GRUDGE THEOLOGY: A New Theological Term

[00:00:00]Hey everybody, welcome back to the channel. I'm Reverend Matt, and I'm the Connectionist. Today, I am going to be coining a new phrase for the theology world to be debating about and discussing. Hopefully, we'll see.

[00:00:10]Probably like five people. But, hey, you got to start somewhere, right?

[00:00:14]Um and that new phrase that I want to coin today and and talk about a definition today is called grudge theology. Grudge theology is something that I've been thinking about, uh noticing online, and I decided to start defining it and talking about it more openly. And this is a new phrase I'm coining, so I'm going to give you a definition for it today. Uh so, grudge theology is a reactive theological framework in which beliefs are formed, emphasized, or abandoned primarily through resentment toward real or perceived opponents. Rather than receiving its priorities from scripture, tradition, reason, and Christian experience, grudge theology allows opposition itself to become a functional theological authority.

[00:01:01]Basically, grudge theology is it informed by theological and political grudges that people hold.

[00:01:11]Um and so, grudge theology is a sin. And so, we're going to be talking about that as I go on. Uh but, you know people who hold a grudge. You see this in the political world a lot, right? Because Donald Trump says something, therefore I disagree with it.

[00:01:26]Because Kamala Harris says something, therefore I disagree with it. Not because of the thing itself, but because of the grudge and the feelings of resentment I hold towards that person.

[00:01:35]So, I want to give an example of how grudge theology actually plays out. So, I've given some practical examples about how a progressives and conservatives engage in grudge theology. So, here's the list. Let's start with the progressives. The first is this.

[00:01:47]Progressives, often you will find, embrace universalism, or the idea that there is no hell, primarily because evangelical presentations of hell have been cruel or manipulative without adequately addressing scripture, judgment, freedom, or the historic tradition. Okay? So, the the the piece of this that's that's so difficult when we're discussing universalism is that so many progressives they they embrace universalism not out of this kind of really well-defined scriptural argument, traditional argument, uh but they do it because the evangelicals, they don't like the evangelicals, right? So, because they don't like the evangelicals, they don't like how they talk about hell, um therefore I'm just not going to believe it. Instead of forming a more proactive view on universalism, instead it's reactive. So, grudge theology is reactive by nature and not proactive, right? So, it's how our grudges and our dislike of somebody actually forms our theological framework. So, you'll often see that in universalism because of the way fire and brimstone preaching has gone uh people just end up embracing universalism not out of any good argument just because they don't like the people uh on the other side. Second example of this. Progressives, you'll often find them rejecting ecclesial authority altogether because authorities have abused their power rather than developing a healthier theology of accountable authority.

[00:03:16]So, this is one that you see a lot.

[00:03:18]Because the hierarchical church has done bad things before, therefore I reject the hierarchy the hierarchy altogether, right? It's because I don't like the hierarchy in my church, I don't like the power systems in my church, therefore I don't think power systems are good, right? That's grudge theology. That's not that's reactive, right? It's not proactive. You're not making a scriptural argument, you're not making a traditional argument, you're making an argument from how you feel about certain people and about certain power systems, okay? Third is this.

[00:03:47]Progressive theologians will you'll often find them supporting LGBTQ inclusion chiefly because a conservative opponents reject it without constructing an affirmative biblical theological or pastoral case. This one is super common, right? It's because the evangelicals or the conservative theologians reject and or often mistreat, which is true, mistreat LGBT people. I'm just going to embrace LGBT people because of that instead of actually forming a good scriptural case, a good theological case for it. I've done that on my channel. You can find a video about that.

[00:04:24]Um where I've attempted to kind of make an actual case for LGBT inclusion instead of just like a vibes-based argument where it's like, we should just love all people, right? Like that that's such a terrible argument because it's it it's more of a grudge theology because you're saying, oh, we should just love all people because the other people don't love those people, right? So, we're going to love them. That's that's a reactive form of theology instead of proactive. So, I've done uh a video where I try to be a bit more proactive about making a good argument for LGBT inclusion instead of just a reactive grudge theology approach. Okay, let's go on to the fourth example. The fourth example is uh very common as well. You often see progressive theologians treating every traditional doctrine as presumptively oppressive or quote imperial because it is associated with conservative or quote imperial Christianity, right? So, there's a lot of rejection of orthodox doctrine among progressive theologians because it is in relation to um the enforcement of doctrine, right? Uh in a system that people find oppressive or it's related to oh, well, the Council of Nicaea was called by the emperor. It was called by an imperial power. Uh and so therefore, because I don't like that imperial power, all of those doctrines are automatically oppressive or imperial or wrong. When the the truth is, it's okay to critique empire and the things that empire can often present, but that's not good enough. That's just grudge theology. You have that's such a reactive way of looking at it. You have to make a case from scripture, tradition, reason, and experience about why you want to reject Nicene Christianity, which is the ultimate form of Orthodox Christianity.

[00:06:01]Um you have to make a case for that that's better than oh, it was formed by the empire, right? Um because it's traditional, because it it's enforced by conservatives, right? Because conservatives spend a lot of time caring about this, therefore I don't care about it because I have a grudge against conservatives, right? Grudge theology.

[00:06:17]Um instead of looking at each one case by case saying, you know what? Maybe not everything the empire that happened under Imperial Christianity was bad, right? Um just because it was tainted by empire doesn't mean everything that's coming out of it is bad.

[00:06:31]Um so grudge theology basically says because I don't like the Roman Empire and all the things that they did, which is totally valid, and because I don't like the way conservative evangelicals uh approach uh trying to enforce doctrine, I therefore think all doctrinal standards are oppressive, right? That's grudge theology instead of making an actual proactive argument.

[00:06:52]Okay, so let's let's turn the page here for a second.

[00:06:55]Let's let's look at how conservatives do this cuz conservatives do this, too.

[00:06:58]Um and it it it it's is easily apparent as as how progressives do it. So, let's talk about how the conservatives do this. Often times you'll find uh conservative theologians invoking biblical inerrancy selectively around sexuality while functionally disregarding difficult biblical teachings concerning wealth, enemies, refugees, mercy, and justice. Okay. So, basically um a conservative theologians do grudge theology by saying, hey, I don't like the libs, right? I don't like what the libs are doing, and so I'm going to I'm going to take a very uh whatever they say and whatever they're trying to embrace right now, I'm going to just automatically dislike because I don't like the libs, right?

[00:07:35]That's grudge theology. So, you'll see that in arguments around inerrancy, right? It's like, oh, I believe you know, I take this inerrancy kind of fundamental approach when I look at what the scripture says about sexuality, but I won't do it when it comes to divorce.

[00:07:49]I won't do it when it comes to my enemies. I won't do it when it comes to compassion towards migrants. I won't do it when it comes to mercy. I won't do it when it comes to justice. I won't do it when it comes to matters of wealth inequality, right? I'll just ignore all those. And the reason I select this sexuality piece is because I don't like the libs and the sexuality thing is what the libs are focusing on right now. And because I don't like them, I engage in grudge theology and I change I reactively form my theological framework around what they are embracing, what liberals are embracing because I'm a conservative. That's grudge theology, right?

[00:08:23]The second way you'll see this is through conservative theologians adopting harsh immigration positions partly because compassion is associated with political progressives. So, there's a big debate right now about like toxic empathy and like all this kind of stuff.

[00:08:37]And it's like because liberals are embracing immigrants politically in our political sphere in the United States right now and because liberals are really focusing on like empathy and compassion, therefore I have to be against it.

[00:08:49]When really, I think people with more proactive theological approaches are conservative people and they may take a more conservative approach to social issues, but they kind of will agree with liberals on certain things where the Bible is clear about it, where they feel that the scriptural teachings are clear about teachings about compassion towards migrants. Now, we're not talking about open borders here and all that stuff. So, don't debate that in the comments, right? We're talking about just general compassion towards migrants, right? Like where are the political conservatives Sorry, where are the theological conservatives when it comes to criticizing things like alligator Alcatraz, right? That is the ultimate mockery of people who are here.

[00:09:26]They may be here illegally, but like alligator Alcatraz is mocking migrants, right? Instead of showing them compassion.

[00:09:34]Compassion doesn't maybe automatically mean everybody who comes here stays here, but it means treating migrants with compassion throughout the adjudication process that the state is putting on, right? But it's like because the libs and the theological libs are embracing this, therefore I have to be against that. That's grudge theology.

[00:09:53]So, let's do another example. Another example is you often see conservative theologians defending political leaders' misconduct because condemning it would appear to concede something to the left.

[00:10:04]Um one of the quick tells that I have for somebody that I think actually probably really knows Jesus and isn't grifting online is their ability to criticize uh political leaders on both sides.

[00:10:15]Um if you are unable to do that, you're probably captured by politics rather than by your Lord and Savior Christ, right? And so, because I don't like the left, I have to embrace all the positions of the right, or I have to do some kind of theological uh gymnastics uh to uh not be critical of the president or other people who are doing immoral things or uh bad character things in their own personal lives that I just overlook uh because well, I got to own the libs, right? That's grudge theology.

[00:10:45]Okay, the fourth is this.

[00:10:46]The fourth is you often see conservative theologians uh rejecting concerns about racism, poverty, or creation care primarily because those concerns are identified with progressive politics, right? So, this is the kind of the same example, right? It's like I have to find instead of saying, "Hey, I can be a more conservative person, but also care about the environment."

[00:11:08]What people do is they say, "Well, because the the liberals care about the environment, I have to find some way to fit my theological framework in a way where I don't have to care about the environment, or I can mock people who care about the environment, right?" That's grudge theology. You're putting your your you're reacting to what your perceived or real opponents are saying instead of proactively developing your discipleship and theological frameworks, okay? So, this is this is the message of this, okay? This is the message of what I'm talking about with grudge theology. It's essentially this, if our enemies opinion on a topic causes us to change our mind, it means we are reacting and forming theology incorrectly. Right? So, if you find your enemies if you find your enemies agreeing with you on something and then that starts to change your mind because they're your enemy, that means you are doing grudge theology because you might have an opinion in common with somebody who is your theological or political opponent. That happens from time to time. That means you're a person, right?

[00:12:07]But when you start to change your opinion so that you cuz you don't want to agree with them on anything because you have a grudge for them, that's grudge theology. Grudge theology is sinful.

[00:12:17]It is a sin and many of us are engaging in it every single day. Grudge theology is sin because we are allowing ourselves to be discipled by grievance instead of God.

[00:12:29]Let me say that again. Grudge theology is sin because we are allowing ourselves to be discipled by grievance rather than by God.

[00:12:38]I hope that this is a helpful framework for you who are online navigating the YouTube and Twitter theology environment. I hope this is helpful because hopefully this will give you a way to talk about kind of the grifting and kind of the stuff that you're seeing that feels very un-Christ-like on the internet. Hopefully this gives you a framework to talk about what what is it, right, that you're seeing and it gives you a language and a vocabulary to talk about theological frameworks that are reactive and unhelpful and sinful, right? So, let me know what you all think down in the comments. I'll be really curious to hear what you all think about this and I love to talk about this further in future videos. So, let me know what you all think and give some feedback on this.

[00:13:18]But until next time, I'm River Matt and I'm the Connectionist and I will see all of you again very soon. Bye-bye.