Doing Theology from the Top Down not from the Bottom Up

A number of Christians today are arguing that there is no such thing as Hell. They insist that God is Love and as a result He would not send anyone to eternal punishment. Many would argue that one religion is as good as another if the adherents are genuine and sincere in their beliefs. This kind of understanding is known as "Universalism." It is not a new theology. People have been making similar arguments for centuries. It is a belief system that creates a god in the believer's own image.

This is not unlike the human sexuality and ordination issue that has the Presbyterian Church (USA) totally consumed. The same issue is being wrestled with in most main line denominations.

Here is the real issue for both of these arguments. We look around at our experience and find that many people are very good yet not Christian, would a loving God send them to Hell? The gracious human conclusion, "certainly not!" Look at all the wonderful talented people around us that just happen to be Gay, would God give them extraordinary gifts and then deny them rights in the church? Again, gracious loving well intentioned people say, "Certainly not!"

When I was about ten years old I joined in a lighthearted corncob fight with a number of other boys in the area. As you might imagine, our lighthearted play soon took on a near vicious tone as each of us was determined to destroy the other. Near the end my enthusiasm was nearly out of control and I struck a much younger boy with a corncob (dry corn still attached) squarely in the back. It was a great throw and I was very proud of myself. The younger boy was really hurt and went running home crying. His father soon appeared and took me to task. I insolently defended my actions as part of the game and boldly stated that, "if his son couldn't take the heat he should stay out of the kitchen." The grown man slapped me across the face. I was stunned. Child abuse! I went straight home to tell my Dad, knowing that he would come and beat this man up. My Dad did no such thing. In fact, he scolded me on getting involved in a serious game with unpleasant consequences. I was so disappointed and hurt. I wanted my Dad to stand up for me. He did not, he saw that the situation had gotten far out of control and he did not need to pour any more fuel on the fire.

Was my Dad right or wrong? Now, speaking from an adult perspective, I would say, yes he was right. Although the little boy inside of me still winces. The problem was that I began with my perspective; struck by an adult while being a participant in a game where it was every boy for himself. Why was I singled out and not everyone else? Particularly his older son who was a vicious player. Beginning with my perspective I projected onto my own Dad my conclusions and what course of action I felt was appropriate for him to take. It never occurred to me that he would have a different perspective than mine. After all, I was there and I was right! I made every attempt to impose my view of what a dad should do on my own Dad. I was doing my "Dadology" upside-down. I did not make every effort to know my Dad and then know what he would do based on my knowledge of who he was.

We make the same mistake when doing Theology. We begin with the human perspective and then impose it upon God. It never occurs to us that He might think differently. After all, we are in the situation, we know the facts, and we know He is a God of love. He must respond the way we want. I didn't know my Dad so well when I was ten. I knew he loved me and that I was always safe with him. That was not the whole picture. My Dad was a prudent thoughtful man and he acted correctly. A ten year old does not know his Dad so well, but we do know God very well. Or at the very least we can know Him through His Word.

I would argue that many well-meaning people are doing their Theology upside-down. They are beginning with the human perspective and then imposing it upon God and His Word. the same problem exists in the human sexuality debate. I believe that the proper and time-tested way of doing theology is from God down. Let's make every effort to understand who God is and how He deals with human issues through His written Word. Let Him speak to us from His perspective. Let's do our theology from the top-down and not from the bottom-up.