Responding to Megan Basham's Latest Claims

Gavin Ortlund responds to further critiques from Megan Basham.

Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville.

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00:00 - Introduction
06:51 - My View of Marriage
09:15 - 1) Misdirection
10:33 - 2) Inadequate Replies
16:34 - 3) Gaslighting
19:36 - 1) Don't Be Discouraged
21:51- 2) Dialogue?
22:51 - 3) Moving On...

[jtbasener]

I am a teenager going into college for whom you've been an unceasingly present source of truth, hope, and encouragement since last September. You have done more good for me than you may know and I am so grieved to hear about the division among our family that is happening right now. We're all with you and praying for you that your ministry may be the uniting source that it was made to be. Thank you, dear Dr. Gavin Ortlund!

[LiamSGue]

I’m really disappointed in Not the Bee posting this stuff. It’s really frustrating to see conservative (theologically) Christians attacking their own.

[melaniejohnson]

Hang in there, Dr. Ortlund. Thank you for standing for the truth.

[fndrr]

Gavin, I disagree with you completely on climate change but the way you are being treated is ridiculous. You’ve kept your composure well through all this, it saddens me to see people that I wouldn’t have expected to go after you.

[Terrylb]

A lie can get around the world before truth can get her boots on.

[caleb.lindsay]

i know you're not asking for it, but SO MANY people are defending you as much as we can. i know you're not perfect and don't deserve a pedestal, but you still deserve just treatment. God bless you, man! your channel and character have lit a fire in my soul for Church History and 100% increased my charity and introspection.

[geothepoly]

As someone who is disagrees with mainstream climate change narratives, the amount of slander against you is insane

[priscillagharai]

Your closing comment, “what to do now? Take your daughter out to ice cream…” has me in tears. My blood has been boiling the past 48 hours over this - my ability to be present has certainly been impacted by it, and I’m so encouraged to hear this update. We have personally been the target of Megan’s tribe’s tactics (which you very graciously articulated) for years at our church (she’s also specifically, similarly critiqued us), so this feels like it hits close to home. I’ve been afraid to affirm or comment because of how they may twist and take out of context anything and everything - but your clarification has given us courage. The tactics can be ruthless, they are relentless at times - and they lead to a season of the most disillusionment I’ve ever experienced in my faith. The discovery of your ministry a year ago has been the strongest force for recovering and restoring the faith that they nearly broke. Thank you for encouraging us in your steadfastness. We will continue praying for you and all the other faithful pastors/theologians impacted by this book, as well as for their own softened hearts. This is a distraction from the commission Christ has left us with, but you are lovingly, patiently pointing us back to it in the midst of this. I can’t help but think of the “persecuting zeal” referenced in chapter 3 of CS Lewis, “Reflections on the Psalms” getting the best of many in the church here. Keep looking up, brother.

[m.r.]

This is crazy! Megan is calling you out for selling out, but she is literally not following what the Bible says we should do stay in unity as brothers and sisters in Christ.

[paper_pirate]

While I am dissappointed in the greater "conservative" Christian community's lack of discernment, I can't say I'm surprised. Many want to uphold a sensationalized, politicized culture war against the "woke mob" instead of pursuing critiques that are full of truth and love. Practically, it also shouldn't be surprising that Megan wouldn't be concerned with faithful representation when she works for a company that profits off of sensationalism and politicization.

Please don't misunderstand me: there are plenty of prevailing cultural ideas that are incompatible with a biblical worldview and should be critiqued. But the way that many people have gone about their critiques, particularly over the last 4 years, have frankly been unacceptable. We are witnessing the fruit of the prioritization of political agendas over the prioritization of Christ-honoring critique. If nothing else, this entire ordeal has been a great reminder that Christ is the only one we can trust.

[SummarizeEverything]

Building a strawman and knocking it down is not impressive, it’s just slander.
Megan should be ashamed.

[JoeThePresbapterian]

A similar thing happened a few years ago when Dr. Michael Brown wrote a book and somehow wrongly accused Joseph Prince of some things he had never believed or taught.

Dr. Brown then met Prince, sat down together, apologized, and clarified all things publicly through the internet and acknowledged that he had made a mistake by naming names without firstly reaching out to Prince and asking for his permission.

I think that's an honesty that everyone should expect here from Megan as the author. She is trying to do public discernment, and she needs to come clear firstly by acknowledging her mistake here.

[commanderchair]

Praying for you. There are plenty of brothers and sisters in Christ who see through this garbage and stand by you.

[HiHoSilvey]

Something positive has already come out of it. I have been asking the Lord to help me break my Twitter addiction and the anger it was stirring in my soul. This did iI! I was so appalled by the mocking and name-calling from Christians against Gavin that I was instantly set free from Twitter! How's that for a deliverance testimony?

[bryanbaez]

lol imagine attacking one of the few theologically conservative and formidable intellects in your camp for a simple stance…

[jamesthemuchless]

Absolutely absurd that these people are attacking Dr. Ortlund.

[philipchaisson]

Even though I'm fairly politically conservative, I'm not a big fan of how attached to political conservativism Christians are. Political conservativism is NOT the same thing as doctrinal conservativism.

[JosephAlanMeador]

I truly hope Alisa Childers, Cross Examined, and others have the discernment to speak up about this in support of you Gavin. I don't know Megan's work or ministry, but this is extremely disappointing, this type of disingenuous attack is OF THE WORLD, not of the Kingdom. I'm sure it's selling books, but it's shameful.

[jameskeys]

“X” is the equivalent of America’s bathroom stall wall.

[lindsaysimplified]

I don’t like boogeyman theology and that’s what the crowd this book is popular with has created. Very much an “us verses them” mentality. It’s not at all how the church should operate.