And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
There was a time when the words biblical and Christian were synonymous. Not anymore! Why? Because many (and I do mean many!) who identify as Christian are no more biblical than a self proclaimed secularist.
On a recent Sunday television talk show Face the Nation (March 31, 2024) the guests were, Catholic Archbishop of Washington, Wilton Cardinal Gregory, and Episcopal Bishop of Washington, the Right Reverend Marianna Budde. They were asked and spoke about (among other things) President Biden’s views on the LBGTQ+ adherents and supporters, as well as being an outspoken supporter of abortion.
For those who do not know, Mr. Biden continues to claim to be Roman Catholic, despite the fact that he is one of the loudest supporters of the patently unbiblical LBGTQ+ agenda and abortion for any reason. How can Mr. Biden make this claim? Many, including Catholic Archbishop Gregory, describe the President as one who claims to be Catholic, but rejects many of the teachings of the Catholic church. Some call this “cafeteria Catholicism” because it allows people to choose the parts of Catholicism they like, and skip what they do not like. This kind of duplicity is rather like a man claiming to be a plumber who refuses to have anything to do with water or pipes! That man may be a lot of things, but a plumber isn’t one of them! Likewise, Mr. Biden may be a lot of things, but Catholic isn’t one of them! (1)
Ironically, the “Protestant” Episcopal Bishop Budde defended the President, as though there is no inconsistency between Mr. Biden’s claim to be Catholic and his unequivocal un-Catholic beliefs!
This kind of religious incongruity was first publicly championed in a big way by the then Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. As a Catholic, running for President in what was at the time a predominantly Protestant United States, candidate Kennedy assured Americans that though he was a Catholic, he would not allow his religious beliefs influence how he would govern if elected president. Translation: his religious beliefs meant nothing at all.
Since then, many politicians (Mr. Biden being among them) claim some sort of religious affiliation but do not believe the teachings of the religion with which they identify. In other words, they are either altogether ignorant, or they are liars.
This is not an exercise intended to bash either Catholics or politicians. Rather, it is first a reminder that though Christian used to mean at least somewhat biblical, popularly it doesn’t anymore! Secondly, this is as a call to self-identified Christians (including you and me) to be biblical or stop calling ourselves Christians.
Remember, having a truly biblical worldview means thinking biblically. Let us not settle to be either ignorant or to be liars.
(1) Even more shocking is the fact that the current Roman Catholic Pope does the same thing by denying certain Roman Catholic dogmas.