Christian Relaunch

Christianity in England Today

I live in England, and every Christian I have ever got to know has been clinging obstinately to at least one heresy.

As mentioned in the theory underlying that history, a reborn never persists obstinately in heresy.

As regards individuals, of course I give each the benefit of the doubt in the sense of being willing, in principle, to listen to and discuss with them. But time is limited, so it would be irresponsible of me to chase every Christian I hear of, in the hope that they might be a reborn.

I conclude that there are few reborns in England.

I trust God that there are some reborns, scattered here and there, alone like me or in groups too small to have appeared on my radar. I suppose there are probably hundreds. Maybe more, but if so they must be keeping quiet for reasons that elude me.

I will now list the relevant heresies.

These beliefs of course flow from principles and ultimately from attitudes. This site mentions some of these connections in general terms, and describes their history in broad terms, but I have not yet tried to trace them in their specifically English details.

My experience is more extensive with some heresies than with others, but I will present my understanding, and if anyone feels misrepresented I beg them to let me know.

Atheanthroposialism

Docetism

I am not aware of any English Docetists.

Adoptionism

Unitarians and old-fashioned theological Liberals in most denominations are Adoptionists.

Arianism

The only Arians I know of are the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Monopatrism

Of course the Eastern Orthodox are Monopatrist.

I think Evangelicals have paid the matter little attention, but (for instance) I find that the Covenant Christian Coalition omits any indication of filioquism in their (otherwise comprehensively Trinitarian) Covenant. I suppose this is toleration of Monopatrism, rather than affirmation, but it suggests that they regard the filioque as, if not untrue, then unimportant.

Restitutionalism

Most English Christians are Restitutionalists. Except the Pelagians.

Supralapsarianism

Just a few Calvinists.

Bonhominalism

Pelagianism

Someone once told me that Pelagianism was an endemic disease of Englishmen. I think he was quoting, but I cannot trace it. Certainly most English Christians affirm the basic goodness of human nature as it now is; if this is not Pelagian, it is an advanced case of Residualism, akin to Otialism.

Residualism

Most English Christians are Residualists. Except the Calvinists.

Synergism

Most English Christians are Synergists. They see it as "moderation", a compromise between Monergism and Pelagianism, which indeed it is, like the compromise of sharing my goods with a burglar.

The only exceptions I know of are the self-consciously Calvinistic.

Meritorialism

Papists are of course Meritorialists, but it extends well beyond them.

Magicalism

Judaicism

I am not aware of any English Judaicists.

Sacramentalism

"Catholics" (whether Papist or Anglican) are of course Sacramentalists.

Most Protestants retain a residue of Sacramentalism, but I think that in many cases this does not amount to heresy, only to a confused attachment to traditional ceremonies.

Otherworldalism

Mysticism

There is probably some Christian Mysticism somewhere, but I have not encountered it.

Additionalism

Some Additionalism is explicit, but often it is disguised, for the talk is often Integralistic, as expressed for instance when Calvinsists speak of "total depravity". But their schizodoulic practice reveals their underlying Additionalism, for the two always go together.

At the same time, some of them practice a kind of Separatism, but without Integralism. For instance, there are Christian schools whose curriculum is substantially the same as that of other schools, with a Christian veneer.

For many years I tried to wean various Evangelical groups from Additionalism. Instead of allowing their errors to be corrected, I found that they cling to them and try to defend them, inventing all manner of absurd and fallacious arguments.

For instance, there is a little group of New Covenant Book verses which they routinely press into the service of Otherworldalism by fastening onto traditional but misleading translations, such as "My kingdom is not of this world" and "The kingdom of God is within you". Review Salvation has not changed our task.

Confronted with evidence from the Bible (which they profess to regard highly), they often oscillate, as regards the Separationalism entailed by real Integralism, between claiming that It's not important (usually expressed as "you are too narrow") and that It's not true. Retreating from the first under overwhelming arguments, they flee to the second. Retreating from the second for similar reasons, they then slip back to the first, by which time they have managed to forget why they abandoned it, so they reaffirm it and the discussion (whether verbal or written) becomes circular. However agile, one cannot refute both propositions simultaneously, so can never get to the end of the evasions.

I eventually, reluctantly, concluded that the motive must be a refusal to face the truth.