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Examples of Theological Simplification in Evangelical Literature

The concept of "simplicity" in evangelical literature often emphasizes straightforwardness in faith and conduct, contrasting with perceived complexities or worldly wisdom. This understanding is rooted in biblical passages that commend a childlike faith and sincerity [1]. For instance, Jesus's instruction in Matthew 18:2-3, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," is often cited to underscore the necessity of simplicity [1].

In the context of preaching the Gospel, simplicity is encouraged, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 2:3-7, which describes Paul's ministry as free from deceit or impure motives [1]. Similarly, acts of benevolence are to be performed with simplicity, as exhorted in Romans 12:8 [1]. This extends to all aspects of Christian conduct, opposing "fleshly wisdom" (2 Corinthians 1:12) and encouraging believers to be "wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil" (Romans 16:19) [1]. The Torrey's Topical Textbook further notes that those who possess the grace of simplicity are made wise and preserved by God, benefiting from His word and instruction [1].

Theological simplification can also be observed in discussions about prayer. The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is presented as a model of simplicity, standing in contrast to "pagan wordiness" or "endless repetition" [11]. This perspective suggests that God is not swayed by elaborate or verbose prayers, but by sincere and direct communication [11]. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, also touched on the idea of "vain repetitions," interpreting them as praying for "vain things" rather than the act of repetition itself [13].

While evangelical literature often champions simplicity, the broader Christian tradition, including Eastern Orthodoxy, has also engaged with the concept. Chrysostom, for example, discusses the "economy of the Apostles" in their approach to the Law, suggesting a strategic simplification or adaptation for the benefit of those they taught [5]. He also notes the "scarcity of books" in his time, which might have necessitated a more direct and accessible presentation of Christian teachings [4]. However, Chrysostom's extensive homilies and detailed theological arguments demonstrate that simplicity does not necessarily equate to a lack of depth or intellectual rigor in Christian thought [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14]. The emphasis is often on clarity and accessibility for the hearer, rather than a reduction of theological content.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Simplicity — Is opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Necessity for -- Mt 18:2,3. Should be exhibited In preaching the gospel. -- 1Th 2:3-7. In acts of benevolence. -- Ro 12:8. In all our conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. Concerning our own wisdom. -- 1Co 3:18. Concerning evil. -- Ro 16:19. Concerning malice. -- 1Co 14:20. Exhortation to -- Ro 16:19; 1Pe 2:2. They who have the grace of Are made wise by God. -- Mt 11:25. Are made wise by the word of God. -- Ps 19:7; 119:130. Are preserved by God. -- Ps 116:6. Made circumspect by instruction. -- Pr 1:4. Profit by the correction o”
  2. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: repetition, 448 , 451 ; the weakness of, shown, and they abolished ere Christ came, 451 ; of Christians, 420 ; all their rites heavenly, 434 ; their own souls, 420 ; shadowed out in Old Testament too, ib. ; the martyr's body and soul, ib. ; voluntary poverty is also a whole burnt-offering, ib. ; those of Cornelius, ib. Saint, every Christian a, in faith, 416 . Saints, if weighed against whole world, avail more, 475 , 489 ; some say we cannot be as the, 487 ; friends of God, 475 , 476 , 489 ; how great their virtue, 490 ; gladly wait for us, 491 , 49”
  3. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: dead.” ( Rom. i. 4 .) But that the resurrection is easy too, has been shown even to those who are very unbelieving, from the might of the Worker of it. Since then the righteousness is greater, and light and easy to receive, is it not a sign of the utmost contentiousness to leave what is light and easy, and set about impossibilities? For they could not say that it was a thing they declined as burdensome. See then how he deprives them of all excuse. For what do they deserve to have said in their defence, who choose what is burdensome and impracticable,”
  4. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: and reward, 58 ; comes by hearing, 210 . Books, scarcity of, 38 ; generally neglected at Antioch, or only kept for show and ornament, 114 ; written in letters of gold, on fine parchments, ib. Bosom, of the Father, implies Unity of Essence, 52 ; and Coeternity, 53 . Branches, signify our need of Grace, and of union with Christ, 279 ; the fruitless perish, 280 ; are true disciples, ib. Bread of life, said only of Christ's Godhead, 161 ; of His doctrines, and of His Body, 165 . Brethren, of Christ, did not profit by their relation to Him, 75 ; believed”
  5. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: 162 ; his fiery darts are doubts, 169 ; and evil desires and sharp sorrows, 169 ; to be slain by keeping the commandments, 169 . Dispensation of grace, 76 . Drunkenness, excludes from Heaven, 69 ; its temporal ill effects, 138 . Earnest, the meaning of the word explained, 56 ; see Spirit . Economy, of the Apostles about the Law, 15 ; to be beneficial to the objects of it, must be concealed from them, 16 ; of St. Paul in circumcising Timothy, 16 . Education in Scripture remedies that in the Classics, 154 ; consists in nurture, see”
  6. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: God, we Christians hold for an oath.” 1387 “There is some little sensuality in being tempted.” Bp. Taylor on Repentance, c. 5. sect. 6. §4. t. 8, p. 494. 1388 An instance of the rhetorical arrangement he admires in the Apostle. His object is of course to make men patient under reproaches even when partly deserved, and he thus takes them by surprise. 1389 See on Rom. xii. 20 , Hom. 22, which illustrates the subsidiary use of inferior motives.”
  7. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: 472 ; near, 463 ; the Judge will be there, 509 ; sins of all publicly displayed then except we do them away by continual remembrance of them, 508 , 509 ; in that day the poor man will deliver thee, 421 ; proof that end of world is nigh, 463 ; end of all at hand, day of each one's death yet nearer, ib. ; we shudder at end, as if going to, 475 ; special account then taken of purity, 476 ; Judgments mentioned in his day, 472 ; common, of all indisputable, 503 . Jugglers' sleights, 445 . Lace, a superfluity, 496 . Lady, walking with few attendants attra”
  8. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: appeared to do so, 19 ; instructed not to spurn the Gentiles, 77 ; his deliverance from prison by the Angel, 86 , 89-90 . Poverty the lot of the Christian, 46 . Prayer, the Lord's Prayer, how it should affect us, 120-21 ; prayer unceasing required in Christians, and watchfulness, 169 ; exemplified in the Canaanitish woman, the importunate widow, ib. ; and in Hannah, 170 . Presence, real, of Christ in the Eucharist, 63-64 . Priests, may be understood under the term "Angels," 8 , 28 . Prison, the blessedness of it for Christ's sake”
  9. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: sections are numbered throughout: where the division seemed to be inconvenient, the number is given in the margin. In the earlier Homilies a second series of numbers is employed to mark the sections in the translation; this was discontinued as unnecessary, and the Benedictine only retained. In some of the references to the Psalms, where the Septuagint differs much from the Hebrew, the numbers given are those of the Greek. Care will be taken in the Index of Texts to give always the reference to the Psalm and Verse according to the Hebrew reckoning fo”
  10. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: angels by the Church, 80 ; the union of Christ and the Church so called, 146 . Natural, what acts are so called, 73 . Nature, does not force man to sin, 57 . Necessity, not to be pleaded in excuse for sin, 57 . Nineveh, its repentance an example to us, 101-2 . Novatians, denied repentance to the lapsed, 25 (note) . Oaths, not necessary to beget confidence, 62 . Obedience, slight breach of, punishable, 7 . Passover, its historical and mystical meaning, 165 ; how kept by Israelites, how to be kept by Christians, 165 . Paul, St., fo”
  11. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:7: 6:7-8 God cannot be coaxed by endless repetition. The Lord’s Prayer (6:9-13) is a model of simplicity in contrast with pagan wordiness.”
  12. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: [see Disciples ]. Applause, in Church, 10 . Arius, heresy of, refuted by Christ's indwelling in His disciples, 304 . Article, the, why added in the phrase, "The Word," 7 , 8 ; omission of, sometimes unimportant, 17 , 18 ; distinguishes Christ from all, 64 . "As," expressing agreement not comparison, 41 ; said of the Father and the Son implies their equality, of men not so, 303 , 304 . Asa, his gout a punishment for sin, 132 . Babel, an example of mischievous agreement, 206 . Baptism, promise at, 4 ; gift of the Spirit in, 36 ; regeneration in, 37 ; ”
  13. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: to good men, no protection to the wicked, ib. ; earthly, useless without the spiritual, 89 . Repentance, its efficacy to procure pardon, 50 ; to avert judgment, 121 ; is the not doing the same again, ib. ; great difficulty of, 260 ; a source of hope, 295 . Repetitions, vain, consist in praying for vain things, 157 . Reproach, to be borne patiently, after the example of Christ, 312 ; injures only the author, ib. Reserve, in teaching doctrine, 13 , 93 ; of John Baptist, 105 ; and Paul, ib. Resurrection, the, implied in Christ, "The Life," 22 ; of Chri”
  14. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: ; shown in our learning and believing voluntarily, 162 ; consistent with God's "drawing," 164 . Frugality, the mother of health, 79 . Fullness of Christ's Grace, 2 . Funerals, great folly of expense at, 321 ; vainglorious, ib. ; moderation in, a proof of faith in the Resurrection, 322 . Futurity, knowledge of, universally coveted, 288 ; foresight of, belongs to God only, 289 . Games, attention paid to, 1 , 38 . Galileans, general dullness of, 70 ; received Christ, but after sight of miracles, 123 . Garden, the, why Christ led the disciples there, 27”
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