I think this is a misreading of “emergent” thought. If I’ve followed the argument correctly then I think what they are saying is not that they think postmodernism is correct (see for example http://www.the-next-wave.org, in the “About us” section of the site there is the following statement, “We suspect postmodernism has as much or as little in common with Christianity as Modernism did.” ) but that postmodernism is becoming the dominant culture within our society. The gospel doesn’t change, epistemologies might, but they have never been central. We live by faith not by sight, ours has never been the way of empiricism which is so key to modernist thought.

Mike

What controversy?

Who is surprised?

These people are heretics and rebels. And they blaspheme. It’s as simple as that. Case closed.

Whatever the sins of Evangelicals may be (or not), nothing is gained by the wholesale betrayal of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as these postmodernist emergents have done.

I have been reading more on the emergent/emerging church movement and find myself very distrub by what I see. To this, am I mistaken or not, does not Orgins express such ideals?

Roger

The emerging church is just confused about the approach to the world. They figure that they have to compromise the content for the vehicle.

I was sent an e-mail from a good Christian man today, whom I respect. He wrote that this was one of the best e-mail he had ever received and was proud to send it on. It was an e-mail about a prominent man in the “New Emerging Church”. The man in the e-mail went on to expound about his new fame regarding his book and the illness of his wife and how this potentially deadly illness served to make her a better person and build her character. Well, how sad for his wife. I have been around for a while and I have come to understand that when God wants to communicate to a man He touches that which he holds dear, like in the story of Job. In this man’s case, his wife. Had it changed this man’s heart and lead him to redirect the lost sheep to the Cross? Or has even the illness of his precious wife not shown him that God loves him so much that He would turn her over to the destruction of her flesh so that he might learn of his iniquity and turn from it. Soon the Spirit and His church will be removed from this earth and the Emerging Church will be but one of the institutions left behind to face the music of the Tribulation period. Lets hope that these men that have enjoyed the riches and fame of this “new religion” will have the heart to tell the truth when their churches are still filled to the brim looking at one another wondering why they are still there.

In your analysis and critique of the Emergent Church movement you quote Brian Maclaren as follows.

I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish contexts … rather than resolving the paradox via pronouncements on the eternal destiny of people more convinced by or loyal to other religions than ours, we simply move on … To help Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and everyone else experience life to the full in the way of Jesus (while learning it better myself), I would gladly become one of them whoever they are, to whatever degree I can, to embrace them, to join them, to enter into their world without judgment but with saving love as mine has been entered by the Lord. [12].

I understand your use of this quote to prove a point however, this is a little (actually alot) like proof texting. What I mean by proof texting is that a person takes a certian position (presuppositionally) and proceeds to find textual support for that position. This kind of proof texting almost always includes the lifting out of context of the text–(in this case a quote accurately reproduced) in question and without further information or analysis make a conclusion of what the author of the text meant. It means, in this case, ignoring the author’s meaning as Maclaren in other places has stated his meaning of that quote. He says that the meaning is related to the fact that in the Buddhist, Hindu and Jewish religions there is a substantial cultural component. These religions, and many others, not only inform the adherents as to spiritual matters but cultural matters as well to the point that it is difficult to separate what is “religious” from what is cultural. As an example, in Muslim cultures, the Koran and it’s various interpratations determins civil law, and other culturally normative behavior. Maclaren’s position is that to attempt to separate these Christian converts of these various religions from what is normative for them, and not us in the West, is hubris. And, I can see that this is not far off the biblical mark of Paul becoming “all things to all men.” In fact Paul is an excellent example of a Christian who applied an appropriate postmoderm conceptual approach to his evangelism. He was a Roman before Roman audiences, a Jew with Jewish audiences and so forth.

I would ask you to consider that in your analysis and critque, you refrain from using the word heresy too much. In some ways we are all heretical in some area of our beliefs. The other thing you did is you cherry-picked quotes, lifted them out of context and then drew conclusions based on your understanding–I believe that is called sloppy at best and and at worst, dishonesty. You have slandered you brothers and sistern is the Lord. Did you attempt to contact Maclaren and ask for clarity or comment? If so, where is his response. Have you read his other books where he explains in more depth his beliefs and discovers that his understanding is growing and changing? It is all too easy to make the charge of heresy, but more often than not, it is an excuse for laziness on the part of the one calling others heretics and have not done the hard work of thouroughly invistigating a pretty serious charge. A charge that in days long past required and considerable amount of research, discussion and debate and usually a council or two to determine if the charge was warranted.