by Tony Rucinski, Coalition for Marriage
I had a profoundly important discussion about toxic empathy with Dr Joe Rigney, theologian, pastor and author of The Sin of Empathy. His warnings about the misuse of empathy are urgent. His analysis has sharp relevance for marriage today. Do have a listen to our full discussion here:
Dr Rigney explains that empathy, when untethered from truth and goodness, becomes a tool of manipulation. He warns that churches, in a desire to please the progressive gaze, have muted biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality. They have instead adopted a compassion defined by liberal ideology rather than by scripture. The result is compromise, capitulation and decline. Some denominations that embraced such sentiment now fly the ‘Pride’ flag and solemnise same-sex unions. This is a vivid example of empathy leading directly to doctrinal collapse.