About This Video
Shawn McCraney discusses his differing approach to Christianity compared to Jeff Durbin and Pastor Jason Wallace, embracing a method that relies on personal interpretation of scripture through the Spirit rather than adhering to traditional orthodoxy. While Durbin and Wallace view steadfast adherence to established doctrines as strength, McCraney sees the evolution of understanding and willingness to change beliefs as a positive and necessary aspect of growth in faith.
Shawn emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the Spirit over rigid adherence to written tradition, advocating for a unity of faith beyond conventional orthodoxy. He addresses criticism by inviting dialogue with those who hold differing views, promoting a collaborative approach to faith while criticizing outdated divisions within religious communities.
Introduction
This is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. short. I’m your host Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion.. Show 27s An Open Response to Jeff Durbin and Pastor Jason Wallace. Heart of the Matter short. Taped March 28th 2021. Aired Monday March 29th 2021. In Arizona, there is a very popular ministry called Apologia. It is run by a brother named Jeff Durbin who is an outspoken critic of mine.
Last week, and in conjunction with having Pastor Jason Wallace as his guest, Jeff did a show titled, "Cults, Apostasy and Shawn McCraney." At the 22-minute mark of their nearly 90-minute show, Jeff (and two co-hosts, Luke and Joy) entered into their attack upon me and the ministry. Some of the information they offered was accurate, much of it was partial truths that were discussed out of context, and a good deal of their statements were completely unfounded.
Reformed Theology
I want to state very simply that I understand why these folks are vehemently against me and my person and ways. They claim I am trying to be another Joseph Smith. They mock the fact that I have changed in my views over the years and see this as a fail. See, Apologia and Pastor Wallace embrace a form of the faith called Reformed theology and claim that their orthodoxy represents the truth and that it has for 2000 years. That it is Jesus truth. And it is unassailable.
Along I come and challenge these things that they hold sacred and this troubles them – especially the manner in which I have challenged them and/or the fact that I have challenged them at all. I get this, and I honestly believe that these people mean well and believe that they represent God and His ways and wisdom in this day and age.
What might be overlooked here is that one way to live the Christian faith is to accept what has been handed down for centuries as inviolate truth and to study those presented truths and to see and accept them as irrefutable and true. This is what Jeff and Jason do, but it is also what the Catholics do, and Orthodoxy, and all of Protestantism, and the rest. But another way to live and experience the faith, which is the way that I have LEARNED to embrace, is to stay far away from learned traditions, and to simply let the Bible by the Spirit teach me (line upon line) WITHOUT the influences of Men and their traditions telling me what to see and what to believe.
Embracing Change
Sure, I have been affected by traditions, even embraced some, but at the end of the day, if they can be challenged reasonably by scripture and the Spirit, I will set them aside and not revere them as absolute. When someone takes this approach to seeking God and Christ, a number of disconcerting things happen to the mind of someone who sees themselves as orthodox (and therefore correct).
One is that you will – you must – change your mind about things. People of orthodoxy do not. They see change as a weakness. I see it as necessary and good.
Strength in Faith
My brothers and sister here see that as a weakness and contradiction. Why? Because they come from a view that suggests that they have everything right. So when I come along, and receive then reject certain views for others, they see this as a laughable weakness where I see it as a natural evolution of someone growing in knowledge and hopefully wisdom. To these folks, the sign of strength is to make a stand and keep that stand for life. I think that this is true relative to the person of Jesus Christ and the Good News.
On this I have always stood and have not varied in anyway that He alone is the way, truth, and the life and that no person comes to the Father but by Him. But we are not blessed with living apostles or the living Lord among us to clear other things up for us, are we. We have writings, but as proven, those can be debated.
And so when it comes to elements of the faith that the Apologia people see as concrete, I see some of them as more sandy, and not as irrefutable as they might suggest. Unfortunately, this disregard for my approach to things has caused or allowed them to take the whole of my person, my teachings, and to label me dangerous. It has caused Jason Wallace to say that I am the most vicious man imaginable, and it has caused them to say that I…
Controversy and Unity
Reject the judgement of God (I do not) the resurrection (I do not) and a host of other things (like the Trinity – which I reject only in some respects). I am responding to their repeated claims that I am a dangerous man and the most vicious man imaginable as these are unfair. As to the rest of it, it comes with the territory.
I would end this response with the following:
Where you see tradition as of value to your beliefs, I see them as weaknesses. Where you see the written word as primary, I see the Spirit as primary with the Word working in partnership with the Spirit to bring all of us to a unity of the faith – something I am sold out on.
Call for Unity
Pastor Wallace stated that I promise people liberty but give them bondage – I would appreciate an example of this statement if you would.
And in the end, I want these people to know that in the face of their attack on me, and their unauthorized and uncontextual use of our recorded copyrighted materials to paint the picture of me that they seek, I embrace them as brothers and sister in the Lord. I seek unity, but the days of Orthodoxy ruining the lives and reputations of people who see things differently are coming to an end.
Invitation Extended
That you are dinosaurs in a world that God so loved He gave it His Son to save it, and I invite you into the Ark before the flood, to join in the solution to religious infighting rather than continuing to be active participants, and to unite in the person of Christ with all others who receive Him by faith – however that looks, and even if it does not accord with your traditional views.
I have invited Jeff Durbin to come on the show and talk with me. His orthodoxy allows him to refuse these invitations because he believes other brothers in the faith have done that (Jason and James White) and therefore he is excused but free to condemn me.
I extend this invitation to him again, hoping that we can sit and reason together. While I have made many errors
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