![]() ![]() Her assertion that Paul is motivated by insecurity is dependent on a view that equates the “super apostles” with the true apostles instead of the false teachers, a theory that most theologians and commentators reject. She admittedly speculates and introduces personal experience and psychologizing of the text to back up her claims. What she often fails to do, as is the case in this instance, is to explain how in submission to the scripture she arrives at her conclusions. ![]() ![]() But this gets at the heart of the problem Beth does not explain the meaning of the passage as derived from the context, she reads the passage in isolation, an elementary Bible study error. After reading this section of SLI, my concern persists as I struggle to understand how she arrives at the conclusion that Paul is going through a “belittling and boasting of himself in a dizzying psychological zigzag.” The mere assertion that Paul was driven by feelings of insecurity as the reason for defending his apostolic authority ignores the immediate context of the second letter to the Corinthians, that the church was involved with false teachers claiming a high degree of authority but lacking true knowledge. He was a complex mound of clay just like the rest of us, belittling and boasting of himself in a dizzying psychological zigzag.” Ī key criticism of Moore is how she handles scripture and then how she models that approach to her audience. At the same time, Paul also battled a big, fat ego. 2 Corinthians 12:11ĭo you think just maybe he protests too much? In all probability, he fought the awful feeling that he wasn’t as good as the others who hadn’t done nearly so much wrong. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the ‘super-apostles,’ even though I am nothing. I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. If you’re not convinced, take a look at what blurted from his pen only a chapter later: I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘super apostles.’ I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge.’ 2 Corinthians 11:5-6 Take, for instance, the way he felt the need to affirm his credentials to the people he served in Corinth by using this little twist: Don’t think for a moment he didn’t fight his own flesh just like the rest of us. He was enormously used of God in spite of himself. In fact, her argument depends on an unpopular understanding of 2 Corinthians.īeth writes that Paul is one of her “favorite people in the entire stretch of Scripture” because While clearly the writers of Scripture were human with the same propensity for sin and suffering, it is difficult to agree with Beth’s rationale for her claim to Pauline insecurity. Not only does Beth suggest that insecurity is one of women’s greatest problems, she also argues that insecurity is where she finds camaraderie with the apostle Paul. Keep in mind what she is ultimately saying about the insertion of sinful attitudes as part of the biblical writers’ instructional material. Well, when my article is published, I will provide a link to the full text, in the meantime, take a look at how Beth handles Paul. There is much to be said about Beth’s influence in the Church that I believe male and female leaders need to take a second look at. The fine writers at CT were working on a similar project which became a recent cover story and companion article. A few months ago, I began writing a piece on the teachings of Beth Moore. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |