Thread by @timkellernyc

Brian - I have never done a lecture on speech act theory. I’ve never said that anyone should disregard any of the Ten Commandments either. In the NY Times article, I argue that people can differ over how a biblical commandment should be put into public policy. 1/8

https://twitter.com/btgolz/status/1347357951997186048

For example, think of the first commandment against worshipping other Gods and the second one against making graven images. Do you believe they should be made into a law in a pluralistic democracy? Do you think non-Christian religions should be illegal in the U.S.? Probably not.

But does that mean you are personally disregarding the first two of the Ten Commandments because of cultural context? Not at all.

You also say I’ve violated the ninth commandment—namely, that I must promote and cherish the good name and reputation of others, even opponents. 3

I’m sure I can find times in which I have failed there, just as you are failing to do so right now.

But no one has ever before said that I live in “utter disregard for the 9th commandment.” I think that’s at the very least an egregious overstatement. 4/8

And let me say again, I spent the first nine years of my ministry working in a heavily blue-collar southern town. My first church had only 2 people with a college degree—two elementary school teachers. 5/8

I preached 1500 times there and had a heavy ministry of pastoral care and visitation. These were the most formative ministry years of my life. We lived our lives among the people—all my children were born there. Many of my best friends are still there. 6/8

To say that my ministry is out of touch with the needs of ordinary, working-class people is to be out of touch with reality. Forgive me for calling you out on this Brian. And I feel somewhat like a fool talking like this (2 Corinthians 11). 7/8

But your brief tweets are at the very least extremely misleading, and I want to set the record straight. 8/8