Much is made of mystery by the Emergent folks. Some of them seem to be fascinated with the conversation about truth, but they refuse to go to Scripture when it plainly gives them answers. One of my memory verses for Biblical Counseling really speaks to this:
Deu 29:29 ESV
(29) "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
In other words, there are some mysteries out there. We won't understand a lot of things until we get to meet Jesus face-to-face. This verse tells us that those things belong to Yahweh. However, there are things that are revealed to us through Scripture. Those belong to us and to our children forever that we may do them.
Of course, this verse was speaking about Torah. I don't think that it is a fallacy to extend that to Scripture though. Even if we just stopped at Torah we'd have clarity on questions in the conversation like whether or not homosexuality is a sin.
Showing posts with label emerging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emerging. Show all posts
Friday, March 07, 2008
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Blue Like Jazz
I finally got around to reading this book and, frankly, I liked it a lot. I can see how it is part of the drumbeat of the Emergent Movement. I'm sure that many of my Reformed brothers would have little good to say about this book, but I liked it for a number of reasons.
The most important is that it speaks very much to the problem with our American church culture today. We have turned Christianity into a laundry list of dos and don'ts. Now of course there are some things we need to be careful about. Watching our language seems to be a natural result of applying:
Eph 4:29 ESV
(29) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
and
Eph 5:4 ESV
(4) Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
This is just an example. The point is that we have set up a structure in our churches that turn us into little judging machines. I think that we like to judge each other because it makes us feel good and important. After all, we have truth on our side, so let's smack people with it, right? Basically, we become spiritual bullies.
I think that the book does a good job decrying that. As I've written before, I don't think that you can box Jesus into a political party. I also think that this book does a good job of defending Reformed Theology for the most part, whether it means to or not. I hope to have a discussion with Amanda about that sometime.
The book certainly is not perfect. I think that Miller has maybe swung a little too far on the orthopraxy side and ignored some of the orthodoxy side. It's laudable that he has had all these great experiences of God from being challenged in so many ways, but it's also kind of disturbing to read his confession that he has never read the Bible cover-to-cover. I still maintain that God reveals Himself to us primarily through Scripture. Romans 1 tells us that we all have a sense of Him, but we need His special revelation to truly know Him.
These problems notwithstanding, I think I would recommend this book to anyone who is not afraid of a little challenge. If nothing else, the stories are pretty entertaining.
The most important is that it speaks very much to the problem with our American church culture today. We have turned Christianity into a laundry list of dos and don'ts. Now of course there are some things we need to be careful about. Watching our language seems to be a natural result of applying:
Eph 4:29 ESV
(29) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
and
Eph 5:4 ESV
(4) Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
This is just an example. The point is that we have set up a structure in our churches that turn us into little judging machines. I think that we like to judge each other because it makes us feel good and important. After all, we have truth on our side, so let's smack people with it, right? Basically, we become spiritual bullies.
I think that the book does a good job decrying that. As I've written before, I don't think that you can box Jesus into a political party. I also think that this book does a good job of defending Reformed Theology for the most part, whether it means to or not. I hope to have a discussion with Amanda about that sometime.
The book certainly is not perfect. I think that Miller has maybe swung a little too far on the orthopraxy side and ignored some of the orthodoxy side. It's laudable that he has had all these great experiences of God from being challenged in so many ways, but it's also kind of disturbing to read his confession that he has never read the Bible cover-to-cover. I still maintain that God reveals Himself to us primarily through Scripture. Romans 1 tells us that we all have a sense of Him, but we need His special revelation to truly know Him.
These problems notwithstanding, I think I would recommend this book to anyone who is not afraid of a little challenge. If nothing else, the stories are pretty entertaining.
Monday, July 09, 2007
A Postmodern Apologetic
I had a great chat with one of my pastors today. I told him my conclusions after doing the research for my paper. Basically, I see the need for a postmodern apologetic, but I also think that at some point there needs to be a presentation of truth. I don't think he disagrees. We'll see what my professor thinks.
As I left his office and drove home I started wondering what that would look like. If we see the Emerging Church as being a place for postmoderns, but not necessarily staffed by postmoderns, then perhaps it isn't such a bad thing. I wonder if we're missing the point through all of the noise. No one doubts that Greg Laurie crusades are fine things for modern thinkers. However, I think we need to recognize that something different must be done for postmoderns. Is it possible to minister to postmoderns without becoming postmodern ourself? I think Hope tries to do that.
It's an interesting question to roll around in my head for a while. I really think I could do a thesis on this as I'm that interested in it.
As I left his office and drove home I started wondering what that would look like. If we see the Emerging Church as being a place for postmoderns, but not necessarily staffed by postmoderns, then perhaps it isn't such a bad thing. I wonder if we're missing the point through all of the noise. No one doubts that Greg Laurie crusades are fine things for modern thinkers. However, I think we need to recognize that something different must be done for postmoderns. Is it possible to minister to postmoderns without becoming postmodern ourself? I think Hope tries to do that.
It's an interesting question to roll around in my head for a while. I really think I could do a thesis on this as I'm that interested in it.
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