RICK WARREN'S PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE (2003) AND ERASMUS' ENCHIRIDION (1503): COMPARING APPROACHES IN APOLOGETIC EVANGELISM

Trinity Journal, Fall 2004 by Johnston, Thomas P

There is a certain safety in writing about church history: categories have been spelled out, issues have been debated, and the personages being studied are no longer among us. In contemporary church history or in contemporary theology, such is not the case. For example, one of the subjects in this study, Erasmus, has been analyzed for five centuries. He has been studied and restudied many times. While it is my goal to look at his Enchiridion as an evangelistic text-perhaps a slightly new twist-I do not expect that many of us will be enraged by my analysis. Rick Warren, however, is not a deeply studied personage. While he invites his readers to "interact" with his The Purpose-Driven Life,1 we do not yet have safe categories for the study of his theology and practice. Time has not measured the impact of his life and his ministry is still in process. Thus, the comparison of these two authors provides unusual challenges.

Because of the delicate nature of contemporary analysis, there is a penchant to lean in either of two ways: hagiography or unfettered antagonism. Cries of self-fulfilled prophecy may tarnish this study before it has commenced. This author is aware of the problems of historiography, as well as the Baconian fallacy.2 While complete objectivity is impossible, this author seeks to look at the two works in question from a theological perspective, thus seeking to avoid the prejudices of subjective analysis of a subjective topic. Objectivity may be improved as I have neither met Rick Warren, spoken with him, nor visited his church. Other than one e-mail, my interaction with Warren has been through the printed pages of The Purpose Driven Life, as has been my interaction with Erasmus and his Enchiridion.

This paper is not an analysis of a person, a person's character, a person's ministry, the fruit of a person's ministry, a local church, an ecclesiology, or the Purpose Driven Church method. Rather this paper is a comparison of the theological content of two books. The following pages will seek to compare and contrast the theological content of Erasmus' Enchiridion and Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life as texts dealing with the gospel and spiritual growth.

In one sense comparing these two texts is like comparing apples and oranges, as their historical settings and their views of the atonement and conversion are quite different. In another sense, however, this study is like comparing apples to apples as they both seem to adopt an apologetic approach to the gospel. The topic will be considered as follows. First, the texts will be compared as supplying principles for Christian living. second, we will note their apologetic conceptions. Third, we will assess their view of the atonement. Fourth, we consider their approach in communicating the gospel. Fifth, we will evaluate their approach to the Great Commission. In this way, we will seek to determine the major theological and evangelistic foundations of each writing.

By way of preliminary consideration, Erasmus (1467-1536) was a foremost pre-Reformation humanist theologian, whereas Rick Warren (1954-)3 has established himself as the apostle of the purpose-driven model for the local church. Both books were written in the lingua franca of their times: Warren's in English and Erasmus' in Latin. Because this paper quotes translations of Erasmus, two different translations were consulted.4 Both Erasmus' Enchiridion and Warren's Purpose Driven Life were very well received by their respective communities, Erasmus in Europe5 and Warren in the United States.6 Both volumes are simple formulations of the Christian life. Erasmus wrote Enchiridion "to prescribe in a concise fashion some method of Christian living which might help you achieve a character acceptable to Christ."7 Dolan explained to his readers the evangelistic use of Enchiridion: "The French Catholics in the seventeenth century relied upon its message to convert Calvinists to the ancient faith."8 Warren, for his part, wrote his book to assist persons "to discover the answer to life's most important question: What on earth am I here for?"9 Warren added that the book may be evangelistic for some:

First, "What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?" God won't ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him? . . .

Second, "What did you do with what I gave you?" . . . Did you spend them on yourself, or did you use them for the purposes God made you for?

Preparing you for these two questions is the goal of this book. The first question will determine where you spend eternity. The second question will determine what you do in eternity. By the end of the book you will be ready to answer both questions.10

As noted in the title of this paper, Enchiridion and The Purpose-Driven Life were published approximately five hundred years apart. Because of these commonalities and differences it was assumed by this author that a theological comparison would be intellectually stimulating and provide new vistas for theological inquiry.