David Wolcott, Christian Apologist

I came across an interesting article today by Rev. David M Felten. I don’t remember having heard of him before, but according to his bio , it seems like he should know better than to make such claims as he did today. Answering a question about being born again, David explains how most Christian translations have changed the Bible to add the phrase “born again” to Jesus’ words in John 3, and that “born again” is a false translation. To his credit, he offers the original word, ἄνωθεν, with the definition of “the “up place.”” He then explains that really means a “re-orientation of your priorities and perspective.” Note: these are words he puts in quotes as from Jesus, but they bear no relation to the original texts. So he really has no basis to complain that most professional translators (which he isn’t) translate a phrase as “born again” when he adds a whole different interpretation to the passage anyway. Now, he’s technically correct: ἄνωθεν, according to the LSJ, does mean “from above...

Irony: when you complain about others supposedly creating division and refusing to accept correction after you create division and refuse to accept correction. Caveat : Some may think I’m mean here, and that’s okay. But am I right? That’s the important question. I think Keith was mean in his post, but I’m far more concerned about whether he’s right than whether he’s polite. Caveat : I’m not addressing all Progressive Christians, but this does reflect my experience with some of them; it also reflects my experience with some orthodox Christians. In particular, however, I am addressing one of their leaders: Keith Giles, in his recent publishings.  Caveat : I have debated Keith Giles twice, and both times he spoke well of me; we had become decent friends, to some extent, but then he blocked me for unknown reasons. I am saying this to acknowledge my own potential bias and to add backstory for why this isn’t just some random person to me. So, what irony am I talking about? In a recent ar...

If I were to identify one core feature of Progressive Christianity, it would be this: an excessive focus on the self. I do not mean this in the context of selfishness, but of authority and identity. Their approach to God, to religious truth, is primarily egocentric, rather than theocentric; they start from the self, rather than God. An example of this is in their examination of God. Rather than pursuing God Himself, as God has revealed Himself, Progressive Christianity starts with their values, their beliefs, and then tries to explain God through that, rather than through God's revelation . In other words, they work their theology around their self, around their beliefs. The practical result is that they do not arrive at God but instead at an idea they have created that they stand-in for God.  Put a little more formally: Progressive Christianity places their personal experience with what they believe to be God as of greater importance and truth than that which we do know came from ...