Taking Sides on Gossip - Recap

In July and August, we embarked on a long (33 posts!) series about the various things people have said about gossip (both for and against).

This post is an index page to the whole series which was drawn from the pages of my doctoral project on the problem of gossip.

I ended that section of the project with this paragraph:

In this chapter, we have learned that, throughout history, many confusing and contradictory things have been said on the topic of gossip. Gossip’s proponents have argued for its inherent goodness and obvious usefulness. Gossip’s opponents have contended that it is wicked and destructive. While both cannot be right, there are things to be learned from both sides. Others have been coy about or unsure if gossip is either good or bad. The ongoing problem of definition, the dynamic expansion of technological means for gossip’s dissemination, and the profitability of gossip as entertainment have only exacerbated the confusion. Even those who are correctly positioned against sinful gossip have struggled to define it clearly or to provide consistently helpful teaching on how to resist it. This is the cultural milieu into which the ministry model described in the next chapter attempts to speak.

That "ministry model in the next chapter" is what is now the book Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue.

Here are all of the posts in this series:

New Series: Taking Sides on Gossip

Evolutionary Scientists and Gossip

Philosophers and Ethicists on Gossip

Literary Scholars and Gossips

Exacerbating the Problem of Gossip

Exploiting Gossip

Ambiguity and Ambivalence about Gossip #1

How to Gossip - by the British Association of Gossipmongers

Gossip and Pastoral Counseling

"The No Gossip Zone" - Business Leaders and Gossip

Educators and Social Workers on Gossip

Jewish Moral Teaching Against Gossip #1: "Lashon Hora"

Jewish Moral Teaching Against Gossip #2: Rules, Rules, Rules

Jewish Moral Teaching Against Gossip #3: Where Forgiveness Comes From

Martin Luther on Gossip

Richard Baxter on Gossip

Jonathan Edwards on Gossip

Charles Simeon on Gossip

Charles Spurgeon on Gossip

Ken Sande on Gossip

Joe Stowell on Gossip

Franklyn Wise on Gossip

Deborah Smith Pegues on Gossip

Jerry Bridges on Gossip

Martha Peace on Gossip

Ray Ortlund Versus Gossip

Brenda Payne Versus Gossip

Rounding Up "Taking Sides on Gossip"

Book Review -- "Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip"

Book Review -- "Overcoming Gossips" by David Kamara

Book Review -- "A Bible Handbook on Slander and Gossip" by Robert Morey

Book Review -- "Gossip and the Gospel" by Timothy Williams

Book Review -- "Stop the Runaway Conversation" by Michael Sedler

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Book Review -- "Stop the Runaway Conversation" by Michael Sedler

Up till now, the best Christian book on gossip (and the only book length treatment that I can heartily endorse) is Stop the Runaway Conversation: Take Control Over Gossip and Criticism by Michael Sedler.[1] Unlike the works analyzed above, this creative and aptly titled book is not primarily about what to do when one is gossiped about or even how to keep from speaking gossip. Instead, Stop the Runaway Conversation is focused on teaching Christians “what to do when others want us to engage in ungodly conversation with them.”[2] Sedler concentrates on the idea of an “evil report. . . . When an individual maliciously injures, damages or discredits another’s reputation or character through the use of words or attitude.”[3] He wants to teach Christians to not defile themselves through receiving evil reports. Sedler repeatedly and effectively emphasizes the contaminating effects of sinful gossip on the hearts of those who listen to it.

Stop the Runaway Conversation has many strengths. Sedler knows his Bible, and it shows. He is at his best when he is telling a story from the scriptures and unpacking its principles and relevant applications. He also illustrates nearly all of the applications with true-to-life and personal stories. Each chapter ends with good discussion questions. Sedler teaches believers about the warning signs of impending gossip,[4] pernicious strategies that gossipers use to seduce listeners and create “false alignments,”[5] and how to recognize when fear has seized control of a conversation.[6]

Sedler offers not only warning but hope. “A bleak and depressing picture? Yes, it is. Unless Jesus Christ is active in our lives we have little hope of escaping the snare of deception. Fortunately we serve a God of second chances. . . . What an awesome and powerful God! He cares deeply for His people.”[7] Sedler offers multiple strategies of what to do instead of receiving evil reports, and there is an entire chapter devoted to being cleansed from the defiling effects of gossip.[8]

The criticisms that I have of Stop the Runaway Conversation are relatively minor and mostly matters of emphasis. At times, Sedler offers definitions that I would want to qualify or nuance. I would also value more teaching on the connection between the heart and words of a gossip. Even though at one point, Sedler offers ten heart motives that might produce gossip, he seems to answer the basic question, “Why do we gossip?” with the answer “confusion.”[9] He seems, at times, to lean towards a “need-based” psychology. I would also like to hear more about how the good news of Jesus Christ counteracts gossip. At times, the gospel seems to be assumed rather than proclaimed.

On balance, however, Stop the Runaway Conversation is a very helpful book. Sedler lovingly challenges believers to be bold for Christ.

You recognize that the conversation is heading towards an ungodly discussion. You follow the suggested approaches found in previous chapters, such as asking questions in an attempt to understand the motivation of the speakers: “Do you need to be telling me this information?” “Have you talked directly with the people involved in this scenario?” So what happens after you have questioned the person and made it clear that you are not interested in being a part of the evil report, but he or she persists in telling you? At this point, you must take a stand.[10]

Amen. No matter what has been said in its defense by its many diverse and creative proponents, by God’s grace and in his power, sinful gossip must be resisted.

---

^[1]Michael Sedler, Stop the Runaway Conversation: Take Control Over Gossip and Criticism (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2001).

^[2]Ibid., 14.

^[3]Ibid., 15.

^[4]Michael Sedler, Stop the Runaway Conversation: Take Control Over Gossip and Criticism (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2001), 22-32.

^[5]Ibid., 59-108.

^[6]Ibid., 109-126.

^[7]Ibid., 156.

^[8]Ibid., 157-175.

^[9]Michael Sedler, Stop the Runaway Conversation: Take Control Over Gossip and Criticism (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2001), 47. It must be noted, however, that Sedler’s definition of confusion is not morally neutral. “Listening to conflicting voices and refusing to submit to the one of higher authority.” (ibid., 47).

^[10]Ibid., 77. In his follow-up book, Sedler helps readers to distinguish between times when silence is golden and when it is not. Michael D. Sedler, When to Speak Up and When to Shut Up (Grand Rapids: Revell, 2003).

***

Since I originally wrote these words, this book has been re-released with a new title and cover: Stopping Words That Hurt: Positive Words in a World Gone Negative.  The first two chapters are currently available online to download.  To my knowledge, the content is the same as before.

***

Note: With this post, we have rounded up our long blog series systematically working through my doctoral research into the literature about the problem of gossip.

My own contribution to the literature, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue will be available on Tuesday from booksellers like these!

Amazon

CLC Book Center

ChristianBook.com

WTSBooks.com

Next Step Resources

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Book Review -- "Gossip and the Gospel" by Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams believes that “any church worth its salt in Jesus will have far more enemies than members.”[1] In fact, a believer can track the gossip and slander to locate a healthy church. “In short, follow the gossip if you want to find a godly church. Any true church of Jesus will be slandered.”[2]

Williams, a former pastor turned self-publishing executive,[3] has obviously experienced the pain of being slandered as a church leader. In Gossip and the Gospel, he tells several stories of accusatory lies being spread about him and the churches that he has led. Williams takes those painful experiences as a mark of being a genuine Christian. “To discover the joy of the narrow road, any seeker of God will have to move way past this huge crowd of gossipers in order to find the true gospel.”[4]

Gossip and the Gospel was written to warn believers of the wickedness and dangers of gossip and slander. “The church has forgotten that gossip is a vile sin before God.”[5] Williams not only speaks from experience but is passionate about scripture and teaches from a broad range of biblical texts. I was greatly aided in my study by looking up, in their contexts, each text that he had quoted throughout the book. Williams offers several helpful insights about gossip, especially what it feels like to be gossiped about,[6] how gossip is often an attack upon authority figures,[7] how we need to trust God when slandered and not always defend ourselves,[8] and how gossip cannot be simply refrained from but must also be replaced with edifying speech.[9]

Williams is very creative. Perhaps the best thing in Gossip and the Gospel is his “recipe” for “Sinfully Rich Choice Morsels.”

1 cup of pride – Proverbs 21:24, 3/4 cup hearsay - Ephesians 4:29, ½ cup evil suspicions – 1 Timothy 6:3-4 . . . 1. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl of betrayal. – Proverbs 16:28, Matthew 26:23, 2. Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil; constantly stirring. – Proverbs 6:14 . . . 5. Sprinkle with the truth (optional). – Romans 1:25 6. Serve hot to itching ears, warm to those not minding their own business, and cold to those fearful. – Acts 14:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Timothy 4:3 . . . Makes Unlimited Servings.[10]

There is much to learn from here. And yet, Gossip and the Gospel is not a book that I can heartily recommend. It seems excessively alarmist, unbalanced, unclear, unhelpful, and possibly dangerous.

In my view, Williams goes “over the top” in his zeal to warn against the sinful dangers of gossip. For example, the cover of the book features a photograph of a woman with a forked snake’s tongue slithering out of her mouth towards a man’s ear. Then a presentation page declares, “Presented Out of Love . . . This book is given to [blank] in hopes they will repent of the sin of gossip, slur, slander, or bitter roots.”[11] I cannot imagine a situation where this approach would actually be helpful.

Throughout the book, Williams employs unclear language, using what seems like “insider terminology” that I often could not decipher. At times, he also offers questionable advice. For example, he asks, “Have you ever . . . Felt irritated with someone and not confessed your irritation to them? . . . Had a bad attitude about someone and didn’t confess it to them?”[12] I think that inner, attitudinal sins should only be confessed if they have spawned sinful behavior.[13] Confessing each moment of irritation with another could have even more disastrous effects. He also gives these points of questionable counsel: “Do not hold onto any thought that you are right on some point. . . . You must never, ever speak to the person who started the bitter root until they fully repent. . . . Repay the truth four times the amount you lied. Never tire of telling others how wrong you were and the real truth.”[14]

Williams’ unclear language applies, not just to counsel, but to doctrine. He emphasizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit but seems to have a very mystical, subjective relationship with the Spirit and is very confident in his own ability to know when the Spirit wants something in particular. “Now, I know when, in the Holy Spirit, to keep a secret, but harboring unrepentant sinners does not please a Holy God.”[15] Even worse, Williams appears to believe that a Christian can lose their salvation by falling into gossip. “Gossip is not a minor sin, and it can cost a person their name in the Book of Life.”[16]

Most unfortunately, and despite its title, the gospel is not clear in Gossip and the Gospel. While Williams repeatedly mentions the cross, there is no exposition of the atonement, no explanation of justification, no numbering of the blessings that come from the gospel. By and large, the cross seems to only be something that a follower of Christ picks up and carries or something that crucifies the flesh, not God’s gracious provision of propitiation, forgiveness, and eternal life. Williams may be (and very likely is) orthodox in his understanding of the gospel, but this never comes through in the book.

Aside from the power of the Holy Spirit, there is not much hope offered in Gossip and the Gospel. Perhaps this is flavored by Williams’ own church experiences as they seem, unfortunately, to have all been bad.[17] It is true that followers of Christ can and should expect to be slandered, but there can also be times when the church enjoys the favor of the people around it (Acts 2:47).

---

^[1]Timothy Williams, Gossip and the Gospel (Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2004), 16.

^[2]Ibid., 18.

^[3]Gossip and the Gospel, like Overcoming Gossips and A Bible Handbook on Gossip and Slander, is self-published. The author, however, is now also the executive publisher of WinePress Publishing.

^[4]Timothy Williams, Gossip and the Gospel (Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2004), 17.

^[5]Ibid., 15.

^[6]Ibid., 104.

^[7]Ibid., 91-102.

^[8]Ibid., 131-138.

^[9]Ibid., 123-129.

^[10]Timothy Williams, Gossip and the Gospel (Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2004), 106. This recipe has been adopted as the “No Gossip Policy” at WinePress Publishing. http://www.winepresspublishing.com/about/no_gossip (accessed July 19, 2011).

^[11]Ibid., 5.

^[12]Ibid., 115.

^[13]See Ken Sande, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, 3^rd Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004), 127.

^[14]Timothy Williams, Gossip and the Gospel (Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2004), 117-118. Any of these points of advice might be good when balanced with other scriptural principles, but there are no balance points offered.

^[15]Ibid., 27.

^[16]Ibid., 56.

^[17]And similarly to Robert Morey’s A Bible Handbook of Gossip and Slander, Williams’ book never calls for humble self-examination of any of the accusations to see what could be learned from them.

***

Update: Since I originally wrote these words, Gossip and the Gospel has been re-released with a new, more friendly cover. It also now available as a free download. I don't know if any of the content has been revised.

***

Note: We are rounding up a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip.

My contribution to the literature, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue will soon be available:

Amazon

CLC Book Center

ChristianBook.com

WTSBooks.com

Next Step Resources

Read More

Book Review -- "A Bible Handbook on Slander and Gossip" by Robert Morey

Internet apologist Robert Morey is no stranger to conflict. Anyone who steps into the public arena to strongly debate items vital to religion will find themselves in a battle, but an Internet search on Morey’s name reveals an exceptionally long list of accusations fired at him from many sides. Whether these accusations are slander or truth is not for me to judge, but they certainly demonstrate Morey’s credentials as someone who has had to deal with accusations.

Morey’s A Bible Handbook on Slander and Gossip focuses on the malicious kind of gossip (not the idle variety), especially on slanderous, attacking speech.[1] It is mainly written for Christian leaders. “If you are a pastor, elder, deacon or missionary reading this book, do not be surprised when people hate and slander your good name and even attack your family. The devil has always used gossip and slander to attack God’s servants.”[2]

The chief strength of A Bible Handbook on Slander and Gossip is the copious use of scripture. Morey has collected a fairly comprehensive list of texts from both testaments that relate to the topic of slander. He has then assembled commentary from reputable scholars to quote at length in connection with each text. The book is also peppered with stories that illustrate the principles being taught.

Unfortunately, Morey’s self-published book is not very useful as a manual of what to do if you are attacked by slander and gossip. It is not easily accessible and does not offer a series of steps to pursue. It is mainly a compendium of data on the subject. Most of the book consists of verbatim quotations from commentaries with little explanation of what one is reading. The quotations are duly noted at the end of the book, but because they are very long and not attributed at the beginning of each quote, the reader can be easily confused about whose thoughts they are reading. A Bible Handbook on Slander and Gossip is arranged in a traditional outline form so that the indentions for the plenteous block quotes result in ridiculous margins for most of the pages. It very hard to read. There is no index, and the table of contents lists only the numbers of the chapters, not their names or subjects.

Once accessed, the content of the book is pretty good, although Morey, aside from a list of twenty-one characteristics of a gossip monger, has himself offered few original thoughts. The tone throughout is mortally serious, and the book is filled with breathless warnings and condemnations of slander. Ignoring critics and practicing church discipline are the main remedies that a Christian leader can apply. It is perhaps telling that Morey nowhere suggests a few moments of humble self-examination to see if the critical accusations have any truth in them.[3]

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^[1]Robert A. Morey, A Bible Handbook on Slander and Gossip. (LaVergne: Xulon Press, 2009).

^[2]Ibid., xi.

^[3]Much better is the approach taken in Alfred Poirier, “The Cross and Criticism,”Journal of Biblical Counseling 17, no. 3 (Spring 1999): 16-20.

***

Note: We are rounding up a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip.

My contribution to the literature, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue will soon be available:

Amazon

CLC Book Center

ChristianBook.com

WTSBooks.com

Next Step Resources

Read More

Book Review -- "Overcoming Gossips" by David Kamara

Pastor David Kamara wants to encourage Christians who are the target of malicious gossip to be overcomers. In his self-published book, Overcoming Gossips, Kamara argues that gossip is prevalent, hurtful, and satanically motivated but is absolutely surmountable by followers of Jesus Christ.[1]

As a book, Overcoming Gossips has several strengths. First, it is filled with scripture quotes and biblical references. Second, it includes short true stories of people who have been harmed by gossip and also helped by remembering their identity in Christ. Third, Kamara’s basic argument is sound. Those who understand who they are in Christ can gain confidence to survive the suffering of malicious gossip.

Overcoming Gossips also has significant weaknesses. English does not appear to be Pastor Kamara’s first language, so his writing is very difficult to follow. And while abounding with scripture, multiple translations are put to use, especially the Amplified and Living Bibles, apparently chosen at each point based upon how much they prove the author’s point.

The most concerning feature of Overcoming Gossips is how it veers, at times, into a triumphalistic tone. Pastor Kamara appears to be a Pentecostal Christian with an emphasis on personal success.

Beloved, the glory of the Lord is already upon you and that is why you are being gossiped [sic]. People don’t spend time talking about a loser. They only talk about winner and you are one of them. . . . By destiny, you are a shining star and the only one that can stop you from shining is you (yourself) [sic]. Not some demons or gossips. . . . Praise God! You will shine in Jesus’ name![2]

Overcoming Gossips is full of truth but tends toward an over-realized eschatology. “It doesn’t matter what you are going through, as long as you team up with God in prayer you will never be defeated. Never mind the group against you, just always know that as long as God is with you, you are a permanent overcomer. So rise up and take your position.”[3]

Kamara’s book could be substantially improved by balancing these confident statements with scriptures that teach that believers in this age will continue to suffer and are called to faithful perseverance while they wait for Jesus’ kingdom to come in its fullness.

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^[1]David Kamara, Overcoming Gossips (Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2007).

^[2]Ibid., 71-72.

^[3]Ibid., 82.

***

Note: We are rounding up a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip.

My contribution to the literature, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue will soon be available:

Amazon

CLC Book Center

ChristianBook.com

WTSBooks.com

Next Step Resources

Read More

Book Review -- "Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip"

Jerry Camery-Hoggat says, “Gossip plays an important role in our ongoing effort to come to terms with the challenges of life; it’s how we find our way, and sometimes how we lose it.”[1] Camery-Hoggatt’s book might belong better in the section about “Ambiguity and Ambivalence” above. He clearly likes gossip and wants to discuss the ways that it contributes to Christian community. But it is not the malicious kind of gossip that Camery-Hoggatt extols. Rather, it is what we might call “small talk.” “This book is about the role the daily talk plays in the ways we form our ideas about the world, about ourselves, and about God. Gossip comes and goes, but before it leaves it can permanently mark our spiritual lives–for good or for ill.”[2]

Camery-Hoggatt believes that our lives are made up of little stories.

There’s a lot of anxious talk these days about the decline of the meta-narratives in our culture. Without the grand stories, so the argument goes, we don’t know who we are. In this book I offer another view, one that is both more hopeful and more cautionary. Here I am concerned about the micro-narratives that are packaged in the daily conversations around the water cooler, in the coffee shop, on the porch, at the dinner table. These tiny stories–sometimes no longer than a few short sentences–can have a cumulative effect on our private experience that far outweighs the mass effect of the meta-narratives of the culture in general. This book is about daily gossip.[3]

There is a lot of wisdom in this concept. Our God is a God of details, a God who loves stories, a God who calls upon us to seize every little moment as a part of something grand. In twelve engaging chapters, Professor Camery-Hoggatt of Vanguard University, a former small town pastor, explores the concept of life as a collection of micro-narratives from a variety of interesting perspectives. Camery-Hoggatt illustrates everything he says with lively stories drawn from both fine and pop culture, from The Incredible Hulk to Dances with Wolves. He recognizes evil as evil and speaks about the darkness and “shadow” of human souls.[4] Gossip can be very bad.

But at the same time, Camery-Hoggatt thinks that gossip can be very good, especially if it is “turned to good. When our talk creates artificial boundaries that keep people out of the church, it is not morally neutral, but is a pact with the devil. It is something for which we need forgiveness and healing. But when our talk batters down the walls that keep people out, then it is a way of participating in the reality of redemption.”[5]

Camery-Hoggatt believes that we should gossip about the macro-narrative of grace. “The reality of grace is the most astonishing and wonderful fact in the whole of creation, the trim-tab on which the depth of our humanity turns. . . . In the story of Jesus we encounter grace, freely, and fully given. It is a story that asks us also to be gracious in God’s name–gracious to the strangers in our midst.”[6]

I don’t think I can be as positive as Camery-Hoggatt about gossip, even noting that the term is very elastic. He sees benefits to even malicious gossip that I cannot.[7] I am also sure that I do not agree with his psychological theory and its pastoral applications. I cannot commend Grapevine without several caveats and loud calls for discernment. But I do think that he has made many suggestions worthy of meaningful meditation, especially about how to season our Christian conversation with grace, and is correct that our view of our world, ourselves, and our God is created and sustained by millions of small social interactions–all the more reason to be very careful in how we talk and listen.

---

^[1]Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip (Scottdale: Herald Press, 2004), 13.

^[2]Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip (Scottdale: Herald Press, 2004), 13.

^[3]Ibid.

^[4]Though this is drawn from his Jungian psychological theory, so it may not always be consistent with biblical teaching on sin.

^[5]Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip (Scottdale: Herald Press, 2004), 168.

^[6]Ibid., 196. If I understand him correctly, this idea dovetails with the concept of “holy gossip” promulgated by Kathleen Norris in an interview at Leadership Journal where she says, “I love the part in our Presbyterian service when, before prayer, we share joys and concerns. We hear about somebody's grandkids visiting from Spokane or the birth of a great-grandchild. We also hear about someone losing a job or going into surgery. That's when the gossips get busy after church and call around. They get in touch with friends, neighbors, and relatives—does he really want to see people? Or is he too tired? Should I drop in today? That is a good use of gossip.” Kathleen Norris, Mark Galli, and David Goetz, “Amazing Grace-Filled Gossip: An Interview with Author Kathleen Norris,” Leadership 20, no. 1 (Winter 1999): 56-61, in ATLAReligion Database with ATLASerials, http://ebscohost.com (accessed July 26, 2011).

^[7]Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip (Scottdale: Herald Press, 2004), 15-16.

***

Note: We are rounding up a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip.

My contribution to the literature, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue will soon be available:

Amazon

CLC Book Center

ChristianBook.com

WTSBooks.com

Next Step Resources

Read More

Rounding Up "Taking Sides on Gossip"

During this week and next we will finish our long blog series "Taking Sides on Gossip" where we've been surveying the findings of a historical study into the problem of gossip.

Along the way, we have listened to many voices--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and also opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Over the last few weeks, we saw some of the short-form contributions of Christian teachers throughout church history.

Starting tomorrow, we will begin to review full-length Christian books on the subject of gossip that are in print today.

This is how I said it in my doctoral project:

While Christians have, at times, spoken out about gossip in the history of the church, it has also been under-served as a topic. In my research, I have only been able to find five full length Christian books on the subject of gossip currently in print. Each book has its own contribution to make, but I can only fully recommend one of them as consistently helpful.

Since the submission of my project, one more full length book has been published and some of these have been revised.

Join us tomorrow for a brief review of Grapevine: The Spirituality of Gossip by Jerry Camery-Hoggat.

Read More

Brenda Payne Versus Gossip

“The Heart that Wagsthe Tongue: Gossip Among God’s People” is the best article that I have read about gossip and the only helpful thing I had read before embarking on this project. [1] In just four pages, Brenda Payne explores the connection between the human heart and gossip, provides hope-giving gospel remedies, and suggests practical means of combating gossip in every day life. “When it comes to gossip, we must be fire extinguishers–not high winds that fan the flames! God’s mercy is a river where waters douse the fire of gossip.” [2]

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^[1]Brenda Payne, “The Heart that Wags the Tongue: Gossip Among God’s People,” The Journal of Biblical Counseling 23, no. 2 (Spring 2005): 40-43.

^[2]Brenda Payne, “The Heart that Wags the Tongue: Gossip Among God’s People,” The Journal of Biblical Counseling 23, no. 2 (Spring 2005): 41.

Note: We are in the middle of a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip. We have listened to many voices along the way--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and now opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Three weeks ago, we surveyed the contributions of business leaders, social workers, educators, and Jewish moral teaching against gossip.

This week, we are continuing to interact with Christian teachers throughout church history.

Next week, we will begin to review full-length Christian books on the subject of gossip that are in print today.

Read More

Ray Ortlund Versus Gossip

In a provocative blog posting, Raymond C. Ortlund paints a dark and vivid picture of what sinful gossip is and does.

Gossip leaves a wide trail of devastation wherever and however it goes – word of mouth, email, blogging, YouTube. It erodes trust and destroys morale. It creates a social environment of suspicion where everyone must wonder what is being said behind their backs and whether appearances of friendship are sincere. It ruins hard-won reputations with cowardly but effective weapons of misrepresentation. It manipulates people into taking sides when no such action is necessary or beneficial. It unleashes the dark powers of psychological transference, doing violence to the gossiper, to the one receiving the gossip and to the person being spoken against. It makes the Body of Christ look like the Body of Antichrist – destroyers rather than healers. It exhausts the energies we would otherwise devote to positive witness. It robs our Lord of the Church he deserves. It exposes the hostility in our hearts and discredits the gospel in the eyes of the world. Then we wonder why we don’t see more conversions, why “the ground is so hard.”

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[1]Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. “Gossip,” Christ Is Deeper Still Blog, entry posted May 18, 2009,  http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2009/05/18/gossip/ (accessed July 12, 2011).

Note: We are in the middle of a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip. We have listened to many voices along the way--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and now opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Three weeks ago, we surveyed the contributions of business leaders, social workers, educators, and Jewish moral teaching against gossip.

This week, we are continuing to interact with Christian teachers throughout church history.

Read More

Martha Peace on Gossip

Martha Peace’s chapter “Well, Isn’t It OK If My Mother Told Me?” also speaks to the commonness of gossip in Christians’ lives, especially women.[1] Peace’s chapter surveys the Bible’s teaching on the topic and emphasizes the need to change. Her most helpful contribution is a “Putting Off and Putting On” chart with imaginative application tailored specifically for the ladies she is addressing.[2]

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^[1]Martha Peace, Damsels in Distress: Biblical Solutions for Problems Women Face (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2006), 29.

^[2]Ibid., 42. Similar to Peace’s work is Christin Ditchfield, A Way With Words: What Women Should Know About the Power They Possess (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010). 

Note: We are in the middle of a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip. We have listened to many voices along the way--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and now opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Three weeks ago, we surveyed the contributions of business leaders, social workers, educators, and Jewish moral teaching against gossip.

This week, we are continuing to interact with Christian teachers throughout church history.

Read More

Jerry Bridges on Gossip

When he explained to inquiring people that he was writing a book on Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges was repeatedly told then that he must be writing about gossip. “Apparently, this is the first of the Christian sins that come to mind, so it must be prevalent among us and is something we continue to tolerate in our lives.”¹ Just pointing out how acceptable gossip is to contemporary Christians is Bridges’ chief contribution, but he also includes a good application of both Matthew 12:34 and Ephesians 4:29 to the subject.

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¹Jerry Bridges, Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2007), 159.

***

Note: We are in the middle of a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip. We have listened to many voices along the way--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and now opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Three weeks ago, we surveyed the contributions of business leaders, social workers, educators, and Jewish moral teaching against gossip.

This week, we are continuing to interact with Christian teachers throughout church history.

Read More

Deborah Smith Pegues on Gossip

Deborah Smith Pegues makes war on gossip in one of her thirty devotions in 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue.¹ Like Franklyn Wise, she emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit, but she does not emphasize the role of the heart. Pegues urges a comprehensive strategy. “If you are serious about eliminating gossip from your life, you must start an all-out campaign against it. Let everyone know you will not be a bearer or a hearer of ‘choice morsels’ about anyone.”²

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¹Deborah Smith Pegues, 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue (Eugene: Harvest House, 2005).

²Ibid., 48.

***

Note: We are in the middle of a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip. We have listened to many voices along the way--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and now opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Two weeks ago, we surveyed the contributions of business leaders, social workers, educators, and Jewish moral teaching against gossip.

This week, we are continuing to interact with Christian teachers throughout church history.

Read More

Franklyn Wise on Gossip

In 1988, Franklyn Wise wrote a helpful little booklet entitled The Problem of Gossip: Guidelines for Christian Speech.¹ Wise presents a very concise and helpful summary of both the problem and solution to gossip in just forty-three pages. His main contribution is concision, but he also addresses the role of the Holy Spirit in a helpful and fairly unique way. “The Holy Spirit wants to help you and to enable you to make the best spiritual progress you can. He wants to help you with your tongue and speech, your self-image, your ability to love Christ completely, and to express His image through your whole life’s actions and interactions.”²

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¹F. Franklyn Wise, The Problem of Gossip: Guidelines for Christian Speech (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1988).

²F. Franklyn Wise, The Problem of Gossip: Guidelines for Christian Speech (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1988), 40.

***

Note: We are in the middle of a long blog series working through my doctoral research into the problem of gossip. We have listened to many voices along the way--proponents of gossip, those who have exacerbated or exploited the problem, those who are ambiguous or ambivalent, and now opponents of gossip both secular and religious.

Two weeks ago, we surveyed the contributions of business leaders, social workers, educators, and Jewish moral teaching against gossip.

This week, we are continuing to interact with Christian teachers throughout church history.

Read More