One of the figures in current evangelicalism that is very controversial is Rick Warren. Many evangelicals love Rick Warren and many evangelicals have major problems with Rick Warren. Some people see Rick Warren as the arch-heretic. While technically his theology is orthodox (he affirms the Trinity, deity of Christ, salvation by grace, etc.), that does not mean that he can’t be a heretic. I am going to share three reasons why Rick Warren is a heretic.
1) Rick Warren is known for his role in helping the poor, hungry and sick. This of course is a liberal heresy. Christians should only preach spiritual salvation. Once there is assurance of heaven, our job is done. There is no biblical support for Christians helping those who are suffering (Leviticus 19:9-10, Matthew 25:31-46, Galatians 2:10).
2) Rick Warren is known for being too respectful to people of other religions, especially Muslims. Although Rick Warren does affirm salvation by Jesus alone, he is willing to work with Muslims on certain projects and is respectful towards them when he talks to them. This of course is unacceptable. Christians should blast people of other faiths and use every opportunity to destroy their false beliefs. Our job is not to connect with other people, our job is to argue how correct we are and how foolish everyone else is. The fact that Muslims keep coming back to Rick Warren and are willing to hear what he says tells us that he is not being harsh enough. There is no biblical support for being respectful toward people of other faiths and of building bridges where we have things in common (Acts 17:22-34).
3) Rick Warren is far too popular and respected by non-Christians. He is often found on secular talk shows and news programs. Non-Christians, instead of hating him, seem to respect him. This is a clear indication that something is wrong. A person’s orthodox theology can be measured directly by how much they are hated by non-Christians. If non-Christians like you, you must be a heretic. True preachers of the gospel are despised by non-Christians and are continually mocked. There is no biblical support for Christians being respected by non-Christians (Acts 2:46-47, 5:13).
This proves that Rick Warren is a heretic. If you are confused by my arguments, please look up the Bible quotations.