24 February 2013

The Problem with "Twitter Theology"

When one "tweets" (i.e. writes something on Twitter), they only get 140 characters to do so.
       The other day I read a Facebook update (which I assume was a feed from Twitter or Buffer) which said, "'Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves.' Luke 16:9. Jesus said it...not me!"
       This is pithy, and provocative, and gets people to your website or blog. But it is woefully incomplete and even confusing. And such is the problem with what I call, "Twitter Theology."
       The problem is magnified by the fact that the person who tweeted this small section of Luke 16:9 labels himself as "an international expert on the Middle East." I know this person and I do not doubt that he is an "expert." But should not experts be more complete or clear when quoting a verse of Scripture this this?
       The entirety of Luke 16:9 says, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." Well that puts a slightly different spin on things, rather than only saying, "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves." So the verse is telling us to use money to gain friends and that's how a person gets into heaven?? Really?
        In reality only looking at verse 9 is not fair either. This verse is found in a 14-verse parable known as The Parable of the Shrewd Manager. The last thing you ever want to do is pull out a part of one verse from a parable. Context is extremely important in such passages.
       The "problem" is that Luke 16:1-14 is far more than 140 characters, so you cannot tweet it. And reading 14 verses is not nearly as pithy or provocative as half of one verse.

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