The departure of Hank Hanekraaff from
evangelicalism to Easter Orthodoxy
is now well documented, here
and here. I don’t normally address all these ups and
downs in the Christian news, but The Bible
Answer Man is a prominent and popular radio show in our area and therefore
this is relevant.
I have enjoyed Hank Hanekraaff’s program over the years but
of recent, due to an awkward sympathy he expresses about the Roman Catholic
Mass; his unusual attention to Mary, the mother of Jesus; and his anti-Calvinism, have alerted
me to concerns that obviously come to a head today. Hank’s book, The
Apocalypse Code, could be one of the best books on biblical interpretation
that I have ever read. Sadly The Bible
Answer Man, is going to have to answer to the Word of God for this defection.
Here are 2 things that sadden me about this (the cons):
1. Hank inherited a stellar
ministry (The Christian Research Institute).
This ministry founded by the late Dr. Walter Martin
has been a true asset and resource to the Christian Church. In this defection, Hank has dropped the
ball. He has failed to “… to contend for the faith that was
once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, ESV).
2. Hank has not “moved” to another branch or denomination
that upholds the Gospel ministry. This move of his will confuse the world,
confuse the Church and mar the Gospel.
It is the Gospel that is at stake here, not Hank’s feeling of being “more
in sync, spiritually”[1]. It doesn’t get any more complicated than
this: “I am astonished that
you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are
turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one . . . If anyone is
preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed”
(Galatians 1:6–9, ESV).
Here is the one thing that I’m pleased about (the pro):
1. Hank is at least consistent. He has not been quiet about his
anti-Calvinistic beliefs. Now there are Arminians
(anti-Calvinists) who are beloved brothers and sisters in pursuit of God’s
glory. But they are, to my joy and
delight, inconsistent Arminians. Theologically,
to be a consistent Arminian is to embrace the Vatican and points beyond. The road to Rome is via Arminian
theology. Hank is at least consistent. Essentially Roman Catholicism is the ‘Galatian
Heresy’ wrapped in Vatican architecture.
The Eastern Orthodox Church embraces the same errors.
Galatians
2:16 (ESV)
16 yet we know that a person is not
justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also
have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and
not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
“The Orthodox Church is a false expression of Christianity,
much like the Roman Catholic Church, that is highly driven by graven images and
denies the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone,
and instead, trusts in meritorious works and a sacramental system for salvation.”[2]
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