Module 10: Modernism & Liberalism
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the tenth module of the History of Christianity 2 Course. In this section, we'll work through the history of one of the low points of the Protestant churches and how God's faithful people responded. This module will cover the philosophies and movements known as modernism and theological liberalism, as well as the church's responses to those movements.
This module will help you to understand the worldview and ideas behind the heresies of modernism and theological liberalism and how these destructive ideas deceptively infiltrated churches and Christian institutions. And you will also be exposed to the two categories of response that God's faithful people made to these foreign and false worldviews and their deception. The student will be able to consider the impact and legacy of these heretical worldviews and the faithful responses and how the world has changed because of them.
The student will be exposed to the underlying philosophies and ideas behind the heresy of theological liberalism and its deceptive and corrosive influence on churches from that time onward. The student will also be exposed to the successful means by which this influence was resisted and overturned. The student will have opportunity to evaluate all these various principles, approaches, ideas, mindsets, and practices, and the lessons that can be learned from theological liberalism and the faithful responses to it. This module will also aid the student to work through how the lessons learned are applicable in their own life and ministry.
Introductory Scenario
Imagine that you are a spy. Your particular job is to guard against enemy spies who are attempting to infiltrate and sabotage your side. You will need to be especially diligent and discerning, because the enemy spies will try to appear to be on your side and blend in. Some may even have been brainwashed to actually believe they are on your side to more effectively assimilate and disrupt your side's mission. How could you recognize whether someone is actually serving your side or the enemy? If you suspected someone of working for the enemy, how would you test and prove this? If they turned out to be an enemy spy, how would you protect against and work to mitigate their sabotage? How could you help others not to be deceived by enemy deception and distraction? Please consider these questions and be watching for material that will help you answer them as you work through this module.
Module Objectives and Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:
- Describe the history of modernism and theological liberalism, and how these ideas infiltrated churches.
- Understand the worldview behind theological liberalism and the strategies that were used to insinuate these ideas into and to take over Christian institutions.
- Describe the main approaches and strategies with which the faithful churches resisted and countered the influence of theological liberalism and the results of those strategies.
- Demonstrate a commitment to recognize, resist, and reverse the effects of theological liberalism and its descendants wherever found in current institutions.
- Place the major events and people of these movements in a general chronology.
Instruction Guides
In this section, you'll find links to important instructional documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. There is a set of instructions for individual study and a document for group study.
Textbook Content
In this section, you'll find a study guide for the textbook reading for module 10. And then you'll find the link to a practice quiz covering this textbook reading.
This section also contains a review quiz to test your understanding of the textbook material for this module. By clicking the banner below, you will be given a series of questions, in random order. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once.
Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the Submit
button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.
Lecture Content
In this section, you will find the video lectures for the Modernism & Theological Liberalism module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each banner to open access to each video. There are also links with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.
Reviews
In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 10. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the banner to open the slide show.
Click the prev.
and next
buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.
Discussion/Reflection/Essay Questions
This section contains questions for further thought and discussion from Module 10. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. Below, you will find links to the Response and Application Reflection Instructions for Individuals, and the Response and Application Discussion Instructions for Groups. And you will find a link to the detailed question document for this module. Or Click the banner below to view the questions in a simplified format.
The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:
- Describe Theological Liberalism. Why did it do what it did? How did it turn out? What did you learn?
- Describe current forces pushing for compromise. Why are they tempting? How can you resist?
- Where are there tendencies to compromise in the current church? How can you make a difference?
- Where are there tendencies to compromise in your own life? How can you resist them?
- How did the church play offense well? What was good about what they did? Why? How does this apply?
- How did the church play defense well? What was good about what they did? Why? How does this apply?
- What else did you learn? How does it apply?
(Optional) Timeline - Part 10
This section contains instructions for an optional Timeline activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.
Step ten of the Timeline should include the following information:
- Any significant events, ideas, and people representative of modernism and theological liberalism.
- Any significant events, ideas, and people representing the faithful Christian response to modernism and theological liberalism.
- Any significant writings from these movements, and the ideas, doctrines, and approaches which they represent, and the impact they had.
(Optional) Principles Chart - Part 10
This section contains instructions for an optional Principles Chart activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.
Step ten of the Principles chart will add any important principles noted from the rise of theological liberalism, how it gained influence, and from the faithful Christian response - the results these movements had, the reasons behind those results, and how those principles can be applied.
It is suggested that the student begin this activity before watching the Guiding Principles
portion of the lecture. Then the student may supplement their work after learning additional insights from the Guiding Principles.
(Optional) Term Project Research & Organization
The student will continue researching their chosen topic for their term project. The student should seek to follow where their research leads, and fill any gaps in their knowledge. The student should also continue organizing all that they are learning into a logical and coherent structure, based on the information they have researched, which will serve as the organization for their term project presentation.
Below is a link to detailed instructions for the entire project.
Primary Source Reading
This section contains instructions and resources for the Primary Source Reading activity. The student should read a minimum of 10-20 pages from a primary resource or resources discussed in this module's lecture and write or discuss a brief response to their reading. Below is a link to detailed instructions for the Primary Source Reading, which contain a list of recommended resources, by module. And click the banner below to access a list of recommended resources with links to where they may be found.
The following is a list of the recommended primary sources for this module. This list contains links to the resources in print and/or online format. These links may change, so feel free to search for other sources for these same titles. In addition, please do not feel you are limited only to this list. Feel free to choose from any primary source from the period and topic covered in this module:
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Autobiography,Print ISBN : 978-0851512150Online : archive.org, spurgeon.org, or grace-ebooks.com
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Lectures to My Students,Print ISBN : 978-1598565164, 978-0851519661, 978-0310329114, or 978-1087784465
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Morning and Evening (Devotional),Print ISBN : 978-1433598661, 978-1619708396, 978-1565638068, or 978-1581344660Online : ccel.org, monergism.com, spurgeongems.org, or princeofpreachers.org
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All of Grace,Print ISBN : 978-1612032764, 978-1420969405, or 978-1612036427Online : ccel.org, spurgeongems.org, princeofpreachers.org, or monergism.com
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The Treasury of David,Print ISBN : 978-0825436833, or 978-1565639454Online : ccel.org, monergism.com, spurgeongems.org, classicchristianlibrary.com, spurgeon.org, or archive.org
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The Soul Winner,Print ISBN : 978-1644399330, or 978-0802880819Online : monergism.com, onthewing.org, archive.org, thesoulwinner.org, or spurgeon.org
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Documents from the Down-Grade Controversy,Print ISBN : 978-1502495884Online : spurgeon.org, or grace-ebooks.com
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Spurgeon's Sermons,Print ISBN : 978-1598568325, 978-1952599439, or 978-0825436871
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Holiness,Print ISBN : 978-1848715066, 978-1909611801, or 978-1612036793Online : ccel.org, monergism.com, archive.org, or apuritansmind.com
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The Expulsive Power of a New Affection,Print ISBN : 978-1433570674, or 979-8893400007Online : onthewing.org, cslewisinstitute.org, or monergism.com
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Various Writings of Archibald Alexander,Print ISBN : 978-1932474541, 978-1848719552, 978-1774840542, 978-1723532863, 978-1724229816, or 978-1577997870Online : ccel.org (on the Canon), ccel.org (evidences), ccel.org (moral science), monergism.com (on religious experience), monergism.com (Bible Truth), monergism.com (God, Creation & Human Rebellion), monergism.com (How to Grow in Grace), monergism.com (practical sermons), monergism.com (way of salvation), or monergism.com (authenticity, inspiration & authority)
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Systematic Theology,Print ISBN : 978-1773563435, 978-1773563442, 978-3368852740, or 978-1425567798Online : ccel.org (Vol. 1), ccel.org (Vol. 2), ccel.org (Vol. 3), or monergism.com
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What is Darwinism?,Print ISBN : 978-1023010962Online : ccel.org
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Commentary on Ephesians,Print ISBN : 978-0891077848, or 978-0802880246Online : ccel.org, or monergism.com
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Commentary on Romans,Print ISBN : 978-0851512136, 978-0891077244, or 978-0802881366Online : monergism.com, classicchristianlibrary.com, truth4freedom.com, or archive.org
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Various Other Writings of Charles Hodge,
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Various Writings of A. A. Hodge,
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The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible,Print ISBN : 978-1629958965, 978-1684221929, or 978-1781398340Online : monergism.com, or orcuttchristian.org
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The Emotional Life of Our Lord,Print ISBN : 978-1433580048, or 978-1648630965Online : monergism.com
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The Person and Work of Christ,Print ISBN : 978-1629958972, or 978-1781395585Online : monergism.com, or archive.org
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The Plan of Salvation,Print ISBN : 978-1425489557, or 978-1610101455Online : monergism.com, or archive.org
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Counterfeit Miracles,Print ISBN : 978-1800403017Online : monergism.com, or archive.org
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Various Other Writings of B. B. Warfield,Print ISBN : 978-1629958941, 978-1532690150, 978-1599252193, 978-9360074302, or 978-1610100472Online : monergism.com (Lord of Glory), monergism.com (Are few saved?), monergism.com (Revelation and Inspiration), monergism.com (Christology and Criticism), monergism.com (Faith and Life), monergism.com (Divine Origin of the Bible), monergism.com (Calvin and Calvinism), monergism.com (Biblical Doctrines), monergism.com (Sermons and Essays), monergism.com (Augustine and Pelagian Controversy), monergism.com (Studies in Theology), monergism.com (Studies in Perfectionism), monergism.com (Westminster Assembly), monergism.com (Power of God unto Salvation), monergism.com (The Holy Spirit), monergism.com (Savior of the World), or onthewing.org
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The Fundamentals,Print ISBN : 978-0825426339, 978-1496152671, or 978-0801088094
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Christianity and Liberalism,Print ISBN : 978-0802864994, 978-1955859103, or 978-1642894912Online : monergism.com, archive.org, ccel.org, or reformed.org
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What is Faith?,Print ISBN : 978-0802811226, or 978-1800403598Online : monergism.com, or archive.org
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Various Writings of Abraham Kuyper,Print ISBN : 978-0802816078, 978-1577996545, 978-1577996712, 978-1577996729, 978-1577996767, 978-0802843210, 978-1577996552, 978-1577996774, or 978-1577996736Online : monergism.com (Lectures on Calvinism), monergism.com (Work of the Holy Spirit), monergism.com (Saved by Grace Alone), monergism.com (Sanctifying Work), monergism.com (Sphere Sovereignty), archive.org (Kingship of Christ), archive.org (Lectures on Calvinism), archive.org (Work of the Holy Spirit), ccel.org (Lectures on Calvinism), ccel.org (Work of the Holy Spirit), or ccel.org (Near Unto God)
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Various Writings of Cornelius Van Til,Print ISBN : 978-0875525112, 978-0875526447, 978-0875527895, 978-1596385832, or 978-1596389236
Review Quiz
This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 10. By clicking the banner, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit
button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the banner to begin the quiz.
Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.
Module Completed!
Congratulations, you have reached the end of the tenth module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.
I encourage you to continue on the next module as soon as is convenient. The button below will take you to Module 11.
