Rick Warren has issued an apology to Christian women. The retired pastor of Saddleback Church is in the midst of an ideological crusade against the complimentarian theology of the Southern Baptist Convention. After it last met, the SBC kicked out Warren’s church for appointing a female pastor (over and against the Convention’s statement of faith). This week, Warren is heading the the annual Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans to appeal Saddleback’s ouster. In preparation of his appeal, he has unleased a social media blitz of emotional and specious, if not downright fallacious, arguments against the complimentarian stance of the SBC. His latest statement is an apology to women for embracing complimentarianism as a Southern Baptist for 53 years.
His post got me to thinking, not about the legitimacy of Warren’s arguments for females in the pastorate, but about just how unqualified Warren himself is to hold the pastoral office. Consider his opening words:
“My biggest regret in 53 years of ministry is that I didn’t do my own personal exegesis sooner on the 4 passages used to restrict women.”
What was he doing in 53 years of ministry if he wasn’t exegeting the scriptures? Warren says that there are only 4 scriptures which are used as the basis of complimentarian theology! Did Warren not preach through these few passages in over five decades of ministry? Wouldn’t he have been forced to exegete these passages as part of his sermon preparation?
Warren’s statement just goes to show what a snake oil salesman he really is and has been all these years. Warren’s sermons and books are far from exegetical masterpieces. Frankly, he’s become one of the world’s most influential Christians by preaching manipulative, feel-good sermons that are far from exegetically faithful. At least now he’s finally admiting how little exegetical work he has done.
He should indeed be sorry for that.
*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.
