There is No Such Thing as "Theism," "Christian Theism" or "Mere Christianity"
A recent book edited by evangelicals is titled, Debating Christian Theism.
It looks very good if for no other reason than that the authors on the opposing side are good ones. The glaring problem however, is that the authors in this book who represent Christianity are, generally speaking, evangelicals. Evangelicals write the chapters on all the key issues defending "Christian Theism" in this book. One would expect this, since the book is edited by evangelicals. But why do they get to define "Christian Theism"? There is no such thing, as there is no such thing as "theism" or "Mere Christianity" either. These evangelicals are co-opting the term "Christian Theism" for themselves. The book title is a misnomer, even a fraud. It should be titled, "Debating Evangelicalism," or "Debating Evangelical Theism." If I were writing a chapter in this book and I had the space I would point this fraud out. There are only theisms, Christian theisms and Christianities. Below are the table of contents. See for yourself:
First, there are many varieties of theism. Islam is a theism, as is Judaism. Polytheism is a theism. So is pantheism and panentheism. Deism is one too, at least earlier versions of it.
Wikipedia's entry for "Theism" says this:
Second, there are many varieties of Christian theism, as we know all too well, which includes existential Christian theism, mystical Christian theism, Process theism, and Open theism (the evangelical sect from Process theism). Historically there have been many varieties of Christian theism like the various "heretical" ones that were condemned and killed off, some of which can be seen in Bart Ehrman's book, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew.
The concept of "Christian theism" falls to the same criticism of a generic theism. There is no such thing. There are only Christian theisms, mostly represented by the various Christian denominations and so-called "cults." [They all began as cults by the way, and I'm not about to get involved telling churches who claim to be Christians they are not Christians.]
Third, just as there isn't such a thing as theism or Christian theism, there isn't anything such as "mere Christianity" either. -- See link.
So I don't usually talk in terms of "theism" or "Christian theism." To do so is like saying I know what theism or Christian theism entails. I don't. In America where evangelicalism seems to make the loudest noise doing so would be taking a stand with the evangelicals, that they represent Christian theism. This is something I object to. By saying we know what Christian theism entails is like saying we prefer one cigar over another when we don't smoke. ;-) I usually talk about religions, specific ones, not theism, Christian theism, or mere Christianity, since they do not exist. I adjure others to do the same.
It looks very good if for no other reason than that the authors on the opposing side are good ones. The glaring problem however, is that the authors in this book who represent Christianity are, generally speaking, evangelicals. Evangelicals write the chapters on all the key issues defending "Christian Theism" in this book. One would expect this, since the book is edited by evangelicals. But why do they get to define "Christian Theism"? There is no such thing, as there is no such thing as "theism" or "Mere Christianity" either. These evangelicals are co-opting the term "Christian Theism" for themselves. The book title is a misnomer, even a fraud. It should be titled, "Debating Evangelicalism," or "Debating Evangelical Theism." If I were writing a chapter in this book and I had the space I would point this fraud out. There are only theisms, Christian theisms and Christianities. Below are the table of contents. See for yourself:First, there are many varieties of theism. Islam is a theism, as is Judaism. Polytheism is a theism. So is pantheism and panentheism. Deism is one too, at least earlier versions of it.
Wikipedia's entry for "Theism" says this:
In a more specific sense, theism is commonly a monotheistic doctrine concerning the nature of a deity, and that deity's relationship to the universe. Theism, in this specific sense, conceives of God as personal, present and active in the governance and organization of the world and the universe. As such theism describes the classical conception of God that is found in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism.I've said this before and I'll say it again, there is no such thing as a generic theism. Yes, the term "theism" can indeed be used to represent these arbitrarily selected theistic doctrinal beliefs. However, theists believe more than this. We will never find a theist who only believes these things. That's where the agreement ends. So there is no such thing as a theist. There are only Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs and Hindus.
Second, there are many varieties of Christian theism, as we know all too well, which includes existential Christian theism, mystical Christian theism, Process theism, and Open theism (the evangelical sect from Process theism). Historically there have been many varieties of Christian theism like the various "heretical" ones that were condemned and killed off, some of which can be seen in Bart Ehrman's book, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew.
The concept of "Christian theism" falls to the same criticism of a generic theism. There is no such thing. There are only Christian theisms, mostly represented by the various Christian denominations and so-called "cults." [They all began as cults by the way, and I'm not about to get involved telling churches who claim to be Christians they are not Christians.] Third, just as there isn't such a thing as theism or Christian theism, there isn't anything such as "mere Christianity" either. -- See link.
So I don't usually talk in terms of "theism" or "Christian theism." To do so is like saying I know what theism or Christian theism entails. I don't. In America where evangelicalism seems to make the loudest noise doing so would be taking a stand with the evangelicals, that they represent Christian theism. This is something I object to. By saying we know what Christian theism entails is like saying we prefer one cigar over another when we don't smoke. ;-) I usually talk about religions, specific ones, not theism, Christian theism, or mere Christianity, since they do not exist. I adjure others to do the same.