I would have put Condi in there. She's an evangelical. If they're going to put Bush in there, they'd best put Condi. Be Seeing You,
Chris
Posted on 04/28/2006 9:01:49 PM PDT by SirLinksalot
The Church Report is pleased to announce this year’s list of The 50 Most Influential Christians in America. Thanks to the readers of the magazine as well as the online readers for contributing over 150,000 nominations. Each of the people on this list is most deserving of this recognition. As with all types of lists, there are those who are not on the list – not because they weren’t deserving – but simply because we did not have enough space to publish a list of the 100 most influential. The staff of The Church Report did not choose this list; rather, we feel that the nominations from Christians across America and around the world are much more meaningful.
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE LIST ( WITH PICTURES AND INTRODUCTION )
I did not know that Dr. Phil is a Christian.
I'm glad that Chuck Colson made the list, as he certainly has had a profound impact on me.
While interesting, I wonder if such a list is really advisable. None of the fine Christian men and women will get into heaven in the order in which they appear on this list. And I know the Church Report people don't believe that, but I'm just not sure I'd want to rank who is most influential, etc.
Lol the Pope #44? I'm not Christian but something tells me
the writer(s) of these "Power Rankings" has a particular agenda.
Ping to read the list later....
It would seem that Pope Benedict XVI would be the most influential because of the number of Catholics in the world.
Definitely a bias/media bias in this list. Sean Hannity above the Pope? What a farce! Sean Hannity is OK, but he would never want to be ranked above Pope Benedict.
I find this extremely interesting. I am somewhat confused as to how they got ranked in that order. SEAN HANNITY is #40 and POPE BENEDICT XVI is #44? Does the producer of this list really think that Sean Hannity(as much as I like him), is really more influential than the Pope?
It makes it a little suspect to me and I am not Catholic.
Great minds think alike :)
"<P.S.S. - Benny Hinn???)"
That one was a shocker to me. He has always reminded me of an opportunistic snake oil salesman.
Definitely. Strange list.
Benny Hinn?
Why would he be there?
A mystery, I guess!
Another thing, President Bush would not want to be ranked before the Pope either.
He's Protestant. To him, the Pope's just another Christian.
Christ. He's still here.
Absolutely! Where is Christ on this list?
What about the Blessed Virgin Mary?
No, I don't think that is true. As heads of state, they have met before. It's more than just the leader of the Catholic Church.
**It's more than just the leader of the Catholic Church.**
meeting the leader of the United States. There is a deep respect. Readings the articles about Bush and even Laura meeting the Pope gives one many details about the respect extended to the Pope.
The Pope's not an American, so it's a little strange to have him on the list. Maybe they didn't want to look very hard for Catholics. More significant is that the old "mainline" Protestant denominations don't show up much on the list -- except maybe Baptists. Are evangelicals and non-evangelicals really that split? Different worlds?
"If you go to the Church Report and click on the link "meet the staff", you will find several names which are also found on the list of the "top 50 Christians"... "
Thanks for pointing that out.
This is part of the staff...
Newt Gingrich...this one was a real good Christian the way he treat his cancerous wife.
Stephen Baldwin......what a nut this one has been for years.
Dr. Paul Crouch, Sr.#6
Joyce Meyer #7
Chuck Colson #10
Dr. Robert H. Schuller #19
Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr.#39
Dr. Phil McGraw #50
hmmmm.....
John MacArthur
John Piper
Chuck Smith
Lambert Dolphin
D James Kennedy
Greg Laurie
Franklin Graham
Billy Graham
RC Sproul
Chuck Missler
I'm no fan of Benny Hinn, but there's no doubt he's influential. I'm not sure the list is, or should be, a commentary on the theologies, whether sound or flawed, of its members, but simply a list on how much "influence" their opinions have over sizable segments of the Christian population, from Catholic to Methodist to Baptist to Evangelical and everything in between.
Then again, there are noticable exceptions going by the critera of influence. What about the Left Behind guys? Oral/Richard Roberts? Jerry Falwell? Pat Robertson? Hal Lindsey? Al Sharpton? Jesse Jackson? Ralph Reed? That foul Bishop Spong? Heck, Reverend Barry Lynn, who just sits and whines on cable about Christianity, and thus provides cover for the increasingly leftwing "mainstream" American Protestant denominations? All these characters are far more influential (unfortunately) than many if not most on that list.
No Antonin Scalia,no Clarence Thomas,no Father Neuhaus,no Mother Angelica,no Father Fessio,no Paul Weyrich,no Scott Hahn,no Sam Alito,no Chief Justice Roberts,no William Buckley,no Phyllis Schlafley,no Michael Novak and Pope Benedict XVI in 44th place????? This list is quite a chuckle.
It's a wierd list, is all I can say. When I saw no Catholics in the top 40, I thought, "Aw, Geez, not this again..."
But no, there are some Catholics way down the list. And hardly the most orthodox (read, Christian) ones, either: Sean Hannity??? (Not that Sean isn't a good Christian! please please please please don't take me the wrong way! It's just WIERD to see him ahead of the POPE! I mean, either count the Pope or don't, but I dare say he had more of an impact on American Catholicism than SEAN HANNITY (??!!!))
Where's John Roberts? Who the heck is that guy at #1? Andm geeessh, McCarrick is yesterday's news...
>> no William Buckley,no Phyllis Schlafley,no Michael Novak <<
... no Kathryn Lopez, no Rod Dreher, no Jonah Goldberg... oh, wait, uh, nevermind. :^)
As an evangelical, a lot of the names do sound "right there" for me. It tilts a lot towards evangelical Christianity. I would probably add Chuck Smith, John MacArthur, and R.C. Sproul to the list.
Still, questions remain. How do they define "Christian"? Do we mean Christendom or the universal church? (They may be synomymous to the world, but the two do have different meanings among evangelical Christians). Some of them like Robert Schuller aren't particularly Christian.
And do we limit Christians that are primarily concerned with evangelism or those who are in public life who also happen to be Christians and whose conducts are obviously tied to Christian beliefs?
Have a look at the response to this list from (evangelical) Christian-oriented Rapture Ready: (note: it is not allowed to link to this thread from RR accordint to their board rules. I think I can link it from this site though):
http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=239265
Interesting that the consensus seems to be not enough genuine Bible-believing teachers. Someone put his top 10 as:
John MacArthur (know him)
Charles Stanley (know him)
Tom Shrader (who?)
D. James Kennedy (know him)
Ed Hindson (I know him, but will be "who?" to many of you here)
Zola Levitt (I know him, but will be "who?" to many of you here)
David Reagan (I know him, but will be "who?" to many of you here)
Jan Markell (who?)
David Jeremiah (I know him, but will be "who?" to many of you here)
Jerry Johnston (who?)
Another poster from a mainline Protestant background (UMC) put his ideas of whom should be on the list. Note his mainline Protestant background shows here - his list reads like who's who of conservative-leaning mainline Protestant Christians:
John Stott
Thomas Oden
Alvin Plantinga
Ben Witherington
The category is "Christians". I'm not sure, logically or theologically that Christ could be called a Christian.
CC&E
CC&E
I think that tells us a lot about this "poll" so to speak.
What's that? Your list?
NOT very many reformed (Calvinist) types. But I guess Chuck Colson and D. James Kennedy ain't bad....
He's a neener. We don't have a list.
I can't swear to it, but I think that Eareckson Tada is a Calvinist.
She shows up at quite a few Calvinist Conventions.
Isn't Brother Cloud on your list? ;-)
The most influential Christians are the ones you see everyday, trying to be good Christians.
You'd have to check with the bureau in Nepal.
hehehe
From what I have seen of Catholics in the US, edicts from the Vatican are treated more like "suggestions" at best and blown off completely in most cases by most average catholics.
I would have put Condi in there. She's an evangelical. If they're going to put Bush in there, they'd best put Condi. Be Seeing You,
Chris
When I saw no Catholics in the top 40, I thought, "Aw, Geez, not this again..."
This here Protestant boy doesn't thing much of that list either. Media driver pop-Christianity.
Who the heck is that guy at #1?
Someone who doesn't hold to the orthodox doctrine of the trinity, so I hear.
Yes, different worlds. One world that embraces gay pastors, does'nt preach too much on personal holiness, and reinterpts scriptures to support whatever will tickle the ears of their social clubs.
The other world is filled with Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ.
They've got some non Christians on there. Did they ever bother to figure out WHAT a Christian IS?
Jan Markell (who?)
Heavy prophecy buff, from the expected D. P. perspective. What would you expect from Rapture Ready?
John Stott
Thomas Oden
Alvin Plantinga
Ben Witherington
Of which I recognize Stott and Pantinga. Point being, everyone's going to have a different list.
The social doctrine that has invaded even the Evengelical Church muddies the water.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.