Comments on: The Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospel and the Mortgage Meltdown http://philliphigley.com/2008/10/04/the-disease-of-the-health-and-wealth-gospel-and-the-mortgage-meltdown/ Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:09:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: philhigley http://philliphigley.com/2008/10/04/the-disease-of-the-health-and-wealth-gospel-and-the-mortgage-meltdown/comment-page-1/#comment-40 philhigley Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:59:11 +0000 http://philliphigley.com/?p=536#comment-40 No I don't think that the magazine is saying anything should be blamed on Pentecostals, but its just saying (in essence) that some Pent's have been duped by extremely bad theology. That point was expressed by the two Pentecostal scholars which they refer to. It's also been brought out by Gordon Fee, who is perhaps the most significant Pentecostal scholar of our time. He wrote a book called the "Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospel." Furthermore, it's pretty sad that a secular magazine is making that point when so many Christians have no clue, excluding you and me of course, hehe. Pentecostal's and the prosperity gospel are indeed different, but it just so happens that the prosperity gospel is usually expressed in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles. Wait, let me correct myself, primarily in Charismatic circles. To be sure, there is a difference between classic Pentecostals and Charismatics. The former have regarded that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of Baptism of the Holy Spirit, while the latter believe that different gifts may be evidence of Baptism of the Holy Spirit. That said, I think Jonathan Edwards was more Charismatic than Pentecostal. Instead of viewing tongues as some kind of "evidence" (as if we need "evidence" to "prove" our "faith") he instead focused on the Fruit of the Spirit as evidence of Christian discipleship. This was his whole argument in the Religious Affections. This is, I think, a major distinction. I think you're right, too; Joel Osteen is a Charismatic goofball with bad doctrine. This prosperity gospel will fall into ruin because it is false and contradicts the teaching of Jesus, the history of Christian tradition, and the very notion of God's Holy character. No I don’t think that the magazine is saying anything should be blamed on Pentecostals, but its just saying (in essence) that some Pent’s have been duped by extremely bad theology. That point was expressed by the two Pentecostal scholars which they refer to. It’s also been brought out by Gordon Fee, who is perhaps the most significant Pentecostal scholar of our time. He wrote a book called the “Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospel.” Furthermore, it’s pretty sad that a secular magazine is making that point when so many Christians have no clue, excluding you and me of course, hehe.

Pentecostal’s and the prosperity gospel are indeed different, but it just so happens that the prosperity gospel is usually expressed in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles. Wait, let me correct myself, primarily in Charismatic circles. To be sure, there is a difference between classic Pentecostals and Charismatics. The former have regarded that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of Baptism of the Holy Spirit, while the latter believe that different gifts may be evidence of Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

That said, I think Jonathan Edwards was more Charismatic than Pentecostal. Instead of viewing tongues as some kind of “evidence” (as if we need “evidence” to “prove” our “faith”) he instead focused on the Fruit of the Spirit as evidence of Christian discipleship. This was his whole argument in the Religious Affections. This is, I think, a major distinction.

I think you’re right, too; Joel Osteen is a Charismatic goofball with bad doctrine. This prosperity gospel will fall into ruin because it is false and contradicts the teaching of Jesus, the history of Christian tradition, and the very notion of God’s Holy character.

]]> By: Wyatt http://philliphigley.com/2008/10/04/the-disease-of-the-health-and-wealth-gospel-and-the-mortgage-meltdown/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Wyatt Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:12:07 +0000 http://philliphigley.com/?p=536#comment-39 I saw that article too. Is time magazine saying that the housing/market crisis should be blamed on Pentecostals? Pentecostals and the Prosperity Gospel are very different. Jonathan Edwards was basically a pentecostal. Old Lights vs New Lights. I don't think Joel Olsteen is pentecostal? I would agree that the heretical Prosperity Message has led sheep into the wolves of the mortgage industry. Time magazine had a full page picture of billy graham not too long ago, and the "M" of time, formed two horns on his head. I hate the prosperity message, but appears to blame the housing/market crisis on Christians. I think if they criticized Todd Bentley of God.tv, that would be legitimate. The brownsville gospel surely included prosperity messages due to the shear size of the awakening, as I'm sure the Great Awakening did. But the Brownsville revival was no god.tv sensation. Or is monasticism the only correct religion? I saw that article too. Is time magazine saying that the housing/market crisis should be blamed on Pentecostals? Pentecostals and the Prosperity Gospel are very different. Jonathan Edwards was basically a pentecostal. Old Lights vs New Lights. I don’t think Joel Olsteen is pentecostal? I would agree that the heretical Prosperity Message has led sheep into the wolves of the mortgage industry. Time magazine had a full page picture of billy graham not too long ago, and the “M” of time, formed two horns on his head. I hate the prosperity message, but appears to blame the housing/market crisis on Christians.

I think if they criticized Todd Bentley of God.tv, that would be legitimate. The brownsville gospel surely included prosperity messages due to the shear size of the awakening, as I’m sure the Great Awakening did. But the Brownsville revival was no god.tv sensation. Or is monasticism the only correct religion?

]]> By: Tom Humes http://philliphigley.com/2008/10/04/the-disease-of-the-health-and-wealth-gospel-and-the-mortgage-meltdown/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Tom Humes Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:22:46 +0000 http://philliphigley.com/?p=536#comment-38 Nice Site layout for your blog. I am looking forward to reading more from you. Tom Humes Nice Site layout for your blog. I am looking forward to reading more from you.

Tom Humes

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