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There is an insidious and dangerous teaching that I've noticed creeping in to my church, threatening my Christian hope, and stifling my evangelistic effectiveness. Up to this point, it hasn't had a catchy title.¹ But I want to correct that. I'm going to call this teaching ‘nowism’, from the English word ‘now’, meaning the present age.

Are you a nowist? How do you recognize nowistic tendencies? It's not so much seen by what you profess but by how you live. The fundamental feature of nowism is the tendency to live for this world and to forget about the glorious new heavens and new earth that God will bring about when Jesus Christ returns.

It's not a particularly new teaching; there were nowistic teachers in the Apostle Paul's day. In 2 Timothy 2:16-18, we read about Hymanaeus and Philetus who taught that the resurrection had already happened. Presumably, they were teaching that all of God's promises (particularly his great promise to restore the dead to life and to bring a final judgement and restoration of this fallen world) have actually been fulfilled in this present age. Paul saw their nowistic doctrine as destructive and gangrenous, bringing hopelessness, death and destruction, eating away at the body of Christ, poisoning and killing—because it robbed people of their true and glorious eternal hope in Jesus, and stopped them from trusting in him and being prepared to suffer while they longed for his return.

But nowism is alive and well today too. There are nowistic books, spreading like gangrene through Christian bookstores, and therefore Christian homes. You could take the title of Joel Osteen's book Your Best Life Now as a classic expression of pure nowism. But you also see it in that plethora of books that seem to assume that God's plan for your life is primarily directed towards helping you with your weight loss, your business sense, your church attendance numbers, your marriage and family life, your kids' education or your coffee making skills—as if the resurrection has already happened.

It's not surprising that nowism is becoming influential in Christian circles. Bad teaching always ends up conforming to the pattern of the world. In the early 20th century when moralism was the rage, much of the evangelical false teaching involved an unhealthy emphasis on ‘holiness’. But now the mood has shifted. There aren't many holiness teachers around any more. In my part of the world, at least, nowism seems to have taken over. A lot of it has to do with the fact that we live in times of unprecedented economic prosperity. Many of us have careers; all of us have peace and social security. Nobody need starve in our country. If we want heaven, we can get it now; it comes on a stick in the ice cream section of the local supermarket! In fact, most of us have quite a lot to lose when Jesus returns, and we don't have much reason to be very keen to see him come back and spoil it while we're all enjoying ourselves so much. At least he could wait until the kitchen extension is finished and we get back from the overseas trip!

Ironically, there's also a kind of prosperity paradox going on. We have this ‘great life’, but we also have less time to live it. To maintain the lifestyle, to maintain the big houses, to keep the backyards, to further our careers and to fulfil our dreams, we're working longer hours and feeling more exhausted. We're so busy because everybody else is competing with us for this good life too. There's that relentless competition which drives rises in property prices and soaring rents—which drives the need to work harder and longer just to keep up with the Joneses. And that combination of a great life and an exhausting schedule to maintain it means that we have no time for the future—at least not for the future that matters.

So we've become consumed with questions of now (or, at most, the next few decades): what job should I get? How can I make sure my kids are happy and fulfilled at school and home? What superannuation do I need? What diet will enable me to extend my life? And so, despite our professed orthodoxy, we Christians are becoming (bit by bit through our desire to conform to the world and through our own desires and yearnings) nowists.

In my next post, I'll write a little about how we can counter this insidious false teaching, and what it might mean for our evangelistic efforts.

¹ The theologians have a boring name for it: ‘overrealized eschatology’

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Gordon, how did you come to Christ?

A school friend told me that if I was a Christian and wrong, I would have just wasted a lot of Sundays with nice people. But if I was not a Christian and I was wrong, then I was going to hell! I realize there are logical flaws in that argument now. But it was enough to convince me to keep talking to him. He told me the gospel, and started me off going to church and reading the Bible.

I realized from reading the Bible that Jesus was Lord and God, and I also woke up to the fact that being a Christian wasn't about being good, but about asking Jesus' forgiveness. Luke 15 talks about the angels rejoicing when someone realizes this, which I thought was rather marvellous. So here I am, in God's grace.

How do you occupy your time?

Read. Write. Edit. Sleep. Talk to friends. Enjoy the family. Cook. Eat. Houseclean. Pray. Inhabit dark corners of the internet. Catch buses. Oh, and I am a promiscuous Facebook befriender. Try me! I've only ever dropped three people, but then three people have dropped me, so there's a bit of yin and yang going on there, or something. (DON'T think I haven't noticed, you three!)

Tell us a bit about your background and interests.

My background is that I am half-Chinese, half-Swedish; I grew up in Sydney, went to an agricultural high school, studied Psychology at the University of New South Wales, got married, studied Theology and ministered in Melbourne for 10 years with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Fiona and I have three lovely daughters. I'm also an ordained Anglican minister.

As for interests, I hope I'm capable of being interested in just about anything other people find interesting. But, at the moment, I am playing the piano, singing in a choir, watching the Tour de France, luxuriating in having finished a Masters thesis after 20 years, and trying somewhat sluggishly to run at least an hour every second day (not there yet).

What are five books that really helped you grow as a Christian?

1. Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
2. Fundamentalism and the Word of God by JI Packer
3. The Book of the Judges: An Integrated Reading by Barry Webb
4. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
5. The Everlasting God by D Broughton Knox.

What are you reading now?

Just sitting on my desk I have an abridged version of Augustine's Confessions which I am planning to carry around and read when I'm waiting in queues or whatever. Under that is Walking with Gay Friends by Alex Tylee, which is really good but I am worried about the looks I get when I carry it, so I tend not to read that on the bus.

Then there's Engaging with Barth by Gibson and Strange. Barth was a brilliant and compelling theologian, and therefore all the more dangerous to evangelicals; Ovey's chapter on Barth's trinitarian theology made me feel particularly anxious just in the last few days about what looks like Barth's Sabellianism.

Then underneath that are Calvin's Institutes—although, if I am going to be honest, it's really just the stuff on church in Book IV that I've been skimming. With that is Luther's Table Talk, The Deliberate Church by Dever and Alexander, The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter and A Lifting up for the Downcast by William Bridge, another Puritan.

I seriously recommend the last one if you are worried about Christians and depression, but even though it is not that long, it is not a skim read.

Buried under all that is an old Atlantic Monthly.

Just lately I've also read Kate Grenville's The Secret River, and some great detective fiction by Peter Temple, whose books you read for the descriptions of Melbourne and the fans of the Fitzroy football club as much as anything else. Language and adult themes warning.

And what books would you recommend as must-reads right now?

I already mentioned Engaging with Barth by Gibson and Strange, but that is more for the theologs out there. Any of Broughton Knox's Selected Works. Let's not get carried away though; you really only need to read the Bible. Start with Romans and memorize that, as Luther recommended; that's what I'm teaching my daughters.

Oh, if you are even a little bit interested in the evangelical heritage of Anglicanism, especially with all this GAFCON bizzo that has been going on lately, then you could do a whole heap worse than read Ashley Null's brilliant Thomas Cranmer's Doctrine of Repentance: Renewing the Power to Love. It will cost you an absolute bomb, but just quietly ...

What would your friends say are your hobbyhorses?

Low-cal milk is the abomination that causes desolation. Pork fat is actually necessary to the taste of pork, bacon, etc., so why breed it out or trim it off. Salt is good. Corduroy was a mistake. Buses are cool. Trams are cooler. Riding bicycles is safe. How come there aren't more orange cars. Robotic implants could work really well for us. Ten hours sleep per night is acceptable. Sydney weather is fantastic. We should name names. Why is everyone so down on smoking? Netball is over-regulated. Clapping between movements is fine, just get over it. Joe Jackson can't sing in tune—really, he can't. Bratz dolls are disgusting. Non-peer-reviewed medical treatments are largely effective because of empathy plus placebo.

I have a few more ideas, but perhaps you can e-mail me.

What's something that makes you angry?

Selling out the terrible glory of the risen Lord Jesus in the interests of marketing the Christian message to modern hearers.

And who is someone who inspires you?

Bruce Hall, the senior minister of our local church.

What is your ideal day off?

Driving to Austinmer with the family.

Give us your top five musicians.

• Bach
• Bartok
• Mozart
• Bob
• Joni Mitchell

Thanks Gordo!

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I've been asked for some reflections on Roman Catholic World Youth Day, held in Sydney last week. My reflections here are more about the ‘vibe’ than specific doctrinal interaction.

Firstly, I support fully the right for Roman Catholics to express publicly and vociferously their religious beliefs and practices. And, as Phillip Jensen argued, I don't especially mind the fact that some government funds helped support the effort.

Secondly, it was remarkable sociologically to notice how easy it was for large numbers of young people to have a really positive time together without drugs, alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity or sporting fervour being to the driving forces. The pilgrims seemed incredibly well-behaved and friendly.

However, religious adherents being sincere and enthusiastic and well-mannered and clean-living does not prove the truth or praiseworthiness of their religious beliefs. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims are also typically sincere and clean-living! But Christians agree that they are sincerely wrong.

Still, it was lovely to see all the goodwill and hospitality in Sydney.

Thirdly, the only protest that had any traction once World Youth Day week got underway was from those who felt the Roman Catholic Church had still not apologized properly to and cared for victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by church leaders. This was a sobering reminder of the devastating impact of such abuse on young people. It reinforced my own responsibility not to cut any corners in administering our diocesan safe ministry protocols in regards to such things as screening, child protection training and handling complaints.

Fourthly, when I see enormous line-ups of bishops in flowing robes, often with gold trim, and fancy mitres, and all the pomp and ceremony, I cannot help feel they have wandered a long way from how Jesus and his apostles got around in the New Testament. There were not a lot of ceremony and fine robes there, as far as I know. (This critique applies to Anglican bishops gathering in Jerusalem or Lambeth just as much—though I'm not sure any Anglican leaders ever get the rock star hysteria that the Pope attracted!)

Lastly, some thoughts on the stations of the cross, as played out in Sydney: leaving aside the theology of the concept for a moment, I can see the potential of such symbolism. So I tried to imagine what it would look like to an observer who didn't have a background of Christian knowledge. One would certainly have seen a statement against torture (with tortured Jesus in solidarity with all torture victims) and a statement for inclusion of the marginalized—especially the indigenous (with an Aboriginal man playing Simon of Cyrene, and the interpretive words of an indigenous lady). Personally, I can understand such concerns. But this sort of symbolism appeared to overshadow any clear explanation and focus on the meaning Jesus' death for sins. And it was disappointing how the whole thing ended with prayer to Mary.

However, the thing I found most dissonant was how the drama appeared to be a giant tourism advertisement for Sydney, with some of our most spectacular backdrops (such as the Opera House and the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Darling Harbour selected for the various stations.

Undeniably, it advertised Sydney's beauty. And I can understand the government of the host city and state, wanting to showcase it, and ordinary Australian Christians being proud of our city. Who'd ever want the sets for the whole thing to occur at Fox Studios! But once again, the beautiful backdrops (with their tourist calendar overtones) chosen by the church seemed incongruent alongside the actual historical reality of the dirt and shame and ugliness of Christ's crucifixion “outside the city gate” (Heb 13:12; NIV).

As I say, my reflections here are more on the vibe than the theology. However, my theological views are clear in our ‘sola power’ sermon series (download the audio).

But just in case anyone is unsure of what I think of the theology behind World Youth Day, I will quote from JC Ryle's essay on The Thirty-nine Articles. Here he explains why no-one should be surprised if an Anglican clergyman speaks against official Roman Catholic doctrine:

Let us mark, in the fourth place, as we read the Articles, the thoroughly Protestant spirit which runs throughout them, and the boldness of their language about Romish error.

Ryle then cites (among others, like Article 24, 25, 30 and 37):

• Article 19, which says the Church of Rome has erred
• Article 22, which says the Romish doctrines of purgatory, of adoration of images or relics and of prayer to the saints are repugnant to the word of God
• Article 28, which declares that transubstantiation is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, and opposes the reservation or adoration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper
• Article 31, which says that “the sacrifices of masses, in which it was commonly said the priest did offer Christ for the quick and dead, to have remission of pain and guilt, were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceit”
• Article 32, which opposes Rome's demand for priestly celibacy.

He continues:

Now what shall we say to all this? Nine times over the Thirty-nine Articles condemn, in plain and unmistakable language, the leading doctrines of the Church of Rome, and declare in favour of what must be called Protestant views. And yet men dare to tell us that we Evangelical clergymen have no right to denounce Popery, — that it is very wrong and very uncharitable to be so hot in favour of Protestantism, — that Romanism is a pretty good sort of thing, — and that by making such a piece of work about Popery, and Protestantism, and Ritualism, and semi-Popery, we are only troubling the country and doing more harm than good. Well! I am content to point to the Thirty-nine Articles. There is my apology! There is my defence! I will take up no other ground at present. I will not say, as I might do, that Popery is an unscriptural system, which every free nation ought to dread, and every Bible-reading Christian of any nation ought to oppose. I simply point to the Thirty-nine Articles.

I ask any one to explain how any English clergyman can be acting consistently, if he does not oppose, denounce, expose, and resist Popery in every shape, either within the Church or without. Other Christians may do as they please, and countenance Popery if they like. But so long as the Articles stand unrepealed and unaltered, it is the bounden duty of every clergyman of the Church of England to oppose Popery.

I was fortunate enough to obtain an old copy of JC Ryle's wonderful book Knots Untied at last autumn's Lifeline South Coast Big Book Fair for just $3. It contains the essay referenced above. Evangelical Anglicans in particular should grab a copy of the book if you can find it.

(May I also commend Mark Gilbert's blogs: there are six posts in all by a generous but Protestant Anglican observer at World Youth Day! Start here.)

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Weird. Having uploaded my post about Jonathan Leeman's excellent article on individualism about five minutes ago, I notice that Jonathan has just posted the first few paragraphs and a link to the article in pdf form. We didn't organize this, I swear!

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