to reaching college age people and those who work with them. Their mission motto: “Living for Christ on YOUR College Campus.” The current issue theme is: "Tackling Tough Addictions." Go to:
http://www.campuscrosswalk.org/

This site is an outreach resource for college age people and other young seekers. It serves campus ministries among churches of Christ nation-wide. It contains a national directory of campus ministries in state schools and universities. Also, the articles and items speak well to the practical "life-changing" power of faith in Christ.

Blessings,
Bobby Valentine

Read More