Rationalism, Pietism Or Liberalism. What's worst?

Rationalism, pietism and liberalism have their roots in the age of enlightenment which had its beginning in the eighteenth century. One might say it was a time of transformation. New scientific discoveries and cultural modifications served to transform an entire way of thinking. Men now thought that they could control their environment and their own happiness in the world. There was a movement to be more conscience of self. The principles of self-reason were used to explain the world. Prevalent to most all elements of the Enlightenment is the concept of natural religion based on the following five propositions "there is a God, a highest being; this highest being ought to be worshiped and served; this worship consists above all in piety and virtue; deviations from virtue (sin) must be repented, and if there is repentance, there will be forgiveness; the evil will be punished and the good will be rewarded in a life to come" (History of Theology p.338). Many times the age of Enlightenment is referred to as rationalism. It was thought that if a man could not rationalize the answer on his own then the question didn't exist. The height of rationalists dogmatism can best be summed up by considering concepts produced by Julius August Ludwig Wegscheider "the basic teachings of Christianity; miracles, as well as everything supernatural, were repudiated; conversion was thought of in a Pelagian sense; the sacraments were interpreted symbolically. Wegscheider explained the resurrection of Christ as a resuscitation from an “_apparent death,_” and he asserted that the death of Christ symbolizes the fact that sacrifices have ceased. He did not accept the Atonement, and maintained that the Ascension was a fairy tale. The concept of original sin was rejected as a somber illusion, repentance was said to be man’s own work, Baptism was classified as a ceremony of dedication, and the Lord’s Supper as a memorial feast" (History of Theology p.351) Following then was the concept of pietism. Unlike our Lutheran thought "Pietism... proceeded on the basis of experience; it looked upon the experience of the individual as being fundamental to religious knowledge or insight. Pietistic theological exposition came to deal primarily with empirical religious events, just as it was assumed that theological knowledge could not be acquired apart from the experience of regeneration" (History of Theology p.330). Again the works of the individual is overemphasized and the true work of the Word of God and His acts of grace are underemphasized..... Worst of all is the exercise of liberalism in theological thought. Much like the others it centers on the self and not the divine. Here man divorces himself from the supernatural, moral and divine order of things. "It becomes a matter of conscience" (Hammer of God p259). Each may believe as he wishes. All are free of the bondages from the old church doctrines and can do whatever we think is best. What is best for me might not be best for you. If you do not measure up whittle the yardstick down until you do. The problem is people begin to build one liberal thought based on another until unbelief sets in. those who would sound the alarm are seen as intolerant and religious fanatics. It is still so today. Let us consider " There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 16:25) and " For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). It could not be clearer. We cannot do it but God can.