Schuller On Sin and Justification

If you want to truly understand the Seeker-Sensitive movement you cannot just look at men like Rick Warren and Bill Hybels. You have to push farther back and look at the man that inspired them to take the church in the direction that they did. That man is Robert Schuller and his ideas still hold sway over far too many of today's "Christian" leaders. These ideas are not about differences in style. They are truly about differences in doctrine and theology.
15 Years ago this month, Robert Schuller appeared on the White Horse Inn radio program and debated Dr. Michael Horton on the topics of sin and justification. During the debate Schuller became so flustered and angry that he stormed out of the studio in a huff. If you've never heard the content of that debate or seen transcripts of it, then you would be wise to take the time to do so because it will help you see the bigger doctrinal and theological differences that are at the heart of the Seeker-Sensitive movement (Both Hybels and Warren are graduates of Schuller's Church Growth Institute) Here is just one of the eye-opening exchanges between Horton and Schuller.
SCHULLER: We are not justified by faith. HORTON: No, it is by grace through faith. SCHULLER: By grace through faith, that's right. HORTON: But what I'm asking is this. Justified from what? The wrath of God? SCHULLER: Oh! I'll never use that language. HORTON: But the Bible does. SCHULLER: Yes, the Bible does, but the Bible is God's book to believers primarily. Listen, and then call me a heretic if you want to, but I'm interested in attracting people, and not driving them farther away. There is language I can and will use and there are times, if we are wise, there is language we will not use....If God is a God of love, how do we handle this concept of wrath? At the outset, on the surface, it appears to be a contradiction; maybe it is. I tell you this, I have come to the conclusion that I haven't stepped into the center of truth until I've dared to step into contradiction. The Bible is a contradiction: Old Testament--Law, New Testament--Grace. Jesus is a contradiction; totally human and totally God. HORTON: Of course we would say that that the dual nature of Christ is a mystery but not a contradiction. SCHULLER: It is a contradiction, but you know what? Contradictions are ultimate points of creativity...
Schuller says that he'll never use the language of justification from the wrath of God. He also completely redefines sin in a way that allows him to 'keep it positive'. Compare what Schuller is saying to the points I made about Biblically necessary components of a true conversion in this article and this article. Based upon Shuller's defiant refusal to discuss sin and its consequences as it pertains to God's wrath and judgement, it is completely appropriate to ask whether or not this approach, regardless of who is employing it is producing true converts to Christianity. We already know that it isn't making disciples.
To read more of the transcript from Shuller's debate with Dr. Michael Horton click here