prayerless dogma

All of us are guided by dogma of some sort. We believe a certain set of beliefs to be self evident as the American constitutional writers so cleverly put it. We expect many people to agree and therefore share such common ground with us or at least to be willing to engage with us on these terms. They are basic assumptions about life that we regard to be objective and thus True, becoming core pillars of our entire worldview. More so, dogma is often believed rather than argued and its association with faith rather than logic in the epistemological realms set mental barriers to how they should be understood. They exist in every person and there is no naturalist, positivist or empiricist who is above dogma. In short, we are all beholden to dogma, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or may I add, Atheist.

Therefore, undoubtedly, all men are dogmatic in some form. The atheist insist that there is no God, though he is ultimately unable to prove it. But he insists upon it and thus shares in the same dogmatism that he accuses the Christian of possessing. Well the Christian is dogmatic about his fundamental truth assumptions, that God is omnipotent, omnipresent and He has manifested himself through the incarnation of His Son on earth. He too is unable to prove it but he shares it with an extraordinary passion because he believes it to be of cosmic importance. Certainly I agree with that, wholeheartedly in fact, but like the atheist, i find an aspect of Christianity very discomforting. That is as the title suggests - Prayerless Dogmatism.

The arrogance of the shallow and the humility of the deep.

I've often found an arrogance in the shallow and a profound humility in the deep. What do i mean by that? Very often, those who engage deeply in their subjects, and in this case christian doctrine are drawn to humility at the expense of their limitations. They are aware that beyond what Christ reveals to them, they are ill-able to discover on their own. What they do know, they hold firmly and humbly. When in conversation, they are prone to contemplate carefully, they do not have to name big names to state their point, for by sheer logic and careful consideration, their points are proven sufficient. There aren't many -isms in their speech.

Ultimately, the key mark of such humble and might I say intelligent men is their love for prayer. They engage with God and think within the comforts of His grace. What they shout in the pulpit is earned in prayer. What they've learnt over the years through the Word and their books has humbled them and they are aware of their limitations. I think of Leonard Ravenhill and Paul Washer and the throng of people who want to be like them. These throng scream and wail against problems in the church, expound theology like they're some expert and in imitation of Washer and Ravenhill, scold the flock. But here's the nub, do you share in Ravenhill's and Washer's prayer life? Do you want their dogma earned with prayer or do you just want to imitate their dogmatism?

Ironically, the shallow are prone to arrogance. They like the pulpits because it is elevated, they like to study theology because it makes them look rather smart. Yet they do not have a passion for the Lost or even if they do evangelise, they evangelise for numbers. They do not know the many deaths a pilgrim faces in prayer. They are dogmatic about their dogma without prayer and when we're like that we become arrogant. Reading the bible and books often, they do not have life. Why is that? They do not pray. They do not love prayer.

My recollection

My friends come from a varied spectrum of thought - and if you ask me honestly, I'm rarely bothered about whether they're Calvinist or Arminian (i could be shot for this). If they believe that man are liable for sin and that God is sovereign, i don't really bother too much. I'm interested in their views on Jesus, revival, prayer, humility and the state of the church. I'm interested if they believe the bible is the sole authority, sufficient for teaching unto salvation with the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to know if they want to have Jesus and die for it. I want to know if they want to preach this Jesus authentically to the dying world.

That is why despite some theological differences with my friends in India, I count them as brethren, in fact I'm very honoured if they count me as one of them. I remember their sacrifices, their prayers and I thank God for that. Their dogmatism is prayed over and over again and they breathe in it. Rather than those who walk around sprouting theological learning without prayer, who haven't given much thought to what they believe in, except that they like the cleverness of it all.

All theology is for doxology and with it comes humility and much prayer. Thats good dogma.