Featured Timothy Keller: Only Elderly Pastors should Write Books?!

This illustrates my point. A brilliant author would consider the opinion of other’s (opinions - like Paul’s opinion regarding marriage, his ‘humanistic advice’) but this wouldn’t be the determining factor. If the opinions of others are their determining factor, then they are not “brilliant” authors as they follow men over God. Insofar as I can determine, Keller didn’t equate writing as a sin for these folk.

The “Angry Pastor’s” blog is divisive and mistaken in principle. If he wants to call all human advice wrong and humanistic, then where he should have started was taking on Paul’s advice regarding the advantages of singleness as this is EXACTLY what Paul does in his letter to Corinth. If the “pastor” successfully demonstrates that Paul was wrong and humanistic for offering advice which is from him rather than a command of God, then he can move on to restrict others from voicing opinions beyond quoting or drawing from Scripture. Perhaps he could start a movement to have those few passages removed from the Biblical text.

How do you know??? Is this conclusion based on Scripture or humanistic reasoning and/or experience? I’ve never written a book, but what I have written always seems to take much longer than I wanted it to, involve much more research than I desired, and take more time away from my family than I intended.

Out of curiosity, where does Scripture state that pastors of local churches are to go beyond this role and write books to the Church or world in general?

 

Yea...I think that I've read some books from authors who have done this. :laugh: They should have matured a bit more before taking on the task.

In 1 Cor 7:12, Paul begins by saying “I, not the Lord, say…” and later “I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion …,” etc. I think it reasonable to conclude that Paul is expressing his personal opinion in these passages. BTW, I am thankful that many Christians since that time decided to marry rather than follow Paul’s advice. Although...sometimes being married helps one fully appreciate Paul's point........:smilewinkgrin:

I do understand what you are saying, however, and I'd have the same view if I understood his comment to be an exercise of pastoral authority stating that it is wrong and unbiblical for young pastors to write books. But instead I believe this to be experiential advice from a pastor who has written books and intended to be taken as such, so I disagree.

 

Buying a book is like a box of chocolates….

While I disagree, I understand your concern.

I disagree with several of Keller’s doctrines, but I have to say that I agree with him a majority of the time. I hold to a more literal view of interpretation so I disagree with his view of covenant theology, an allegorical picture of Genesis 1, etc…and perhaps it is also this view that prohibits me from taking Paul’s words in a manner other than is stated - as advice. But…c'est la vie…we just don’t agree here.

 

Hey....I just realized that this was your blog (I didn't scroll to the right or I'd have noticed it earlier. I'm getting slower as I get older). We shared a class at Liberty several years ago.

 

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[FONT=&quot]I don’t remember which class…but you have a cool name – so I remembered that right off the bat :thumbsup: .
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[FONT=&quot]I guess this is how I took Keller’s comments: I do not believe that we have remained stagnant over the past decade, and I believe that our writings and theological understanding reflects a certain amount of maturity and growth. Even if someone views my current level of maturity and writing as poor, I can guarantee it is reflective of spiritual growth and maturity when compared to my past. I am sometimes astounded at essays I have written…say seven years ago. Some are good, but some are awful and do not reflect views I currently hold. If I were to have written a book seven years ago there is a good chance that I would have rejected its thesis today (even though the book would have represented passionately held views at that time). I needed time to reflect on my own views, steep in God’s Word, and gain experience. There are some here on the BB who have blogs out there that do not reflect what they now argue. I have been a member of the BB for over a decade, and I know that there are some posts here that reflect what I now consider to be misunderstanding. Imagine if this were a book still in print influencing others to believe what I now view as error. Lastly, I do believe that it is a biblical principle to rely on the wisdom of our elders, and I think that this transcends into the realm of spiritual maturity.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]But, this is my interpretation of Keller’s words and I may be misunderstanding his intent.
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[FONT=&quot]As far as the gray hair thing – I commented to my barber that he needed to clean his clippers better because there was a bunch of gray hair on the floor when he was finished with me. I’m sure getting old has its advantages…but I can’t remember what they would be.
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