Why Christianity needs both Tim Challies AND Ann Voskamp (and maybe a Catholic or two–thrown in for good measure)

Dear Elizabeth,

May I come to your house for dinner?  Or you come to mine?

Wow, quite a bit to take in. I read Challies post. I’ve heard several people be “concerned” about the different people she reads and quotes. But, from what I can tell, she takes away the wheat from people and let’s the chaff fall to the ground.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to read about people who differ from us. We can learn a lot about them and ourselves, I think. Reading about people doesn’t make us conformists.

Though, we do need to be careful that we aren’t deceived, as the Bible warns. I believe as long as we’re regularly in the Word and on guard, that won’ t be a problem.
 Anyways..lol…great article!

I’ve dealt with the ultra-Reformed crowd enough that I just roll my eyes when sites like Challies flip out about something.  You’d think that John Calvin was the new Messiah or something.  I could get really upset over the fact that some of them are arguing about whether their children (having been born to the Elect) need to be baptized at all or the fact that most of them believe I’m going to Hell but honestly, they’re so insular that they aren’t worth my time.

As someone whose blood pressure has been sky high since the whole thing… this post was the equivalent of one big exhale. That I desperately needed. Bless your little Catholic self for that!

Mark Driscoll looks way too much like a big teddy bear for me to be scared of him. ; ) 

Loved this. I’ve tried to stay out of reading too much of this whole debate/accusation thing…it’s just so ridiculous.

And even as a Southeast Baptist, reformed, Calvinist believer I just don’t see their claims of deception and bad theology. Perhaps because I’ve been heavily influenced by a woman who writes on contemplative prayer and reads the mystics of old and she’s a Southern Baptist pastor’s wife…that’d probably freak some people out.

What I do see is an attitude of “I’m in, you’re out and I always know what Jesus is thinking.” That’s dangerous and usually manifests itself in ungracious and unloving ways.

From one Catholic to another, I love this! My Christian Reformed-Calvin College-going (now almost Catholic) husband loves it, as well. 

Sweet Jesus.  I wish they’d lay off sweet Ann. 

Love your post, EE….but I’d have to really sweat thru some sleepless nights in prayer to welcome Driscoll to dinner.

You are too funny. 

I don’t even know what all the drama is about, but this made me laugh out loud and I needed that so badly tonight.  Thank you!

hilarious. i want to sit next to you on the sidelines of any sports or religious match-up. 

Well…I love this post. But I’m so deep into the Catholic bubble that I have no idea who Tim Challies is…my now papist, former calvinist hubby might. I’ll have to ask him when he gets home.
Now Ann Voskamp, on the other hand. Her book is changing my life, when I let it. And the thing I love, love, love about her is just how catholic she is, without even realizing it. Her thoughts on eucharist(eo) are mind-blowing, and for someone who isn’t Catholic, they’re so, so thisclose to being Catholic. Plus, I love mysticism and poetry in many forms, so aethestically, her book is very pleasing to me. It’s a beautiful work of art, if nothing else.

Too funny–I knew there was a reaction by the Reformed crowd to Voskamp’s book several months ago, but didn’t know it had been resurrected.

I find it downright amusing that Catholicism has taken center stage.  Ann Voskamp is NOT Catholic.  Thus I don’t see why he’s blaming Catholicism for whatever allegedly pantheistic, rooted-in-mysticism experience Ann had in a cathedral.  Faithful, magisterium-adhering Catholics would be the last ones to endorse a private, experience-based spirituality not rooted in the Church.   

I’m also amused that Challies is using the tired “Catholics believe in grace PLUS works for salvation” line.  While I disagree with Challies in some areas, he IS a clear thinker/communicator, and surely he is capable of doing the small amount of research it would take to see that Catholics DON’T believe they can earn their way to Heaven.

One thing I will say though is that it makes perfect sense to me that people are arguing/debating/getting upset over these things.  While we must seek to treat one another with love and respect, theology seeks to answer some pretty fundamental questions about God, life, and humanity–and so there is going to be a bit of back and forth.  Catholicism IS at odds with Protestantism.  We don’t have to be yelling about it, but by definition they are incompatible.

At any rate, these links were fun to read!     

Someday we are going to literally sit at a great banquet table together. I think it’ll be picnic style… and none of the labels and denominational, doctrine hullabaloo will matter. We won’t be concerned with who is reading what and where and when and who they quoted and why….and how we should protect them from themselves and others. Our narrow vision will be made whole with the very presence of our God.

Our focus will be 100% where it should be – feasting, laughing, enjoying great wine, worshiping Jesus and loving one another.  

ps EE anytime you are in the DC area… you are invited to dinner, picnic style.

If I ever try to kick my caffine habit, I’ll read Challies to get my blood churning instead.  I just cannot believe God appointed a blogger from Toronto to judge who is in and who is out.  He moves in the most mysterious ways alright.  

I hadn’t heard about all the noise until I read your post (and I read the posts you linked.) What I kept getting from Challis’ rant was how Christian women really can’t seem to think for ourselves or be discerning. I am a Christian (NOT “Reformed”) and his attitude is pretty offensive to me.  I don’t need my husband to tell me what is good and right or to choose my reading material for me. If that were needed then we should all just don Burkas and get it over with. Ahem. NOT.