What Do I Have in Common With Billy Graham and Rick Warren?
Friday, May 18, 2007
This blog post says we can't be quoted in academic papers.
Hopefully, neither students nor scholars would quote sermons or devotional texts to try to support an academic case. Henry’s commentary belongs in this category. In the post mentioned above, Jim West also panned Rick Warren. For some reason, Jim has an irrational hatred for Rick Warren, but he’s right to say that Rick Warren shouldn’t be quoted in academic papers; the same goes for T.D. Jakes or Bruce Feiler or Billy Graham or Lee Stroebel or Josh McDowell or Philip Yancey or any of the authors popular in evangelical bookstores. Some of these guys may be great homiletical/devotional writers, some less so (and some may produce outright dreck), but they’re not academics, and their books are not good sources for academic papers. From this point of view, citing Matthew Henry in an academic paper is a category mistake, like wearing a Mavericks jersey to a Cowboys game.
Labels: Bruce in the Media
Posted by B Feiler at 7:00 AM
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I might allow students to reference Rick Warren in the proper context.
We must not disregard the popular literature entirely; rather ensure it is used properly.
I am not sure the author of that comment has read your books. I certainly don't categorize you as a "devotional writer". Neither is your writing "dreck". The other thing is that I have rarely seen your writings in evangelical bookstores - though I will concede it has been a year and a half since being stateside. Sadly, I do not see your works in any bookstores here in Kenya.... perhaps a new market?
It seems that he is targeting the writing of seminary students - who should be reading what is popular with the people in the pews. They should also have a great deal of readings in more scholarly works by reputable theologians. They should be examining it all most thoroughly with a constant focus on Scripture and prayer.