Doctrine and Education Still Matter: Is Christianity a doctrine or a way of life?

To begin my Christmas break I read the book "Christianity and liberalism" by Gresham Machen. The book is a classic originally published in 1923 and is only 99 cents on Kindle. This book essentially was written to combat the rampant theological liberalism that was entering the church in Machen's time. The liberalism of his time taught that doctrine was not important, and all that mattered was a life that followed the example of Jesus. Therefore, the atonement, the doctrine of sin, and all other central doctrines of Christianity were thrown out the window to teach a Christianity that revolved around Jesus being a prime exemplar and nothing more. Does this sound familiar? I think so. In fact a hear this very often in the present day emergent church. To them doctrine no longer matters, the atonement does not need to be articulated, and education in the christian doctrines is pointless because to them it is all about the presence of Jesus in our lives and following his example. Sadly, this is a half-truth, and the situation Machen present in 1946 is still alive and well, just with some different names and faces. Today many in the evangelical church are teaching that Christianity is a way of life, not a message, a social gospel, not a gospel. So, according to Machen, what is Chrisitianity? Is it a doctrine or a way of life? Machen responds with a great balancing and paradoxical answer to say that Christianity is BOTH a way of life AND a message/doctrine. Here are some great quotes from the book to this point:

"But if any one fact is clear, on the basis of this evidence, it is that the Christian movement at its inception was not just a way of life in the modern sense, but a way of life founded upon a message. It was based, not upon mere feeling, not upon a mere program of work, but upon an account of facts. In other words it was based upon doctrine."

"'Christ died for our sins" --that is doctrine. Without this... There is no Christianity."

"Certainly we shall remain forever in the gloom if we attend merely to the charter of Jesus and neglect the thing that he has done, if we try to attend to the Person and neglect the message." 

"Christianity is founded upon the Bible. It bases upon the Bible both its thinking and its life."

"Jesus (for the liberal theologian) is only an example for faith, not the object of faith"


"The example of Jesus is a perfect example only if He was justified in what He offered to men. And He offered, not primarily guidance, but salvation; He presented Himself as the object of men's faith."


"Faith is essentially dogmatic"

To this great problem that existed, and still exists today in the emergent church Machen gives one remedy: biblical education.

"There must be a renewal of Christian education. The rejection of Christianity is due to various causes. But a very potent cause is simple ignorance... An outstanding fact of recent church history is the appalling growth of ignorance in the church. The development is due partly to the general decline of education...The schools of the present day are being ruined by the absurd notion that education should follow the line of least resistance...And this is in danger of being made permanent through the sinister extension of state control. But something more is needed...  Ignorance in the church  is the inevitable result of the false notion that Christianity is a life and not also a doctrine; if Christianity is not a doctrine then of course teaching is not necessary to Christianity... This must be remedied primarily by the renewal of Christian education in the family, but also by the use of whatever other education agencies the Church can find. Christian education is the cheif business of the hour for every earnest Christian man. Christianity cannot subsist unless men know what Christianity is..."

Doctrine and education still matter in the church. Although Christianity is a way of life; it is about the presence of Christ; it is about Christ's example; and it is about building relationships; it is ALSO about doctrine, education in the truth, and the ultimate message of the gospel rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We cannot forget that. Machen does a good job of reminded us of this, and this issue still applies today.