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What do Glenn Beck and Paige Patterson have in common? They are both delivering commencement addresses at Liberty University. It is interesting how Glenn Beck has become to the darling of conservative evangelicals.
From Christianity Today,
ShareFox News commentator Glenn Beck will deliver the commencement address at Liberty University’s May 15 graduation.
“Beck is one of the few courageous voices in the national media standing up for the principles upon which this nation was founded,” Jerry Falwell Jr., chancellor of Liberty University, said in the school newspaper’s story.
The baccalaureate address will be delivered by Paige Patterson, president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, whom Falwell called one of the “patriarchs of Christian higher education.”
“Both speakers continue Liberty’s long tradition of commencement speakers who are making a positive impact on society in all walks of life,” he said.
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Isn’t Glenn Beck a Mormon?
Yeah, he is. Here’s a video of him talking about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USpeolBTKIo&feature=player_embedded
I think there is some serious gospel confusion with this decision by liberty. Sacrificing the true gospel for moralistic reform.
quick thought. could conservatives be in danger or our own social gospel? yes, the liberals have their social gospel about poverty. But such a decision to have a member of a false church give a prestigious lecture because he “stands for principles this nation was founded on” seems to be the same thing but in a different moral arena. Both are about cultural reform. And both present a wrong gospel. One is about feeding the poor, the other about keeping moral standards. both good. but false hopes if they are taking the place of the hope, the redemptive indicative of Christ.
Charlie,
I think that’s a really interesting thought. I had a couple thoughts to what you said. First I am not sure it is wrong for a university to have people of other faiths to speak at their events. The question is whether it is an endorsement of Beck as a believer. If not, I don’t have a problem with it. There are things we can learn from those who are not believers.
Second. You pointed out that maybe on the right and left there is a “social” gospel. I take this as you saying that both sides are in danger of placing a political agenda on par with the gospel. I would want to say that the gospel never comes alone. It always comes with implications. Those are never just personal but also affect on the “cultures” or spheres of influence. However, I do agree with you that if our allegiances begin to be more with Beck than those gospel-believers who might have a different take on the health care bill, there seems to be a problem.
Yeah, I agree that hearing people from different religions can be beneficial for some.
The reason I think this would not fall under a harmless category is that it is a prestigious lecture which is being given to him which endorses what he does. Yes, if they had invited him to speak on say, “conservatism within Mormonism” (or any other host of topic…they wouldn’t have to be about Mormonism) during a lecture series, no problem (as long as he is not there to convert.) But what they have given him is a lecture to endorse what he is doing, which is moralistic reform that is completely void of the gospel. We are not called to make everyone obey the rules, but call people to repent and believe the gospel.
Yes, I agree with you that there are implications (or one can say fruits) of the gospel (change into Christ’s image). But, they are fruits, not the tree. You don’t try to have fruits apart from the tree where they grow on. you have to water and cultivate the tree to then have the fruits. Thus, you are not being faithful to God’s program on this earth if you by-pass the gospel to get at moral reform. that is what I am saying. If you do, then you are not going to have true moral reform, just a false hope for real peace. Real peace will come when obedience flows from the love of Jesus.
By the way, I am really enjoying your blog. it is one place where I know I will have good thoughtful conversations in the comment section. Even though I my not contribute much, it is helpful for me to have a place where I can work through things. So thanks!
I personally contacted Dr. Elmer towns about this issue, since he was one of the founders of LU. This was his response:
“I received your email and praises for Dr. Jerry Falwell. Make sure that you are not inconsistent in what you are saying. On two occasions Dr. Falwell invited Mormons to speak at our convocation. Glenn Beck is the third one. You praise Dr. Falwell, yet you criticize Liberty. One of the persons that we invited years ago was the Secretary of the Interior who was a great supporter of Moral Majority. He was invited for his political conservative stand. However, later he did become a Pentecostal.
We do not invite people to speak at our Commencement because of their Christian stand. If you remember last year Ben Stein spoke at our graduation and he is a Jew and we had him because of his stand on creation and the existence of God.
You asked for a public apology. Dr. Falwell is with the Lord, so he cannot apologize for what he did. I am sure you don’t want us to apologize for following his example.”
Elmer L. Towns
If Beck’s speech had been political and not religious, and if that was the theme, perhaps you could rationalize it. However, when I wrote Dr. Towns I mentioned 2 John 1:10 and questioned how that played out in this event. Ephesians 5:11 says not to participate in the deeds of darkness, and I believe this was one. It is an attempt to grey the lines between Christianity and Mormons, and to give them acceptance as just another Christian “branch”. This would be equally confusing to the young and impressionable saved as well as the onlooking lost. If you are a Pentecostal it does not mean you are in a cult. Jews are not in a cult, though they are denying the fulfillment of God’s promise in Christ. (Perhaps that’s another discussion.) Mormonism was created in contradiction to Christianity and called the Christian churches apostate. This is subversive liberalism in conservative clothing. I later told Dr. Towns that the Pharisees and Pagans were not asked to speak to the 70 as Jesus sent them out. What is the difference here? This is hurting the name of Baptists, and more importantly the name of Christ. Perhaps next we will have Jehovah’s Witnesses to speak on community service, or Muslims to speak against abortion, or a Buddhist to speak on foreign policy, or Hindus to speak on social reform, or Scientologists to speak on healthcare reform. This was graduation for a Baptist, conservative, Christian college. The religion Beck espouses is an anti-Christ. Mormonism is not harmless, it is evil. Most Christian colleges will not even accept you if you, and the church you are a member of, do not hold to the basic tenants of the Christian faith. Here Beck got an honorary degree, and the Mormon faith was affirmed. The worst part is, most people didn’t even mind.