The President's Prophet, and Author of Bonhoeffer by Holly G.

*Copied from a FaceBook note word for word*


Here is a man some of you may not have even heard of.  You may or may not have even researched him thoroughly or you may have found his recent "roast" of President Obama to be enjoyable.   He has an engaging wit.  But I want to share a little of what I have found recently...  He is really in some ways flying under the radar, yet, he is very influential.  Extremely engaging, intelligent, well-connected, humorous, well-received… Eric Metaxas.


METAXAS ON SALVATION AND THE GOSPEL:    I can't respond on his position, since I haven't found a position yet anywhere on his page.  On the home page, I looked for the word "Salvation". (there is a Salvation Army link).   I also searched for Gospel.  (there is a Gospel Coalition link).  And there is a video to his "conversion" story... Worth watching and taking notes.  Especially for any of you psych majors.  Some of it I just guess was too complicated for me, I prefer the simplicity that is in Christ.   I am not saying you cannot find a gospel message on his very convoluted and very loaded website, I am just saying I have not yet...  
In fact just mentioning his errant teachings on one page a few weeks ago caused quite a stir, people attacked venomously, regarding his being a “brother”, and even defending Bonhoeffer* with vigor and typical accusatory language of some who even mean well.  Words of Pharisees, Condemning, damning, lynching, etc. was the general consensus regarding our thoughts on this apologetics author.  It was amazing the vehemence of some of the people who many were too quick to defend this man, and also Bonhoeffer*.   I do not bring this out to blame them, or even hurt them, because I have done the same for a favorite author, pastor, teacher, but ultimately, we should be slow to speak, quick to listen, and either way, we should not be quick to condemn, to judge either the one we are speaking of, or to do the very same thing with those who are attempting to reason regarding the truth.  Let's esteem each other better, and let the Word of God be our guide. This went on (an continues to this day) for weeks, traveling to other FB groups, attacks behind the scenes… Then it dawned on me, how much more important this may be with these strong reactions.  The enemy was distracting with personal attacks, but is this possibly a little bigger than I may have realized?  See what you think, if you have not already done the work yourself.

Metaxas recently spoke at the presidential breakfast, where I beleive you’ll note his subtle attack on Bible believers or those who quote the Bible, (religiosity) or that we should “see Jesus in your enemy”.  This link below has his “conversion story”, and I’ll add some of what I gleaned from his biography and his website ericmetaxas.com.

CONVERSION STORY ABOUT HIS JUNGIAN DREAM

FOUND HERE:
http://thebereanlibrary.com/archives/category/eric-metaxas-2 (you may have to copy and paste)
A FEW QUOTES FROM THE LINK:

• "Where was the gospel in this testimony?  It was never mentioned. "

• "Eric Metaxas’ Testimony Promotes His Yale Education, Catholicism, New Age and Jungian Thought." 

• "God showed Eric, in his dream, that Eric accepted Christ, in his collective unconsciousness which talks to his collect consciousness (Jungian)."

• "...his testimony  is not only full of New Age teaching which he literally dreamed up, but it is blasphemous and spews arrogance and idolatry!  He depicts Christ as a goldfish, rather a “golden fish” (would that be like a golden calf?) which he pulled by the tail out of a lake, breaking through the ice to “inert water,” which he claimed represented his collective unconsciousness (Jungian)."

• "He describes his testimony with New Age terms like “energy force,” “collective unconsciousness (Jungian),” “New Age Eastern force,” “cosmic energy force,” “connects us all together,” “not old-fashioned like a man with a beard on a cloud or Jesus.”  YIKES!!!!"

Very worthy of noting his many rich, influential and mega-church associations like Rick Warren, Pastor Tim Keller*, and Dallas Willard (contemplative, spiritual formation, Ancient wisdom, Spiritual disciplines, etc.) and others I’ll mention below, let alone his worldly associations with many rich and famous.  That it of itself, is not a problem, the point is that he is very influential.  (Associations MATTER:  II John 1:9-11)

One thing that is very concerning is he is a writer of many books, a self-proclaimed apologist, if you look at his website bio, he also has written a trilogy on every question you ever wanted to know about God (which he answers... but not too well according to some reviewers...). He also has written some VEGGIE TALES... and other acclaimed CHILDREN'S books... Pay attention to his name.

His friend? RICK WARREN.

• He promotes Warren's site.
• He has pictures of Rick Warren endorsing his two books.
• He links to Warrens's site.
• Warren not only promotes his book on EricMetaxas.com, but also gives him speaking engagements. Lots of ties there.

Another friend? DALLAS WILLARD. He is hosting or has already hosted a conference with him. (Need to know more about Dallas Willard? http://solasisters.blogspot.com/2010/09/john-ortberg-and-dallas-willard-teach.html)Another friend? TIM KELLER. Interviews this "pastor", and used to attend his church. (Look up Tim Keller if you don't know much about him.) Or please add your thoughts.

CHUCK COLSON - got a lot of his start via ecumenist Chuck Colson, and seemed to have learned a lot.  Google ECT (Evangelicals and Catholics Together) and The Manhattan Declaration.

BONHOEFFER: Metaxas writes the new biography on this "Prophet" "Pastor" "Martyr" and spy.....Although he fought against Hitler, and can be commended for that, too often people wrongly take his "quotes" instead of the whole counsel of his testimony.  Bonhoeffer denied the deity of Christ, the Resurrection, and said much of the Bible was a "myth". Metaxas sets the record straight for those of us who are "misinformed". (*See detailed notes on Bonhoeffer below)


METAXAS ON THE BIBLE  Clicked on the "Bible" link, an article about the Media and the Bible.  He did mention a couple Bible verses as the media had incorrectly attributed them to someone else.  Then the video of his "conversion story", then an Anne Rice interview, a story on FoxNews analyst Brit Hume, a plug for his book, and finally a meeting with Martin Luther King Jr. on "Celebrating Lincolns 200th Birthday".  Conspicious absent?  The BIBLE.

Metaxas attends Calvary St. George Episcopal Church in NY.  As far as I understand, Episcopalians are Replacement Theology, are you?  Do you believe the Church is Israel?

Metaxas is very prestigious although I hadn't heard of Him until recently. Here are some things I gleaned from his site.

1. He was a writer for Christianity today, NY Times, Washington Post.
2. He upstaged Dick Cavett at his graduation and now is friends with him.
3. His most recent children's book (sold 800,000 copies) was so successful, that Carly Simon and Jame's Taylor's daughter wrote a lullabye song for Eric's words.
4. He has often been on well watched secular channels as a commentator; CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, Glenn Beck, Hannity and Colmes; The History Channel, C-Span’s Book TV...NPR’s Morning Edition and Talk of the Nation, and some other not so secular (supposedly shows) Hugh Hewitt, Bill Bennett, Janet Parshall’s America etc.
‎5. For founding "Socrates in the City" he was front page on the New York Times, and just go over there and look at the lineup of people he hosts. His other group he founded with Tim Keller is the New Canaan Society. (worth looking into their problems)
6. He hosts debates all the time, because he was a big Oxford debater, and is a moderator with names like Jeremiah Wright, again, Rick Warren, John Ashcroft, Joseph Lieberman; we may not know him, but many do.
7. He has spoken at the White House, on Capitol Hill, at West Point, Yale, Cornell, Princeton, (not all inclusive), was also the featured speaker at the Lousiana Governor’s Prayer Breakfast in Baton Rouge in 08.
8. He is on the NY Time's bestseller list I don't know how many times.
9. Let's not forget his promotion by GLENN BECK, and whatever happened to obeying God's Word regarding associations? (I Cor 10:20 - 2 Cor 6:14 - Eph 5:11) Oh I know, we live in the world...
10. On his page he says, Recently I was in Basel, Switzerland where I visited the Karl Barth home and had the privilege of reading and touching the letters Bonhoeffer wrote to Barth.

• METAXAS, WROTE AN APOLOGETIC'S TRILOGY ON EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GOD.  HE ALSO SUPPOSEDLY RESEARCHED THE LIFE OF BONHOEFFER AND WHAT HE WAS "FALSELY" ACCUSED OF, HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT POST-CHRISTIAN HUMANIST MEANS??? Sounds like his researching skills were lacking or slanted...    Metaxas denies Bonhoeffer's liberal theology, just deflates it by saying "People had presented it that sort of toward the end of his life, he kind of makes a weird left-hand turn and becomes a post-Christian humanist, whatever that means. I don't know."  

QUOTED FROM: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,602402,00.html#ixzz1tvOrpa15

11. Chuck Colson is his mentor (very ecumenical).
12. Bill Hybels thinks “Bonhoeffer” is one of the ten most important books he’s ever read.

BILL HYBELS  is of Willow creek church.  (AGAIN important to research if you do not know.) Bill at one time vowed to remove "religious words his speech", sounded similar to Metaxas' speech at the presidential prayer breakfast. If you have the time to watch it with "proving all things", and "testing the spirits", I believe you will see what I am speaking of. It is subtle, very humorous, and well received :) He makes fun of the conspiracy theorists at the beginning.. (the family, the nefarious organization...) The world being run by them, the puppets, doing their bidding, every US President elected by them etc.   He has a very engaging way, and brings some truth into what he says, but he says things like the grace of God can bring the left and right together to do the right thing, for our country, for the world…

Then there is a segue into the famous Hollywood roasts, and a few jokes about prayer, and then into phony religiosity. And a little jab at archaic verbiology, archaic language, and a cranky deity, pious baloney....Religiosity vs. real faith, those who know scriptures and sometimes use it as a weapon... hmmm... Heb 4:12, and the armor in Eph. 6 do come to mind. I know people who have not "come to Him that they might have life" and therefore their zealousness doesn't come from a love for the Lord and His Word, but a need to establish themselves and their own righteousness, as they have not submitted to Him. (Rom 10:3-4)

He says, when Jesus was tested in the wilderness, who was the one “throwing out Bible verses”?  He called it demonic… He forgot evidently that Jesus answered, “It is Written”.  The point was not that the Word was being quoted or even "thrown out there", but that it was being twisted to tempt God.

http://youtu.be/jotOExbddI4

He talks about how well his book is received, and a lot about what “real Christians” or “real Christianity” is, “Fanatical Christians” or the “Church-goers”, how they had “not seen Jesus”, during his speech on Wilberforce, historical fact he says, not his spin.   He says because of what Wilberforce did, he changed the world.  Still waiting to hear (on his tape) or see on his page, about what really will change the world, what really will change the heart, what really will save a person…  WHAT ABOUT IT ERIC?

He says, if you want them to treat you with dignity, treat them with dignity.  The Word does not say that.  He says that we will be reviled, cursed, etc.

• Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:26

• For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

• But I FEAR, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 

• For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! 2 Cor 11:2-4

Regarding his founding of Socrates in the City... Eric founded this for the Greek Philosopher's (Socrates) famous saying, the unexamined life is not worth living. Here are a list of some of his invited guest speakers.

• David Aikman
• Jonathan Aitken
• David Batstone
• Bill Bennett
• Jean Bethke Elshtain
• Dick Cavett
• Francis Collins
• Chuck Colson
• Baroness Cox
• Dinesh D'Souza
• Robert George
• Owen Gingerich
• Dana Gioia
• Michael Guillen
• Os Guinness
• Peter Hitchens
• Tom Howard
• Mike Huckabee
• William Hurlbut
• Alan Jacobs
• Peter Kreeft
• Joseph Loconte
• Herbert London
• Frederica Mathewes-Green
• Alister McGrath
• Eric Metaxas
• Stephen Meyer
• Richard John Neuhaus
• Armand Nicholi
• Kathleen Norris
• Sir John Polkinghorne
• Jennifer Roback Morse
• Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks
• Gerald Schroeder
• Roger Scruton
• Scot Sherman
• Yannis Simonides
• Paul Vitz
• Alice von Hildebrand
• Michael Ward
• George Weigel
• Merold Westphal
• Dallas Willard
• Lauren Winner
• N.T. Wright
• Mosab Hassan Yousef

METAXAS ON GOVERNMENT:

By being the Church, you automatically BUMP UP AGAINST THE WORLD AND THE STATE - and you have to push back."


THE BIBLE REGARDING FALSE TEACHERS AND THEIR IDEAS ABOUT GOVERNMENT:

• The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government.  Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.   But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.  2 Pet 2:9-17

ON BONHOEFFER:

* The material in this report was adapted in part from a paper by Don Jasmin (Fundamentalist Digest, P.O. Box 2322, Elkton, MD 21922-2322). See also the 9/13/93 and 9/18/95 issues of Christian News (p. 21 and pp. 11-13, respectively), and the Oct-Dec 1991 Bibliotheca Sacra, pp. 399-408.]
The following is a summary of beliefs and influence of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as taken from some of the over 14 books and documents attributed to him:

1. He believed that "God is teaching us that we must live as men who can get along very well without Him. The God who is with us is the God who forsakes us." Bonhoeffer also believed that the concept of God as a "supreme Being, absolute in power and goodness," was a "spurious conception of transcendence," and that "God as a working hypothesis in morals, politics, and science ... should be dropped, or as far as possible eliminated" (Letters and Papers from Prison, S.C.M. Press edition, Great Britain: Fontana Books, 1953, pp. 122, 164, 360).

2. He believed that mankind had become of age and no longer needed religion, which was only a deceptive garment of true faith; he suggested the need for a "religionless Christianity." To Bonhoeffer, "the Christian is identified not by his beliefs, but by actions, by his participation in the suffering of God in the life of the world" (Letters and Papers from Prison, S.C.M. Press edition, Great Britain: Fontana Books, 1953, p. 163). Thus, Bonhoeffer's final writings have given impulse to Marxist theologians sponsoring "liberation theology" and to others wishing to promote a worldly social gospel.

3. He refused to discuss the origin of Christ, His relationship to the Father, His two natures, or even the relationship of the two natures. Bonhoeffer was adamant in his belief that it was impossible to know the objective truth about the real essence of Christ's being-nature (Christ the Center, pp. 30, 88, 100-101).

4. He questioned the Virgin Birth, and in reality denied it (The Cost of Discipleship, p. 215).

5. He denied the deity of Christ; he advocated that "Jesus Christ Today" is not a real person and being, but a "corporate presence" (Testimony to Freedom, pp. 75-76; Christ the Center, p. 58).

6. He denied the sinlessness of Christ's human nature and further questioned the sinlessness of His earthly behavior (Christ the Center, pp. 108-109).

7. He believed that Christ exists in three "revelatory forms" -- as Word, as sacrament, and as church. From asserting that Christ is the church, he followed that all persons in the church are identical with Christ (Christ the Center, p. 58; The Cost of Discipleship, p. 217). This amounts to pantheism!

8. He believed that Christianity is not exclusive, i.e., that Christ is not the only way to God (Testimony to Freedom, pp. 55-56).

9. He was a prominent figure in the early ecumenical movement, as evidenced through his associations with the "World Alliance for International Friendship" (a forerunner of the apostate World Council of Churches [WCC]), Union Theological Seminary, and Visser 't Hooft (who later became the first General Secretary of the WCC) (Testimony to Freedom, pp. 22, 212, 568). Bonhoeffer also reached out to Roman Catholics, prefiguring the broader ecumenism that blossomed after Vatican II in the mid-1960s.

10. He was a practical evolutionist (No Rusty Swords, p. 143), and believed that the book of Genesis was scientifically naive and full of myths (Creation and Fall: A Theological Interpretation of Genesis 1-3).

11. He adhered to neo-orthodox theology and terminology concerning salvation (Testimony to Freedom, p. 130), was a sacramentalist (Life Together, p. 122; The Way to Freedom, pp. 115, 153), believed in regenerational infant baptism (Letters and Papers from Prison, Macmillan, pp. 142-143) as well as adult baptismal regeneration (The Way to Freedom, p. 151), equated church membership with salvation (The Way to Freedom, p. 93), and denied a personal/individualistic salvation (Letters and Papers from Prison, Macmillan, p. 156).

12. He placed little or no value on the Old Testament --"... the faith of the Old Testament is not a religion of salvation" (Letters and Papers from Prison, S.C.M. Press edition, Great Britain: Fontana Books, 1953, p. 112).

13. He denied the verbal-plenary inspiration of Scripture, believing that the Bible was only a "witness" to the Word of God and becomes the Word of God only when it "speaks" to an individual; otherwise, it was simply the word of man/men (Testimony to Freedom, pp. 9, 104; Sanctorum Communio, p. 161). To Bonhoeffer, the Bible was meant "to be expounded as a witness, not as a book of wisdom, a teaching book, a book of eternal truth" (No Rusty Swords, p. 118). He also believed in the value of higher criticism/historical criticism, which is a denial of the inerrancy and authenticity of the Bible (Christ the Center, pp. 73-74).

14. He had no faith in the physical resurrection of Christ. Bonhoeffer believed the "historicity" of the Resurrection was in "the realm of ambiguity," and that it was one of the "mythological" elements of Christianity that "must be interpreted in such a way as not to make religion a pre-condition of faith." He also believed that "Belief in the Resurrection is not the solution of the problem of death," and that such things as miracles and the ascension of Christ were "mythological conceptions" as well (Christ the Center, p. 112; Letters and Papers from Prison, S.C.M. Press edition, Great Britain: Fontana Books, 1953, pp. 93-94, 110).

- Dr. G. Archer Weniger declared, "If there is wholesome food in a garbage can, then one can find some good things in Bonhoeffer, but if it be dangerous to expect to find nourishment in a garbage can, then Bonhoeffer must be totally rejected and repudiated as blasphemy. It is worse than garbage" (FBF Information Bulletin, May 1977, p. 12).

SO I DO IT FOR THIS REASON:   But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 2 Cor 11:12-15

Glean anything useful, In His name, and please feel free to add to the many things I have not even gotten to, but I plan to add more of anything that can be shown to be truth.
We have no fear of these men as one person cautioned me as I brought this up, but it is for your consideration, as we all need to test the spirits, and prove all things.  In Him!
FOLLOWUP:  6-9-2012, saw Eric in person at Scottsdale Bible Church, and was the last to ask a question.  I asked him that being that belief in the resurrection, was crucial to the gospel, if Bonhoeffer denied belief in the literal resurrection. He looked at the man from Alliance Defense Fund (will fill in the name later) and they denied it, saying they had heard some things on the internet, but that it "wasn't true".   I told him I believed he could find that in "Letters from Prison", and he looked confused and denied it again.  He answered something to the effect, that he wasn't that theologically grounded (interesting for a self-proclaimed Christian apologist) and I told him that the gospel was not a theological discussion.   I have ordered the books listed by Bonhoeffer to do my own research.  Listening now to an interview by Brannon Howse who evidently thinks it is a wonderful book, filled with good information, every page he has read is marked.  Eric also thinks it is a great book, saying that Glenn Beck is raving about it, George W. Bush handwritten letter from him praising the book.   He feels that God created him to write this book, and he talked about getting the "Cost of discipleship" from the man who led him to "faith in Jesus" back in 1988.

Eric calls Bonhoeffer a Prophet who was trying to warn the church, and if it didn't work in the 1930s, it will work today to wake us up.  His "deep approach" tells us what it "really" means to serve God.  (From a human standpoint it is very amazing to hear what Bonhoeffer did to stand up against the Reich, but was he truly a Christian based on a Biblical definition of the gospel (I Cor 15:1-11), or just a brave man?)
* A little more on Tim Keller: http://expreacherman.com/2012/11/25/latest-on-new-calvinist-timothy-keller-timothy-keller-in-interview-stumbles-over-the-gospel-speculates-that-there-is-a-trap-door-to-heaven/#comment-15225