Wednesday, July 8, 2009

ISM’S and IST’S

Gnosticism, Armenianism, Calvinism, Universalism, Trinitarianism….need I go on? Just take off the ISM, add IST, and you have the practitioner of each particular entry.

You get the point. There are a LOT of ISM'S in the (limitless) world of Christian Theology. I'm convinced most people don't actually know what they mean. They are thrown around by people who have a need to put others into categories – "He believes X-ISM, so he is an X-IST", OR, "He's now in error – he's an (insert your favorite IST-ending word here)". And make no mistake about it – the offending word is probably whispered and the implied brand, heretic, is allowed to hang in the air.

HE will not be pigeon-holed into an ISM – HE is a person who wants a REAL, LIVE, VIBRANT, PERSONAL relationship with each of us.

Not one single ISM brings us any closer to knowing Him better.

4 comments:

Mattityahu said...

I'm not sure I understand the point you're trying to make here, John. Could you explain a little more?

John Fincher said...

That the Christian world is full of labels that make people feel better by being able to categorize others, but don't ultimately bring us any closer to God.

Bino M. said...

BTW John, if you didn't know - I am a paulinist. :)

Joel Brueseke said...

Thought you might like this from Aussie John: Display of Religionism. Sort of goes along with this.