We want you to know that the author may have espoused thoughts, ideas, or concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology.
I start looking around to see who else got nailed. I notice a few other titles I’d definitely consider “inconsistent with historical evangelical theology.” Funny thing though, none of these books sport a Read with Discernment sticker.
Now I’ve read Miller’s book and have to admit he’s not a precise theologian. His expressions are raw, which I concede might warrant a caution to readers accustomed to sanitized language. But I have to wonder – what is it that people find offensive about this book, really?
I don’t always agree with Miller’s conclusions or the ways he tries to flesh out his faith, but there’s one characteristic of this book that I can’t overlook. Miller writes with transparency and an attitude of repentance. The book is not instructional, but rather introspective. He draws us into a world of thought and emotion, not so foreign as many of us would like to pretend. As he lets us into his private musings, we see both the ugliness of the human condition and the enormity of God’s mercy. Perhaps, this reality is what some find offensive. Maybe the problem is not so much theology but that unpleasant issue of repentance.
After all, isn’t repentance what offended the Pharisees? They attacked Jesus for his failure to embrace their rules and traditions. His response was to forgive prostitutes and tax collectors. The Pharisees fought back with a murder plot.
People don’t like others telling them they’re wrong. But they really hate it when those they’ve condemned find restoration. We find such security in superiority. In the end, I guess we should read everything, including warning labels, with discernment.
~John
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