the church of 80% sincerity

The Church of 80% Sincerity was founded by David Roche because we get it right only about 80% of the time. As Roche explains, 80% is as good as it gets and we have to accept that. We understand 80% of the truth we encounter, believe about 80% of it, act according to our beliefs 80% of the time.

I didn't think much of the church when I first read about it but lately, I'm starting to think that David Roche is both prophetic and profound which is evangelical parlance for 'he's right!'

I've never liked John Calvin because of Calvinism and TULIP. My pastor once answered a question I had with an extended quote from John Calvin and I dismissed the whole explanation summarily because I did not like the man. My pastor was shocked because, to him, Calvin was a brilliant theologian and the answer he gave me was the best one he had.

Now that I know about the Church of 80% Sincerity, I can appreciate Calvin. He was wrong about atonement being limited because Christ Jesus died for the sins of all people. But he was right about God's unconditional election and irresistible grace meeting us in our total depravity and about God preserving us against everything. Calvin should not have burnt all those people at the stake for disagreeing with him but I like him a whole lot better because of the grace I found in the Church of 80% Sincerity.

Martin Luther was a great reformer who brought an end to certain church excesses and abuses. He also rediscovered the doctrine that salvation is by grace alone through faith. For a man who believed so much in grace, in unmerited favour, he should not have been so virulently anti-semitic. I'm convinced his attitude affected the Lutheran church and Germany. He would fit in perfectly at the Church of 80% Sincerity.

Martin Luther King was also a great reformer, a hero of our times, but he cheated on his wife and plagiarized some people. He had a dream that he laboured into reality because he believed in the greatness of God, the rightness of love and that justice will prevail. I do not judge him by the colour of his skin or by the content of his character. He belongs in the Church of 80% Sincerity. So would Mahatma Gandhi, another reformer who followed the way of love and non-violence. He rejected Christianity and he drank urine but, at the Church of 80% Sincerity, no one would look at him funny.

N.T. Wright is one of our best living theologian but at a series of lectures at Leicestershire (July 14-16, 2004), he said about a third of what he teaches is probably false; the only problem is that he didn't know which third. Now, if he had 80% truth in his theology and if he could only communicate that 80% of the time, that means we would receive 64% or approximately two-thirds truth when we listen to him. N.T. Wright must be a secret member of the Church of 80% Sincerity.

Comments

[Mark Kraft]

Beautiful. This is the thing with theology, Caroline: In the end it is really what "I think" something means. I find it frustrating that we tend to side with this theologian over here because his writings seem to have more resonance within me, than this one over here who's writings I might find offensive or "out of the box".

Does that make any sense? I work with a staff who have many varying opinions and we take different stances on different theological issues. I have personally been offended when a staff associate dismissed McLaren as being very weak in the whole theology department. I was offended because Brian happens to be a man whose writings have impacted my spirituality and a deep and profound way.

I guess it pushed up this wall that in a way says, "I'm right, your wrong. end of story." That is sad. I don't think this associate will ever learn anything from McLaren's writings.

See, in the end, I can support so many controversial theological issues with Scripture and it really just comes down to what 'I think' it means. So what happens?? we leave this church or that church and venture out to find one that thinks more the way I do - thus leaving community sour. To me, that's sad.

[Russ]

Tag...

go to: http://glocality.blogspot.com/2005/05/music-meme.html

[Greg Neid]

I am gradually coming to believe that much of my theology may be wrong. It all seems sensible and rational, but it often fails when it comes to the test loving others. Therefore it must be wrong, because love is the highest order issue. I am believing less and less in my own theology.

This in no way suggests that I do not believe in God/Chirst. My faith is actually increasing; I am more and more comfortable with my lack of theological answers. God is not theology, he is God. He exists inspite of our guesses (theology) of who He might be.

"God said to Moses, "I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' ""

Wow! that's God's theology!

[rick]

hi, caroline - found your blog thru russ's site. how long have you been here, and how have i not been paying attention? :) - good stuff, except i'm in the church of the 70% that's less sure and has planted down the street!