Territorial Spirits and World Evangelisation?
A biblical, historical and missiological critique of Strategic-Level Spiritual Warfare
By Chuck Lowe. Christian Focus Publications/OMF. 191 pages.
ISBN 1 857 92 399 5
At last, something very close to a comprehensive critique of the 'Territorial Spirits' theory has been written! The author has served with OMF at Singapore Bible College since 1984, where he teaches New Testament interpretation, theology and preaching, and has been an OMF theological researcher since 1995.
Lowe shows clearly that theory of Strategic-Level Spiritual Warfare (SLSW), articulated most persuasively by Peter Wagner, is part of a trend which reduces the entire spiritual life to little more than techniques and methodology. Whereas the Church Growth movement attempted this within a mechanistic 'modernity', SLSW attempts this within a 'spiritistic post-modernity'.
In the course of this examination, Lowe diligently ploughs through the 'pillars' of SLSW, uprooting them one by one. The two key areas of controversy which the author examines are:
1. An alleged new category of demons called 'Territorial Spirits' and extra-biblical data from the intertestamental period, medieval Christianity and animism.
2. The new style of spiritual warfare directed heavenwards against such spirits, together with examples of actual church growth alleged to result from the practice of SLSW.
Although on the whole this material is excellent and easily validates the author's thesis, I did feel that the examination of this material was not as comprehensive as the cover-blurb maintains. For instance, the alleged happenings connected with the so-called 'Bermuda Triangle' are not mentioned. Nevertheless, once the principles are grasped, comprehensiveness is not absolutely necessary and, indeed, the assumptions of SLSW are in the end totally undermined by Lowe's critique.
I was less happy with Lowe's equivocal approach toward the relevant Old Testament passages (pp. 30-36). For instance, after reviewing the opinions of academics on some of the Old Testament passages, Lowe seemed repeatedly reluctant to come up with any definitive conclusions as to what any of these passages might actually be saying. Unfortunately, equivocation of this kind is a common fate for Bible college lecturers. Even worse, for me, was his unwillingness to affirm the historicity of Jude's account of the rebuke to Satan addressed by the archangel Michael (p.49).
However, the author's understanding of spiritual warfare as taught in the New Testament (summarised by him in chapter 4, pp. 59-73) was one of the most helpful summaries of this subject I have ever encountered and made me realise the extent to which I had personally shifted from the centre-point under the pressure of the false emphases around today. Indeed, I felt heavily challenged to return to base!
Furthermore, the author does not rest content with demolishing the foundations of SLSW, he also makes plain the errors in attitudes to spiritual warfare prevalent among modern evangelicals.
Chapter 9 (pp. 129-141), which discusses the experiences of James Fraser, the CIM/OMF missionary to Lisuland in the Yunnan province of China, is particularly exciting and the Conclusion (pp. 143-151) is excellent.
I wish I could place a copy of this book into the hands of everyone I know who has been influenced by wrong emphases in spiritual warfare. There is so much crucial teaching in this book. Yes, buy it! Read it! And most of all, do take time over it!
