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Thread: Hank Hanegraaff converts to Orthodox Christianity

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    Hank Hanegraaff converts to Orthodox Christianity

    -Last Sunday, 67-year-old Hank Hanegraaff and his wife entered into Orthodox Christianity at St. Niktarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    The former Protestant is well known among evangelicals as the Bible Answer Man. Since 1989, Hanegraaff has been answering questions on Christianity, denominations, and the Bible on a nationally syndicated radio broadcast.

    A champion of evangelical Christianity, he's best known for arguing against cults, heresies, and non-Christian religions. His 20 books include titles like Christianity in Crisis, Counterfeit Revival, and The Kingdom of Cults.

    Part of being the Bible Answer Man also includes running the Christian Research Institute (CRI), an apologetics ministry that Hanegraaff has been president of since 1989.

    This week, Hanegraaff spent some of his airtime answering questions about his decision to leave Protestantism for Orthodoxy...

    http://www.christianitytoday.com/gle...chman-nee.html

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    I wonder if he will change his views on the "little gods" doctrine since the Greek Orthodox Church teaches that we are gods.
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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by victoryword View Post
    I wonder if he will change his views on the "little gods" doctrine since the Greek Orthodox Church teaches that we are gods.
    He will have to see it as within Orthodoxy at least.

  6. #4
    From the article...

    His journey to Orthodoxy began with a trip to China, when “I saw Chinese Christians who were deeply in love with the Lord, and I learned that while they may not have had as much intellectual acumen or knowledge as I did, they had life,” he said.

    On the flight back, Hanegraaff wondered if he was even a Christian. “I was comparing my ability to communicate truth with their deep and abiding love for the Lord Jesus Christ.”

    He began to study the work of Watchman Nee and the idea of theosis (the Eastern Orthodox teaching on seeking union with God), which led him back to the early Christian church.

    “I’ve been impacted by the whole idea of knowing Jesus Christ, experiencing Jesus Christ, and partaking of the graces of Jesus Christ through the Eucharist or the Lord’s table,” he said. “Nothing has changed in my faith.”

    CT reported in 2009 how CRI critiques of Watchman Nee in the 1970s (prior to Hanegraaff’s tenure) led other theology watchdogs to label the Chinese Christian’s “local churches” movement a cult, but Hanegraaff acknowledged “we were wrong” and endorsed the movement’s orthodoxy in 2008. (The Local Church sued over the cult label in 2003.)

    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind, having the understanding darkened...
    (Ephesians 4:17-18)

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...
    (Psalm 1)

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    Experiental Christianity, aha.

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    Senior Member Valiant Woman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by victoryword View Post
    I wonder if he will change his views on the "little gods" doctrine since the Greek Orthodox Church teaches that we are gods.
    Ever since his public attacks on WOF and Charismatic preachers, then that book "The Osteenification of American Christianity", I haven't been able to listen to him for long periods. I use to listen to him on the radio for a few minutes until he began his tirade, then I just stopped listening altogether.

    I believe him to be a man who causes nothing but strife and division in the body of Christ. Hopefully this move to Orthodox will soften his heart towards Christians that don't "measure up" to his standards of Christianity. -_-
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    Senior Member Cardinal TT's Avatar
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    It's interesting he did this. He was too negative and judgemental on Christian groups that didn't believe like him now he has gone to the other extreme and embraced a more softer version as Valiant Woman said.

    The concern is he has gone from one ditch to the other side which seems to be common these days.
    Instead of finding the godly balance some Christians are jumping into the opposite extreme.

    Its what is happening with Inclusionism/Universalism. At times God was portrayed as a harsh unloving task master instead of a compassionate Father and some believers rejected the harshness but are embracing the loving Inclusionist God. But one error to another error isn't the biblical answer.

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    In his particular case it could amount to a step that takes him closer to the middle even if he crosses that middle in the process. The very people he previously persecuted have become instrumental to his change of heart. Watchman Nee isn't bad stuff and Orthodox Christianity doesn't have to take one that far away from the middle depending on how it's interpreted and practiced. Notice how "they had life" was a motivation factor. Life and flawed doctrine is always better than correct doctrine and no life at all.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    Life and flawed doctrine is always better than correct doctrine and no life at all.
    That isn't correct as the true definition of doctrine are the basic creeds of a religion or group. True Christian doctrine are the basics for our salvation and standards for life.

    When people say doctrine isn't important it's either because they don't understand what doctrine is or they lump non-essentials as doctrine.

    Without Christian doctrine a person cannot be saved as it explains how to get saved and what is essential to have faith.

    When people say it's more important to have love, life, power only applies when comparing to non-essentials of the faith not Christian doctrine.

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    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    I said flawed, not heretical. You and I have flawed doctrine (to which degree is debatable) but we still have life. Many people think they have perfect doctrine (whether they actually have or not) and have no life. Some of the mentioned Chinese Christians have had next to no doctrine but the little doctrine that they did have was enough that they had life. A scrap from the Bible, a memory of a sermon without having actual scripture written down etc.

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