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Saturday, March 26, 2011

How to Offer Criticism: Part 1


Rob Bell's newest book has generated a lot of controversy and received some appropriate criticism. I'm appreciative of those who have taken the time to thoughtfully and honestly critique Bell's views. But, not everyone show such wisdom-- in this case or in many others.

Criticism can be healthy and helpful, but sometimes criticism fails to be either for a number of reasons. What follows are a series of posts I have been meaning to publish on the blog, but have been sitting on while I give attention to other conversations. So these posts are not in reaction to the controversy and criticism surrounding Bell's book, but to the ineffective criticism I often see taking place among God's people.

I sometimes feel like the internet is little more than a petri dish where criticism is cultivated like bacteria. It just seems to grow and multiply without any helpful order. I've mentioned on a few occasions, but it's always good to repeat it, that criticism needs to be tempered by a careful look at the ninth commandment. (If you don't know the ninth, then you should remedy that problem now.) There seems to be a consistent pattern of bearing false witness against brothers and sisters in Christ in the name of truth. I think the irony is clear. When you don't use the truth in order to defend the truth, you actually hinder the integrity of the truth at work among Christians. So what's the alternative?

To read more, click here.

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