They Missed Him

In the news today: A survey conducted by Baylor University finds that one’s view of God is likely to determine his political views. In USA Today, where I first learned of this survey, the headline reads: “View of God can reveal your values and politics: Baylor survey of religion maps four images of God that shape who Americans see the world.”

The four views of God are: Authoritarian, Benevolent, Critical, and Distant.



There is much interesting here, and I encourage you to check out the widely published news story. However, a fellow pastor and I discussed how our God did not make the Final Four. My view of God is that he is both “authoritarian” and “benevolent.” He is both angered at sin and willing to forgive sin; he both demands allegiance and offers comfort. I might add that this is, in fact, the traditional, biblical view of God that has been confessed for centuries.
Which only goes to show… Whether at Baylor U or Boston U, it’s hard to move beyond stereotypes concerning God.

Christians need to maintain a “fair and balanced” view of the God we confess. And by this God’s grace, we need to be his mouthpiece to a world that just doesn’t get it. After all, neither did we—until he benevolently and authoritatively overruled our natural tendencies.