Theology during the time of the Reformation, and throughout most of the period known as “modernism," suffered from the “magisterial” use of reason. Where human reason/thinking and comprehension are given authority over the Biblical texts, there will be the limitations on what God actually is, what He actually says and what He actually does. How much has the full truth, and thus the full salvation and thus the full comfort of God been denied to those who deal with God’s Word, and thus God Himself, according to the tyranny of their human limitations.
What of the theology in our day? The human attribute of reason has been tossed to the curb in favor of another human attribute. This “magisterial” use of this human attribute has been elevated far above and beyond that of human reason. So great is the authority given to this human attribute that it can completely displace the Word of God and thus God Himself, in favor of that which satisfies the demands of this attribute.
What is this attribute? Emotion. Anything in the Scriptures, anything commanded of God, promised of God, and decreed by God, all must bow before the majestic use of emotion. Where emotion reigns, the validity of who and what God is, is determined not by what He is or says, but by how one feels about Him. Where emotion reigns, the validity of others in our lives and our responsibility to them is subject to how one feels.
Theology then becomes full blown “Meology” under the guise of “spirituality”. This meology by any other name would be called narcissism.
The “magisterial” use of emotion is just another manifestation of what St. Augustine identified as the root problem of humanity - Incurvatus in se – “curved in on itself”. What I refer to as the “magisterial” use of emotion is nothing more than an attempt to justify and demand that all the arrows in this world, all the people in one’s life, the church and even God Himself - must point toward and be about me.
Feelings are so much like Satan it is terrifying. Feelings offer us much and entice us to much, and if given completely up to them, leave us destitute.
Many would contend that our post-modern world is more open to the Gospel than ever before. I disagree. While our post-modern world has lost its love affair with reason, this same world has fallen head over heels in love what provides the feelings it wants. The opening of the Gospel will come only when one has been so ravaged and tormented by the unfaithfulness of feelings, that one loses faith in the ability of feelings to determine what is true and to rule over what really is true.
"... preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:2-5
- pmwl
This is a priceless assessment of what's happened, continues and will continue as the Evil One who disguises himself as an angel of light, deceives many. I'm struck by so many Bible studies, even by our church's own publishing house, that frequently ask, "How do you feel?" This narcotic obsession with feelings requires ever greater "fixes" until as you state in desperation they lose faith in their feelings. This post of yours ought to be required reading for all in the church, especially its leaders and pastors.
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