Intellectual Rigor and Pietism

Someone recently asked me my thoughts on the decline on some our Protestant Denominations. I answered them just in small detail, but here is better written idea and what my  recommendation would be...
Lane points out that, "In the seventeenth century on a small and in the eighteenth century on a much larger scale, people began to attack Christianity in the name of reason." (1) He again points out that, "As the Christian faith has ceased to command universal acceptance, society has turned to other ideological bases." (2) The former caused many to start turning to atheism and more to science (which if one was to think logically the basis of science came from the Christian community). Due to the latter there have been a ton of different "religions" that have cropped up. Just a couple of examples that have popped up are the Mormons (Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and Scientology. Just those two religions were "created" by man just within the past couple of centuries and Scientology being created in the last century.

It does not mean that if Scholasticism and Pietism were very strong today in our culture that there would not be the liberalism, atheism, and the various religions that have strayed from the Christian faith. The Bible says, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (2 Timothy 4:3, NIV). All of the various teachings only, once again, prove the Bible to be correct. We live in a time when people want what they want when they want it. This also means twisted doctrine to suit their lifestyles!

The numbers of all of the "religions" and protestant denominations either rapidly increasing or decreasing is almost disheartening that it wouldn't take anyone long to even just do a Google search to see that some of the false religions are increasing more than some of our protestant denominations. The Huffington Post published an online article titled, "The Southern Baptist Convention Membership Declined For the Seventh Year. In this article Lifeway President and CEO Thom S. Rainer was quoted saying, "I am grieved we are clearly losing our evangelistic effectiveness." (3) Scholasticism and Pietism would be a great combination at this moment.

A model for Scholasticism and Pietism would be a mix of John Wesley and B.B Warfield. Warfield was reformed theologian that was a Princeton professor. His thought and the Princeton School of Theology may have been far left conservative or rather too reformed, but today that may not be bad. Warfield was dedicated to the study of the Word and theology. His thought on the Bible is that, "The writers wrote precisely what God wanted, the message of the Bible is his message and the Bible can be called his word." (4) In the protestant faith we need this type of belief where there is no room in God's Word for any other message than what was written by the divinely inspired authors.

Pietism with that kind of Scholasticism may not change everyone's mind or even bring every one to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but there would be less liberalism, atheism, etc. For example, if in our day and time we had more John Wesley's who was known to be pietist. He, "traveled constantly to spread the good news of grace in Christ" and "preached theses sermons in unfavorable conditions and often in raucous opposition." (5) Itinerant ministers such as John Wesley armed with the Scolasticism as Warfield could make a tremendous difference not just in America, but in all the world. The model in a nut shell would be fired up preachers armed only with the Word of God and with the only intent of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Bibliography

1. Lane, Tony. A Concise History of Christian Thought. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2006. 234.

2. Ibid., 235.

3. Lollar, Travis. Southern Baptist Convention Declined for the Seventh Year: Huffington Post. Retrieved July 22, 2014 at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/29/southern-baptist-convention-membership-decline_n_5411695.html.

4. Lane, Tony. A Concise History of Christian Thought. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2006. 257.

5. Noll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. third ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2012. Kindle Edition Loc. 4320.