The Failure of Modern Conservatism

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 7: 28, 29

Two faces of conservatism known by many today are Steven Crowder and Ben Shapiro. Crowder, with his unapologetic and sometimes crass way of standing up for conservatism, is lauded by those who are frustrated with the constant advance of the Left. Shapiro, with his fast-paced wit and logically argumentative style, is seen as a prospect for conservative candidacy. Crowder handles the fringes and Shapiro the more classical conservative. I have found both men to be entertaining, learned interesting statistical facts from them, and find some of their arguments and catchphrases useful at times. So please, do watch some clips of them interacting with people who are pro murder for the unborn, or videos where they dismantle the absurd arguments of transgenderism. What is it that has made men like these two, younger men too, so popular? Well, I think it is the same reason Mark Driscoll had his rise to success not too long past now. They are not afraid to speak truth and this unashamedly. As Ben so poignantly says, "Facts don't care about your feelings."

A Love for Strong Men

The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

Proverbs 20:29

There is a glory given men by God that is on display. Woman is said to be the glory of man and man the image and glory of God (1 Cor. 11:7). The context of these statements refers to headship. When men lead they are displaying the glory of God. Young men possess this in their strength, and old men in their wisdom. So, when a man reaches maturity in that balance of strength and wisdom he is a warrior. The young man who doesn't possess the wisdom to parent well has enough strength and vitality to maintain himself and his family. The old man, although possessing the wisdom, does not possess the strength. The man who has parented for a season and is young but wise still is strong enough to press through where he is unwise, but also wise enough to know that his strength will not always be reliable. So, a young man in battle is strong enough to fight but not wise enough to know what he's fighting for or towards, the old man knows well what the fight is for and what should be the aim, the man in his prime knows well enough the reason and still has the strength to fight. So, when men like Shapiro or Crowder rise up they speak as those with authority. They have words and they have strength. Attraction to men like these two is natural. However, I would caution anyone who is quick to follow their example that both these men, while having a form of truth, are not defenders of the Truth.

Christ is Our Wisdom and Truth

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:23, 24

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

If you have watched Shapiro you will know that is a Jew. I don't doubt that much of his intellectual strength is because of the worldview he lives out but apart from the glaring reality of the need for belief in Christ he fails to hold his opponents accountable by any real justifiable grounds. This error is done by Crowder also. Both men are correct that we cannot trust feelings as the arbiter of truth but both fail to give the grounds for why it is that reason itself is reliable. In a video by Crowder entitled Real Conversations: There are Only Two Genders | Change my Mind Crowder calmly seeks to dismantle the erroneous thinking of a young man by reasoning that feelings are subjective. This is true. But, Mr. Crowder cannot provide why reasoning should be trusted. Shapiro, in interviews about his faith, has stated he does not appeal to the Bible to defend his positions. Sad day. Both men make this error.  If your grounds for there being only two genders, for example, is not rooted in the revelation of God you are providing nothing that will win over the other side. Whatever they are won over to is not Christianity but a kind of emasculated, fruitless, conservatism. That is, it is a method that drains the nutrients from the seed and sprays them on the ground hoping to sprout new life when all it does is fertilize the choking plants. If the word of God is stripped from its saving power we are only adding knowledge upon knowledge, a folly. Men don't need more knowledge to know that men are men and women are women, God has provided that already and it is plain and evident. Those who suppress these truths do not need more evidence, they need revelation. 

The Image of God

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Romans 1:18, 19

We are image bearers. Man cannot not worship. That to which you look is that which you become. When God commanded man not to cast idols and worship them or any graven image the heart of this command has to do with image bearing. Man is the image of God. Therefore, to seek any other image for knowledge is to displace ourselves from the God we are meant to display. This was the error in the Garden. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" (Gen. 3:6). Man's problem is not one that is primarily of a lack of knowledge but a substitution of authority. Those who reject God's truth in creation are only doing so because they have rejected him. They worship images in creation not the God in whose image they are made. So, when Crowder is appealing to logic against feelings his appeal often does catch some off guard who are accustomed to trusting feelings but he has still not changed the grounds for truth. Whether it be reason or feelings as the means to knowing truth both are fundamentally arguments from autonomy. They are two different branches of a man-centered worldview. When Christians fall into this I don't doubt the sincerity of their confession as much as I hurt for their need of men of strength and wisdom to lead by example. If our grounds for truth is not found and defended from the truth that God is and God has spoken we are not arguing from a God-centered worldview but a man-centered worldview. We do not meet man on neutral ground to win him over by facts in hopes to factually present God and Christ to him. Remember, man suppresses the truth in unrighteousness. What is needed is a dismantling of arguments and calling men back to the God, whom they have been defying in their rebellion, through Christ. No one comes to the Father except through the Son. Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ.

Conclusion: Christ is Always Relevant

I feel for anyone who has found it hard to present the gospel in what seems like an unfitting context. I've been there. But, friend, I hope to encourage you in this: Christ always fits the context. "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (Jn. 1:3, 4). Since all things were made by, to, for, and through Christ it is always the case that Christ is to be appealed to whether it be for arguments of reason or feeling. All things were made through him and we are made in the image of God. Therefore, Christ is always the authority of truth no matter the subject. All arguments, really, are arguments of authority and it is always our responsibility not to subvert Christ's authority and exalt man's. This is the error of modern conservatism. This conservatism has "a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Tim. 3:5). Sharing the gospel is always awkward. Sharing it apart from the fact that men are in rebellion to God is really awkward. Presenting 'facts' to win over others to conservatism is folly. So, as the need is ever present for engaging the false religions of the world do be wise and do be strong but not from the basis of man-centered glory but from the "glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn. 1:14).

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27

Crowder Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtftZPL-k7Y

Further Reading:

Christian Apologetics, Cornelius Van Til

Covenantal Apologetics, K. Scott Oliphint

By This Standard, Greg Bahnsen