A Serrated Edge: A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking (Douglas Wilson)

A Serrated Edge

A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking

Satire is a kind of preaching.

And satire pervades Scripture.

Satire, in fact, treats the foibles of sinners with a less than perfect tenderness.

But, if a Christian employs satire today, he is almost immediately called to account for his “unbiblical” behavior. Yet Scripture shows that the central point of some religious controversies is to give offense. When Christ was confronted with ecclesiastical obstinacy and other forms of arrogance, He showed us a godly pattern for giving offense.

In every controversy, godliness and wisdom (or the lack of them) are to be determined by careful appeal to the Scriptures and not to the fact of someone having taken offense. Perhaps they ought to have taken offense, and perhaps someone ought to have endeavored to give it. Wilson does a good job showing how Christ, His Apostles, and the prophets did at times mock religious error as a means of exposing it.

About the Author

Douglas Wilson is Pastor of Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho.  He is author of numerous books on the family, church and various aspects of Western culture and education, including Rules for Reformers. His wife Nancy is also author of several women’s books.

Table of Contents

1. Satiric Bite
2. The Meaning of Arrogance
3. The Satire of Jesus
4. Old Testament Satire and Jabs
5. The Language of Paul
6. Dearlybelovedism
7. ModEvism
8. Spurgeon the Magnificent
9. Objections
10. The Goal of Giving Offense
11. Apathetic Sanctity
12. Tender Mercies

Appendix: Subjective Disrespect, by Douglas Jones

Scripture Index