Are Christians Afraid to Engage with Secularism

There are often debates between a Christian and a skeptic/atheist. You can see any number of these on You Tube. Bart Ehrman is featured several times a year at these events.

But a different kind is issue has arisen. We've discussed here a sphere of debate called "Critical." That includes many issues like Ehrman's field of Critical Bible Scholarship and Critical Race Theory. There is critical theory of other Christian issues.

Critical studies refers, at least as I understand it, looking at an issue from a secular perspective. In the case of Critical Bible study it is reading the Bible in the same way one would read other literature. "What was the author's goal? What events might have influenced the author? Is there a different way to look at the motives of the author? Does today's experience, culture and knowledge change how we see the author's work?" The believer may see the Bible as "God's word" and reject critical views. Or, a believer may see some of the Bible through critical views but other parts through religious beliefs. Critical race theory, gender theory and abortion have similar alternative views.

The question some Christians are debating is this: Critical study has become so popular maybe the faith should engage it, include it in teaching about the faith and present a case that stands up critical logic. The link author concludes no, the faith should not engage with critical study. The author is a Protestant but concedes Catholics are right in filtering all arguments about the faith through its hierarchy and only then passing it down to lay people. Protestants need, he concludes, a set of leaders that lay people respect who can properly vet issues and may their conclusion know. This way mistakes will not be made.

This is hilarious. Who is the set of Protestant leaders other branches respect enough to support. The very reason there a so many denominations is no part of the Protestant branch respects any other part. If the did respect it they would have joined it instead of starting or supporting another view. 

The link author is wrong. Members and leaders in Protestantism should engage with scholars and lay people engaged in critical Bible scholarship and critical race theory. These Christian leaders may sometimes defeat critical thinkers. And, often it may happen critical thinkers will defeat Christians.

I think Christian leaders, for example, would be expected to defend their view that the Bible is the "word of God." If critical thinkers challenged that view by claiming the Bible was written exclusively by ancient human I would expect they would win. Christians should then admit defeat. The faith would attract more followers if it contained some rational reasoning.