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When it came to preaching, as opposed to social activism and counseling, the mainline churches lost their faith, lost a whole generation. The Bible became just one more sourcebook, like the daily paper. Even in the megachurches, with thousands of members and vast resources, the sermon sometimes seemed like one more offering in the Christian cafeteria, wedged between the 12-step programs and the music and Sunday school and countless fellowship activities. But strong preaching—biblically based, artfully crafted—is a tradition that is being reclaimed and transformed at the same time.

Ironically, it's that recommitment to biblical theology that has some folks judging Jakes. That line about "some Pentecostals question aspects of his theology" is the only reference to criticism over Jakes's beliefs on the Trinity—even though the example of preaching Van Biema uses explicitly illustrates why orthodox Christians are upset.

"And God said, 'Let us. Let usssssss … '" says Jakes, and then digresses: " … One God, but manifest in … three different ways, Father in creation, Son in redemption, Holy Spirit in regeneration. And God said, 'Let usssssss … '"

Problem: That's not Trinitarianism. That's a pretty straight-up teaching of modalism, an early church heresy that denied the permanence of the three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and argued that God only temporarily manifested himself in different roles. This view is also that of Oneness Pentecostals, which apparently describes Jakes. He has used these exact words before, but denies he's a heretic. "My association with Oneness people does not constitute assimilation into their ranks any more than my association with the homeless in our city makes me one of them," he told CT last year. Maybe his association doesn't mean he's a Oneness Pentecostal, but his language describing the Trinity certainly seems to. And for that reason alone T.D. Jakes isn't "the next Billy Graham."

Maybe the reason Time decided not to spend any time on Jakes's theological problems is because the issue also includes a separate article on "America's Best Theologian," which it awarded to Duke University's Stanley Hauerwas. The University of Chicago's Jean Bethke Elshtain calls him "contemporary theology's foremost intellectual provocateur … a thorn in the side of what he takes to be Christian complacency for more than 30 years." What's at the center of his astonishing message? "An omnipotent God incarnate who relinquishes his power and dies an ignominious death in order that human beings might 'have life and have it more abundantly.'" Indeed, radical stuff both for Christians and non-Christians. Time's "best theologian" appellation is only the latest (though most prominent) Hauerwas tribute: see, for example, recent profiles in academic magazine Lingua Franca and multifaith religion site KillingTheBuddha.com (then come back and read Books & Culture's 1998 interview with "Pope Stanley").

More than 160 dead following religious riots in Nigeria
The Nigerian military is attempting to restore order in Jos, Nigeria, after weekend rioting between Muslims and Christians left countless hundreds dead. One report says that at least 160 corpses have been dropped off at area hospitals, but there are "still so many bodies on the streets" that final tallies won't be in for a while. The fighting reportedly started after a rumor spread that Muslims had burned down a local church. Christians retaliated against the news by burning down mosques, and Muslims responded by burning down churches. Cars, houses, and people were also burned.

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September (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45