The Name of God

Posted at Calvinist Ruminant:

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Romans 2:24

In the most recent episode of the Mortification of Spin podcast, Todd Pruitt and Carl Trueman discussed the phenomenon of protestant popes. This is the phenomenon of a pastor or church leader who wields immense power and control over an institution. Having been freed from the tyranny of one pope through the Reformation, protestants now have the burden of a thousand popes. You can listen to the podcast here.

The problem that this phenomenon creates is the problem of abuse. Powerful men in positions of authority are susceptible to abusing their power for personal gain. This could be for personal wealth, power, or pleasure. Todd and Carl rightly identify this problem as rooted in the mini-popedoms of protestantism with the recent scandals coming from the Southern Baptist Convention as the most recognizable.

Seeing this abuse of power, many people simply leave the church or the faith altogether. The hypocrisy of church leaders is the reason they cite as why they do not believe.

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