Millennials choose fake theology

(1) God's love for the world and Jesus' sacrifice of his life to bring salvation to whomever believes, to

(2) Prosperity and hope in the here and now.

Thus, the crux of Christianity is crucified by compromise.

Too heavy!

Fitzpatrick emphasised that on social media, people don't want a stress on Jesus' cross that leads to eternal life because 'it's a bit heavy'.

I cannot imagine anyone with that approach standing up for their faith to the point of being a martyr like Peter, Paul, Polycarp, Hugh Latimer and those five missionaries slaughtered by the Auca Indians in 1956 in Ecuador: Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian.

Compromise does not stoke fires in the heart of Christianity. Here we have an example of the Millennials who changed the truth of God (John 3:16) into hopelessness that looked like hope.

How is that so when Jer 29:11 supports hope and prosperity for the future?

Social media and postmodern theology

According to these researchers, the switch from Gospel-centred to self-centred fake theology (my language) is 'a product of social media' and 'young people's expectations of the Bible, in line with the trend of displaying wellness and spirituality online'.

This is postmodern, deconstructed Christianity in action. Postmodernism is difficult to define simply. In Fitzpatrick's article we have an example of the trend that moves from facts (John 3:16) to subjectivity (Jer 29:11). It's about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, and outward over inward.

The 'young people's expectations of the Bible' is not the way to read any document, including Fitzpatrick's article, to gain the author's intended meaning. Expectations should not drive any person regarding the content of articles in On Line Opinion, History of Australia by Manning Clark, or the Bible.

Imagine using that approach when completing your tax return or giving your driver's licence details to a policeman. Which way does the promoter of postmodern deconstruction want us to read his or her own books? Literally or by deconstruction?

A different gospel

What I see in this preference of Jer 29:11 is a deconstruction of biblical theology to replace it with another doctrine.