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THE REAL DANGER OF
PERIPHERAL THEOLOGY

By David Woodbury

Over the last century, the world has seen a tidal wave of theological writings that are unparalleled in Christian history, some scholarly, some amateur, some just plain crazy. While books on theology have been available since the printing press was invented, the late 20th century saw an explosion in
theological writings as printing and book distribution became cheaper and more efficient. The arrival of the computer and Internet age further exploded the information revolution with blogs, chat rooms, online books and journals being freely and cheaply available.

Unfortunately, Christians, like most of humanity are always on the lookout for a new novelty, a new idea, a new slant on their way of thinking. The reality is that in this hi-tech Information age we are inundated with new and novel ideas and far too easily distracted and turned aside, from that which is fundamental and essential to our relationship with God

This has given rise to the proliferation of many aspects of theology which in themselves may be helpful and good. However, It may well be that the proliferation of so many points of view can distract from the central message of the Bible. Things like social justice, spiritual gifts, church growth, healing, prosperity theology, gender equity, gay marriage, positive living affirmation, etc. may have sound biblical basis, but they are not the central issue of the Bible.

The central issue of the Bible is humanity’s fall from grace into sin and its restoration to God through the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not only the central issue of the Bible, but it may well be the only one, for all other theology flows from it. Herein is the great danger today; that we can get so focussed on peripheral theology that we not only neglect, but lose sight of the main message.

Like a mighty river that runs to the sea though a wide delta loses some of its potency, so the central message of the Bible loses it potency when it is diluted and sidelined by peripheral theology. As good as some of these issues may be, they must always be secondary to the message of personal salvation through Jesus Christ.

When William Booth, the founder of The Salvation Army, wrote the name Salvation, into the title of his organisation he was putting the stamp of God’s central message to all humanity, on that organisation. Whether that organisation has remained true and focussed on the main issue is a matter of conjecture. It may well be that The Salvation Army has allowed itself to become preoccupied and distracted from its central focus by trying to imitate and mimic other churches and religious organisation.

Our early Salvationists were clearly focussed and understood the principle very well. As a boy Commissioner William Drake Pennick penned the words of song 937 in The Song Book of The Salvation Army:

Tell the world, O tell the world!
Make salvation's story heard;
In the highways, in the byways,
And in lands beyond the sea,
Do some witnessing for Jesus
Wheresoever you may be.

The great challenge today in our western society is that very few would actually see themselves as sinners and consequently, the matter of salvation becomes irrelevant. (More on this in a later post)

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