Politics over Doctrine

An article in the New York Times reveals that congregants at Gregory Boyd’s church were upset when he announced that he would not preach on political stances from the pulpit. The article says some got up and left and did not come back, a fairly large number leaving permanently. Now some may say this shows people concerned for the country but what is most disturbing to me is that the people left over this issue but Boyd’s doctrinal stance on the sovereignty of God apparently does not bother them. Gregory Boyd is an open proponent of Open Theism, in such books as Is God to Blame? (see endorsers here), which denies God’s sovereignty. I am fairly sure he and others that hold to Open Theism would say they do not deny God’s sovereignty as they have redefined God’s sovereignty to fit their view but they have since the God they worship is in the end nothing but a reactionary powerless God. So I guess, by their actions, for Woodland Hills Church supporting the correct candidate or political stance is more important than proclaiming who God truly is.

Where are we when people are more upset about ones political stance or even the ministries the church are involved in than the doctrinal stance of its pastor or leaders. None of this is to say that doctrine is all there is but in the end ones beliefs drive ones action and unorthodox beliefs in the end lead to unorthodox practices.