Today, I test the results of yesterday’s post.
I am too young to have known of the decline of Billy Graham as it happened. I have always been under the impression that his slide into ecumenism and theological liberalism began fairly late in life. Reading Evangelicalism Divided by Iain Murray, I am learning a different story. By the time Graham gained prominence on the word stage, his journey of compromise was already well underway. And while his descent into heterodoxy can be described as a slide, his embrace of ecumenism can only be called an enthusiastic leap — with a decidedly pragmatic motivation.
Murray writes of a time in 1965 when Graham was seeking support for his crusade in London from Anglican Archbishop Michael Ramsey, who
did not hold all Scripture to be the authoritative Word of God, nor did he believe in such doctrines as the penal, substitutionary atonement. . . .
At first Ramsey opposed Grahams beliefs as heretical but he seems to have been charmed by the American’s amicableness when the two met at the New Delhi Third Assembly of the World Council od Churches. The evangelist has recorded how their friendship began on that occasion when he asked the archbishop, ‘Do we have to part company because we disagree in methods and theology? Isn’t that the purpose of the ecumenical movement, to bring together people of opposing views?’ Thereafter there was no more opposition.—Iain Murray, Evangelicalism Divided (Banner of Truth, 2000), 40–41.
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4 Comments:
#1 || 10·08·17··07:38 || Kim in ON
Before I read that book, Dan Phillips told me that I would never see Graham in the same light again. He was correct.
#2 || 10·08·17··08:14 || David
This isn’t really changing my opinion of Graham. I’ve known of his theological flaws for a long time. And you already know what I think of altar call evangelism. I’m just surprised to learn that he’s been this way pretty much from the beginning. So it’s not changing my view of Graham, but it certainly is affecting my opinion of evangelicals who have supported and praised him over the years. They should have known better.
#3 || 10·08·17··11:02 || Kim in ON
When I was a young Christian, we attended a church where there was an older couple, in their 70's, who made a disparaging comment about Graham. Someone in the room was quite heated about their comments, and I can remember wondering what that was all about. When I read the Murray book, her comments came back to me, and I understood what they meant.
#4 || 10·08·17··12:43 || David
Criticize an evangelical sweetheart, go straight to hell.
By the way, as I’ve read some more this morning, I may have to amend my comment about my unchanging opinion of Graham. Some of what I’m reading is much worse than I expected.
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