約爾。歐斯丁在“60 Minutes”和“Larry King Live"電視訪談

活出美好- 你现今最美好的生活：美国式榮華福音中的迷失

約爾‧歐斯丁（Joel Osteen）

榮華的故事：案例研究

麥可‧何頓 博士

本文是麥可‧何頓博士，在2007年10月14日接受美國“六十分鐘”電視專訪後，

所發表的系列文章之一。

Joel Osteen and the Glory Story: A Case Study

Michael S. Horton, Ph.D.

This article is a part of a collection of essays written recently by Dr. Horton

after his interview on 60 Minutes which aired on October 14, 2007.

譯者：唐興

英文原文載於：http://www.wscal.edu/faculty/wscwritings/horton.osteen/glorystory.php
（本文中文版權屬於：歸正網絡翻譯團契RITF所有，歡迎轉載）

不論它是叫做“指明它，宣告它（name it, claim it）”；“健康及財富（health-and-wealth）”或“成功福音（prosperity gospel）”：這些都是一種異端的別名，從許多方面看來，這可能是今日較為普遍的美國基督教最具代表性的焦點，一種極端的版本。基本上，神是為了你和你的快樂而存在。神爲了你生活中想要的東西，訂定了一些規範和原則，如果你遵行就可以得著你所想所求。只要“指明它，宣告它”成功就會臨到你。(1) 神就像是屬於個人的購物機。

"Name it, claim it"; the "health-and-wealth" or "prosperity gospel" : these are nicknames for a heresy that in many respects is only an extreme version of perhaps the most typical focus of American Christianity today more generally. Basically, God is there for you and your happiness. He has some rules and principles for getting what you want out of life and if you follow them, you can have what you want. Just “declare it” and prosperity will come to you. (1) God as Personal Shopper.

雖然，明顯鼓吹倡導“成功福音”的人，也許比其影響力所暗示的要少，但那些大名鼎鼎之士和暢銷書的作者們 (T. D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, and Joyce Meyer)，卻成為加添奇異美國風味的非基督教世界觀的經銷商。基本上，這乃是十七世紀，從修道士成為教會改革家的馬丁路德所稱的“榮華的神學（the theology of glory）”：神在苦難以後應許我們榮耀，我如何能夠攀爬梯子得著現今的光榮呢？相對於此的是“十字架的神學”：就是那個神以極大的代價，憐憫地向我們俯就的故事，那個使徒保羅承認是令人討厭，和希臘人認為愚拙的信息。

Although explicit proponents of the so-called “prosperity gospel” may be fewer than their influence suggests, its big names and best-selling authors (T. D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, and Joyce Meyer) are purveyors of a pagan worldview with a peculiarly American flavor. It’s basically what the sixteenth century German monk turned church reformer Martin Luther called the “theology of glory”: How can I climb the ladder and attain the glory here and now that God has actually promised for us after a life of suffering? The contrast is the “theology of the cross”: the story of God’s merciful descent to us, at great personal cost, a message that the Apostle Paul acknowledged was offensive and “foolish to Greeks.”

約爾‧歐奧斯丁：沉長歌曲中的一句歌詞
Joel Osteen: Another Verse of a Really Long Song

約爾‧歐斯丁的暢銷書：“活出美好：發展內在潛力的七個訣竅，”令人驚奇的成功，明顯的看出：美國人被這種形式的“榮華的故事”所吸引。除了他和藹迷人的個性，平易近人的風格以外，歐斯丁驚人的吸引力，毫無疑問的，與他那種美國福音簡單撫慰的配料有關：沒有經過任何正式的訓練，他挑選和混合了基督教和文化上的一些元素，而這位從浸信會信仰轉變為成功福音的傳道人，卻成為“三一傳播網（Trinity Broadcasting Network）”最受歡迎的人物。然而，“成功”電視福音所具有的那種奇特怪異的夸張，以及其華麗的風格和激動的修辭，都消失不見了。

The attraction of Americans to this version of the “glory story” is evident in the astonishing success of Joel Osteen’s runaway best-seller, Your Best Life Now: Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential. Beyond his charming personality and folksy style, Osteen’s phenomenal attraction is no doubt related to his simple and soothing sampler of the American gospel: a blend of Christian and cultural elements that he picked up not through any formal training, but as the son of a Baptist-turned-prosperity evangelist who was a favorite on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). However, gone are the eccentric caricatures of “prosperity” televangelism, with its flamboyant style and over-the-top rhetoric.

在宗教和屬靈事物的“華爾超市（Wal-Mart）”世代，每個獨特的教義和任何教派的特徵都被淡化了。我們不會（至少不會明顯的）聽到我們是“小神,”是“神的一部分,”或基督的寶血是醫治和成功發達的護身符。他父親那一代奇特的教導，仍然定期會在電視福音上聽到，但是並沒有深入的探討。事實上，任何教導都沒有深度的探討。歐斯丁仍然使用“健康和財富”福音的傳揚者，那些不知所云的言語：“宣告它,”“說出來,”“要求它,”等等， 但是卻沒有那些夸大的，電視套裝的醫治說詞。這位美國德州休斯頓，湖木教會的牧師，是“康百客中心（Compaq Center）”的主人。他不像那些擁有私人飛機和遊艇，光顯亮麗的福音牧師們一樣的來到我們面前，而是像隨時說好話，和藹可親的鄰舍。

In the Wal-Mart era of religion and spirituality, every particular creed and any denominational distinctives get watered down. We don’t hear (at least explicitly) about our being “little gods,” “part and parcel of God,” or the blood of Christ as a talisman for healing and prosperity. The strange teachings of his father’s generation, still regularly heard on TBN, are not explored in any depth. In fact, nothing is explored in any depth. Osteen still uses the telltale lingo of the health-and-wealth evangelists: “Declare it,” “speak it,” “claim it,” and so forth, but there are no dramatic, made-for-TV healing lines. The pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, which now owns the Compaq Center, does not come across as a flashy evangelist with jets and yachts, but as a charming next-door-neighbor who always has something nice to say.

雖然在電視的社會心理學上才華洋溢，約爾‧歐斯丁卻非獨一無二。事實上，他那種成功福音教導的顯明節奏，傳講的用辭和氣氛，在多數的大型教會中是很難被察覺到的。約爾‧歐斯丁是 “健康和財富”福音（health-and wealth gospel）的新生代。這一回，它成了主流。

Although remarkably gifted at the social psychology of television, Joel Osteen is hardly unique. In fact, his explicit drumbeat of prosperity (word-faith) teaching is communicated in the terms and the ambiance that might be difficult to distinguish from most megachurches. Joel Osteen is the next generation of the health-and-wealth gospel. This time, it’s mainstream.

就像社區哲學家卡爾‧馬克思所謂的“消費者導向文化”：“只要是堅實的都會融化成空。” 同樣的，宗教也變成了一種日用商品：一種爲了我們自身的福益，可以購買和使用的產品或治療。歐斯丁的信息，是一種道德性和治療性宗教的範例，它也是嬰兒世代的人，無能力在神的審判前悲痛，或無能力在那令人鼓舞，神救贖的憐憫的消息下歡跳，最佳的例證。換句話說，所有的嚴重要性都喪失了，不論是我們的問題的嚴重性或是神奇異的恩典，都喪失了。根據這樣的信息，我們不是無助的罪人，不是邪惡的人需要一種從神而來，單方面的拯救。（美國人，特別是我們嬰兒世代的人，不喜歡壞消息。）也就是說：我們是好人，只需要少許的指導和鼓舞就夠了。

As community philosopher Karl Marx said of a consumer-driven culture, “All that is solid melts into the air.” Religion, too, becomes a commodity—a product or therapy that we can buy and use for our personal well-being. Exemplifying the moralistic and therapeutic approach to religion, Osteen’s message is also a good example of the inability of Boomers to mourn in the face of God’s judgment or dance under the liberating news of God’s saving mercy. In other words, all gravity is lost—both the gravity of our problem and of God’s amazing grace. According to this message, we are not helpless sinners—the ungodly—who need a one-sided divine rescue. (Americans, but especially we Boomers, don’t take bad news well.) Rather, we are good people who just need a little instruction and motivation.

“輕省的律法”：儘你的力量去做，從憂傷中拯救出來。
“Law-Lite”: Salvation From Unhappiness By Doing Your Best

歐斯丁的信息中，沒有講到被定罪是因為無法滿足神公義的律法。從另方一面看，他也沒有講到稱義。他的信息，遠離了這兩個主題，存在著一種處於兩者之間的樂觀道德主義：你儘力去做，照著我的教導去做，神就會使你的生活一帆風順。他雖警告：“不要消極的坐在那裡，”卻以一種輕柔的懇求暗示，要遵行他忠告唯一的理由是：這是有利於我們的所求所想。神是我們的好朋友和夥伴，祂的存在主要是爲了我們的快樂。“你做你的那一部分，神就會做祂那一部分。”(2) 歐斯丁說：“我們的確有錯，但好消息是：儘管如此，神仍然愛我們。”(3) 這樣，就等於不接受神對我們的自義，所做的公義判決，並且否定了要為稱義而奔向基督。歐斯丁勸告讀者，要拒絕虧欠和定罪。(4) 然而，當神對我生命的悅納和祝福，是完全取決於我遵行祂誡命的程度之時，要達到完全沒有虧欠和定罪是困難的。“你只要順服祂的誡命，祂就會改變事物，使你得益處。”(5) 就只要這樣：“…只要順服祂的誡命。”

There is no condemnation in Osteen’s message for failing to fulfill God’s righteous law. On the other hand, there is no justification. Instead of either message, there is an upbeat moralism that is somewhere in the middle: Do your best, follow the instructions I give you, and God will make your life successful. “Don’t sit back passively,” he warns, but with a gentle pleading suggests that the only reason we need to follow his advice is because it’s useful for getting what we want. God is a buddy or partner who exists primarily to make sure we are happy. “You do your part, and God will do his part.” (2) “Sure we have our faults,” he says, but “the good news is, God loves us anyway.” (3) Instead of accepting God’s just verdict on our own righteousness and fleeing to Christ for justification, Osteen counsels readers simply to reject guilt and condemnation.(4) Yet it is hard to do that successfully when God’s favor and blessing on my life depend entirely on how well I can put his commands to work. “If you will simply obey his commands, He will change things in your favor.”(5) That’s all: “…simply obey his commands.”

所有的事都要靠我們，然而卻是輕省的。我們不禁懷疑，他是否經歷過困惑的危機，或是道德上的失敗，使得他赤裸地站在神的面前。歐斯丁似乎認為：我們基本上是良善的人，並且神有一個非常簡單的方法，讓我們可以拯救自己- 不是從神審判中的拯救，而是藉著祂的協助，從我們生活上失敗中的拯救。他說：“你的每個善行，神都會記錄下來，”以為這是一個好消息。“在你有需要之時，因為你的慷慨大方，神將會移山挪海，確切的使你得到照顧。 (6)

Everything depends on us, but it’s easy. One wonders if he has ever had a crisis of doubt or moral failure that stripped him naked in God’s presence. Osteen seems to think that we are basically good people and God has a very easy way for us to save ourselves—not from his judgment, but from our lack of success in life—with his help. “God is keeping a record of every good deed you’ve ever done,” he says—as if this is good news. “In your time of need, because of your generosity, God will move heaven and earth to make sure you are taken care of.” (6)

這也許是“輕省的律法，”但是不要把它弄錯了：避開了所有關於神的憤怒的議題下，在這種興盛福音主義的背後，是一種把福音同化為律法的決心，把得勝的宣告轉化為得勝的呼召，把祝福的描述轉變為律法的命令，把好消息轉化為好方法。壞消息也許不像以前那樣壞，但是好消息卻只是壞消息的一種較為柔軟的形式而以：多去做。但是，這一回是輕省的！你如果失敗了，不要擔心。神只要你儘量去做，祂會打理剩下的事。

It may be “Law Lite,” but make no mistake about it: behind a smiling Boomer Evangelicalism that eschews any talk of God’s wrath, there is a determination to assimilate the gospel to law, an announcement of victory to a call to be victorious, indicatives to imperatives, good news to good advice. The bad news may not be as bad as it used to be, but the good news is just a softer version of the bad news: Do more. But this time, it’s easy! And if you fail, don’t worry. God just wants you to do your best. He’ll take care of the rest.

這樣，誰還需要基督呢？至少，誰還需要基督是“神的羔羊，除去世人的罪”（約1:29）呢? 雖然在信息中，律法的刺痛也許被拿掉了，但是福音的要求，也就變得鬆散了，那些鼓勵人的律法勸告，只是要使我們快樂而以，並不是要以神的聖潔來衡量我們。

So who needs Christ? At least, who needs Christ as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29)? The sting of the law may be taken out of the message, but that only means that the gospel has become a less demanding, more encouraging law whose exhortations are only meant to make us happy, not to measure us against God’s holiness.

所以，當許多支持者見證他這種較為柔軟，和藹可親的基督教版本，與他們年輕時那種律法式的責罵有所不同之時，其唯一真正的區別，乃在於神的規則或原則變得比較輕省，都是講到關於快樂的事，並沒有使人與從我們罪中拯救我們的神和好。在那種治療性的氛圍下，罪被認為是我們沒有活出我們的潛能，而不是虧欠了神的榮耀。我們必須信靠自己，這種“罪”的工價，是忽略了我們現今生命中的最美好。但這仍然是一種延綿不斷的勸告、要求、和負荷：跟隨我的步伐，我就保證你的生命將會得祝福。

So while many supporters offer testimonials to his kinder, gentler version of Christianity than the legalistic scolding of their youth, the only real difference is that God’s rules or principles are easier and it’s all about happiness here and now, not being reconciled to a holy God who saves us from ourselves. In its therapeutic milieu, sin is failing to live up to our potential, not falling short of God’s glory. We need to believe in ourselves and the wages of such “sins” is missing out on our best life now. But it’s still a constant stream of exhortation, demands, and burdens: follow my steps and I guarantee your life will be blessed.

2006年時代雜誌中的一篇報道，觀察到歐斯丁的成功，甚至觸及到能些較為傳統的更正教範圍，它舉出一個例子：一所路德宗教會，竟然在他們復活節前的四旬節期中，學習“活出你的美好”這本書，而此時正是，作者寫到：“耶穌處於祂生命中最糟的時候。”曾經被十字架神學所堅立的教會，如今，在美國流行屬靈風潮的氛圍下，卻屈從於榮華的神學。我們如同在自我陶醉的道德主義海洋中游泳：這是一種“輕音樂”型，自我拯救的救恩。

A TIME story in 2006 observed that Osteen’s success has reached even more traditional Protestant circles, citing the example of a Lutheran church that followed Your Best Life Now during Lent, of all times, “when,” as the writer notes, “Jesus was having his worst life then.” Even churches formally steeped in a theology of the cross succumb to theologies of glory in the environment of popular American spirituality. We are swimming in a sea of narcissistic moralism: an “easy-listening” version of salvation by self-help.

這就是所謂的“無論如何，神仍舊愛你”的假福音。基督不須要成為我們的中保，因為神從來不是那麼聖潔，並且我們在道德上也不是那麼邪惡，所以我們就不需要耶穌為了我們而死。神是我們的好朋友。祂只是要我們快樂，聖經是尋找快樂的地圖。

This is what we might call the false gospel of “God-Loves-You-Anyway.” There’s no need for Christ as our mediator, since God is never quite as holy and we are never quite as morally perverse as to require nothing short of Christ’s death in our place. God is our buddy. He just wants us to be happy, and the Bible gives us the roadmap.

我沒有任何理由懷疑那種真誠的動機：要用合宜的信息去接觸非基督徒。然而，我的顧慮是，宣講這種形式的信息，至少在實際上會淡化信心，甚至與信心相違背。從某方面看，它就像是無神論：假設上無天堂，下無地獄，不需要期望“基督會在榮耀中再來，審判活人和死人，”並且建立世上完全的和平。事實上，唯一神論者，佛教徒，或是那些習慣聽“福音就是美國夢”的文化基督徒，都很難在其中找到不愉快的信息。迪斯尼的吉米尼‧柯凱特描述這種情懷：“如果你向天上的星星祈求，你所有的夢想都會成真。”

I have no reason to doubt the sincere motivation to reach non-Christians with a relevant message. My concern, however, is that the way this message comes out actually trivializes the faith at its best and contradicts it at its worst. In a way, it sounds like atheism: Imagine there is no heaven above us or hell below us, no necessary expectation that Christ “will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead” and establish perfect peace in the world. In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find anything in this message that would be offensive to a Unitarian, Buddhist, or cultural Christians who are used to a diet of gospel-as-American-Dream. Disney’s Jiminy Cricket expresses this sentiment: “If you wish upon a star, all your dreams will come true.”

必須澄清的是，我並不是說這是無神論，但從這個意義看卻很奇怪地與無神論相似：它受限於一種今生屬世的專注，以致我們聽不到任何關於神自己的事- 祂的本性和祂創造，救贖之工，或是身體復活和未來的世界。任何過去的事（即：基督的工作）或是未來的事（即：基督在審判中的再來，在永世中使我們身體復活）都無關緊要。也許我沒足夠的去聽他在電視上的談論，但我從未聽到他提及，關於使徒信經中的任何宣告。除了在電視畫面中看到，著迷的觀眾拿著打開的聖經以外，我至今還未聽到他傳講任何一段聖經的經文。難道傳福音不需要講福音嗎？傳揚基督教，不講基督的信息嗎？

To be clear, I’m not saying that it is atheism, but that it sounds oddly like it in this sense: that it is so bound to a this-worldly focus that we really do not hear anything about God himself—his character and works in creation, redemption, or the resurrection of the body and the age to come. Nothing in the past (namely, Christ’s work) nor in the future (namely, Christ’s return in judgment, raising our bodies in everlasting life) really matters. Maybe I haven’t heard enough of his talks on TV, but I have never heard anything that approached a proclamation of any article mentioned in the Apostles’ Creed. Despite the cut-aways of an enthralled audience with Bibles opened, I have yet to hear a single biblical passage actually preached. Is it possible to have evangelism without the evangel? Christian outreach without a Christian message?

如果神是重要的，這就是最瑣細的顧慮- 或至少是僅次於福音所講的真正危機 。 人聽到這種形式的信息後，很容易會覺得我們的得救，不是因為基督為我們所作的順服之工，而是我們藉著主觀“個人與耶穌的關係，”經由我們的一些功德行為，來討神的寵愛和祝福。神已經設立了這些規矩，現在就看我們是否能遵行，以致得到祝福。我想社會學家柯斯丁‧史密斯（Christian Smith）對其有最佳的描述- 這是一種“道德性，治療性的自然神論”：美國式宗教的福音。

If God matters, it is for the most trivial concerns—or at least those quite secondary to the real crisis that the gospel addresses. One could easily come away from this type of message concluding that we are not saved by Christ’s objective work for us, but by our subjective “personal relationship with Jesus” through a series of works that we perform to secure his favor and blessing. God has set up all of these laws and now it’s up to us to follow them so that we can be blessed. I can think of no better illustration of what sociologist Christian Smith has identified as “moralistic, therapeutic deism”: the gospel of American Religion.

新約聖經這樣重複的確認：那些想要靠著他們自己的順服得救的人必須要知道，神不是按照平均值打分數的。除非基督的順服，唯獨藉著信心，算做是我們的成績單，否則我們在神那裡的成績單，會是一個壞消息，不是好消息。神的律法講到：“如果要靠你自己的力量得救，其條件乃是：遵行所有的律法就進天堂；不能遵行就下地獄。”昨日的宗教復興運動家們，自己訂立要遵行的事項，但其基本上有著相同的威脅：“去作，否則死。”另一種親切溫柔的說法就是：“努力的去做，你會更快樂；否則你將會喪失神為你所預備，現今此刻最美的人生。”沒有天堂，沒有地獄；沒有罪的宣告或救恩；沒有基督完全的順服，算做是我們的順服：只要盡力去做。記住，神在記錄你的成績！基督在信息中成為完全無關緊要的事。

As the New Testament repeatedly affirms, those who want to be saved by their own obedience need to know that God doesn’t grade on a curve. His record-keeping is bad news, not good news, unless Christ’s obedient record has been credited to us through faith alone. God’s law says, “If you want to be saved by your own effort, here are the terms: Do all these things and you’ll go to heaven; fail to do them and you’ll go to hell.” The revivalists of yesteryear came up with their own list, but it was basically the same threat: “Do or die.” The kinder, gentler version is, “Try harder and you’ll be happier; fail to do them and you’ll lose out on God’s best for your life here and now.” No heaven, no hell; no condemnation or salvation; no perfect obedience of Christ credited to us: Just do your best. Remember, God is keeping score! Christ becomes totally unnecessary in this message.

歐斯丁反映出，福音派基督徒中普遍的認識：我們得救，是因為我們做了一個決定，要與神建立個人的關係。如果我們的問題是寂寞，好消息是：基督是一個可靠的朋友。如果焦慮是大問題，基督會撫慰我們。基督是維持我們婚姻和家庭的強力膠，祂賜予我們努力向前的目的，我們每日生活所需的智慧。這些需求都具有一半的真理，但它們都不能引導聽者面對他們真正的問題：他們是赤裸地和羞愧地，站在一位聖潔的神的面前，唯一可以被神接納的方法就是從頭到腳，穿上基督的義。

Osteen reflects the broader assumption among evangelicals that we are saved by making a decision to have a personal relationship with God. If one’s greatest problem is loneliness, the good news is that Jesus is a reliable friend. If the big problem is anxiety, Jesus will calm us down. Jesus is the glue that holds our marriages and families together, gives us purpose for us to strive toward, wisdom for daily life. And there are half-truths in all of these pleas, but they never really bring hearers face to face with their real problem: that they stand naked and ashamed before a holy God and can only be acceptably clothed in his presence by being clothed, head to toe, in Christ’s righteousness.

那些傳講“服從，”“實行，”“決心,” 以及 “與神有個人的關係”的福音，都未能了解到，首先，每個人都已經與神有了個人的關係：若不是已被定罪的罪犯，站在一位公義的法官面前；就是被稱義與基督同為後裔，成為父神的兒女。當主要的論述是我的快樂，而不是神的聖潔之時，“我如何面對神？”就不再是問題了。我的顧慮是，約爾‧歐斯丁僅只是，自我拯救的福音傳道者們（self-help evangelists），大排長龍中最近的一位，他投合了美國人對自我拯救的迷戀。救恩不再是講到，神從這個世界的審判中救贖我們，而是為了要得著此刻最美好生命的自我改進。

This gospel of “submission,” “commitment,” “decision,” and “having a personal relationship with God” fails to realize, first of all, that everyone has a personal relationship with God already: either as a condemned criminal standing before a righteous judge or as a justified co-heir with Christ and adopted child of the Father. “How can I be right with God?” is no longer a question when my happiness rather than God’s holiness is the main issue. My concern is that Joel Osteen is simply the latest in a long line of self-help evangelists who appeal to the Native American obsession with pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Salvation is not a matter of divine rescue from the judgment that is coming on the world, but a matter of self-improvement in order to have your best life now.注釋
Footnotes
1 This position is extensively documented in Michael Horton, ed., The Agony of Deceit (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990) [back to text]2 Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential (NY: Warner Books, 2004),41-42 [back to text]3 Ibid., 57 [back to text]4 Ibid., 66 [back to text]5 Ibid., 119 [back to text]6 Ibid., 262 [back to text]

Read other essays in this collection:
· What Ever Happened to Sin? >>
· Are You in God's Story? >>
· Suffering and a Theology of Glory >>
· Doesn't God Want Us to be Happy? >>


譯者注：

1） “60分鐘”電視節目介紹約爾‧歐斯丁
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv8FwssTGCg&NR=1

2）“60分鐘”電視節目介紹約爾‧歐斯丁，訪問麥可‧何頓（Michael Horton）
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEsimWJjg9g&feature=related

3） 對約爾‧歐斯丁在“60分鐘”電視訪談的內容所作的回應：
Some thoughts on the piece 60 Minutes did on Joel Osteen：
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF9aX6W83iY
4）約爾‧歐斯丁在賴瑞‧金恩（Larry King）電視訪談中講到他所信的福音：
Joel Osteen on the gospel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfwYU2pmWYQ&feature=related