Just finished Brian McLaren's latest offering, Everything Must Change. Brian is changing, he is a moving target, he is morphing at an alarming rate. I am not sure what he believes, and I have read all his books.
He now hangs with Jim Wallis of Sojourners fame, he is very "green" as regards the environment, and he takes several shots at Republicans in his latest work. I think running with the left requires one to take a obligatory shot at George Bush and the war in Iraq.
I am not sure why moving theologically left requires one to go politically left, it does seem like a package deal. Brian is a brilliant thinker, a great writer, a warm and personable man, and asks some of today's best questions.
His questions are so good that he has yet to come up with answers with equal stature. Questions do not constitute a theology, I am still waiting for some definite word from him on Scripture, who goes to hell, on how one is saved, the atonement, original sin and a number of other issues of orthodoxy.
It seems his answers at present are that the sin of Adam was over consumption, that selfish capitalists are candidates for hell, and anyone who watches Fox News regularly is suspect. I don't doubt his sincerity, nor his personal faith in Christ, or for that matter his commitment to scripture. All of us have been known to do the same, but it should be noted that he is still attempting to wrestle with scripture as his base of authority.
Now before you chop off my head, please know that I understand that he has now changed his hermeneutic so that he is interpreting scripture in such a way as to fit his new ideology. No doubt he has left the historic interpretation of Justification, the atonement and the second coming.
The second coming has become the enemy of a better world, and if Jesus is a pacifist, why would he resort to a bloody violent solution. It seems he has assigned The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the world of the Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, or some other fantasy.
Having said all this, I think Brian is a gift to the church, he forces us to think, he challenges us to ask bigger questions and to come up with bigger answers. I know some people who won't read him, or ask questions because it threatens their sense of security and need to have everything well defined. I don't think Brian is as dangerous as those who believe they have it all right and don't need to change.
I agree with you in your gracious attitude toward Brian but if he does not rely on the authority of scripture then I'm not sure I could stand arm and arm with him as a Christian. I would, as Christ, love him. But if scripture is not the foundation we have different 'footings'.
I just found your blog. I'll read it when I can. I don't really 'get' blogs. Do you people have all the time in the world to sit and write this stuff?
Nazarene Pastor - 40 yrs old - Cute - and still preaching Christian Holiness...
Tom Travis
Bill, I like your openness toward those who may be thinking, or at least questioning a bit different to what you are! Well done!
Perhaps 'the faith once delivered to the saints" has been intrpreted according to some peoples base of reference and Brians questioning it actually has nothing to do with any disagreement with 'the faith' but with some peoples interpretation of it?
Perhaps all of us need to ask questions instead of acting like mindless sheep and merely going with the flow?
By the way, at almost 50 years old, I am not what one woud consider a youngster merely seeking something new!
I think what a lot (not all) of this whole emergent group is about is what you spoke of in the Bible Rots blog. (by the way I have copied that onto some of my sites, it really is good stuff!)
Having said that, I am also of the opinion that a lot of what emergent is about is just a rehash of what Wycliffe Bible Translators, Open Doors and a number of other Mission groups have been saying for years. It is a pity that it took a new name for people to wake up to it!
Pops
When it comes to issues of salvation, that is what divides us most. Unless and until McLaren holds to the "faith once for all delivered to the saints" regarding salvation, then I'll likely not read him, no matter how sincere or challenging he might be.
I'm curious, how do you view Carson's Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church and his critique there of McLaren? I did not see Carson offering McLaren as a gift to the church.
Sincerely,
Paul D. Adams
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
I did read Carson's Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church. I thought it was well written and precise. I am more in sympathy with Carson theologically, but I was not pleased with the spirit of the book. It seemed to jump to conclusions about matters on which McLaren was silent. McLaren is evasive, he doesn't want to say out loud exactly what he believes for two reasons, 1. He is not sure what he believes, 2. He doesn't want us to know what he believes. Carson I think assumes the worst in his book, I would want to assume the best about Brian.
Bill,
I'm with you on the positives of McLaren. I was raised in an independent baptist climate, went to a bible college of like mind, and then started rebelling ever since. I wasted much time and energy questioning legalistic tendencies so much so that I neglected to question my own beliefs about truth and doctrine. God is taking me through a time where I am "unlearning" all of my traditional beliefs so that I can "relearn" them in my heart. Authors like Willard, McLaren, yourself, Kimball, NT Wright, have been a gift from God because your writings enable me to truly examine the core of my faith. Having said that, I am for the first time discovering wonderful core doctrines such as atonement, imputation, etc that a few years ago I would have stated as beliefs yet wasn't really gripped by them. Basically, it's like moving from intellectual assent to heart impact. It's not a process that has an end in sight though, I know that I will forever be unlearning and relearning.
I think too many evangelicals are afraid to enter this process because we fear apostasizing, or we think we might wake up with a number tattooed on our brows. I remember my parents and godly teachers stressing the importance of "being grounded" before I reached adulthood, and I now see the value of being grounded which involved a level of intellectual assent, BUT we need to till the ground around those hardened roots so the tree above the ground can flourish.
thanks, Rob
http://robertwren.com
Bill, how can you " think Brian is a gift to the church, he forces us to think, he challenges us to ask bigger questions and to come up with bigger answers." when you also acknowledge that the views of Brian MacLaren on salvation, the atonement - issues which are fundamental to our faith - are not based on scripture but on his own contrived interpretation. Many passages in the New Testament warn us to be aware of the activity of false prophets and teachers. Paul, in Acts 20:29ff refer to such people as savage wolves, who distort the truth. Such is Brian MacLaren and he needs to be recognised as such
Jill Dickson
I don't mean a spiritual gift, but in a generalized way, he makes us wrestle with our theology. His questions challenge us to explore how our Gospel speaks to injustice, poverty, war, and other massive global problems. God does work all things together for good, including difficult and penetrating questions. I don't need to support him to learn from him.
Why do you think Brian's theology, or his questioning, resonates so much with younger believers? Why do we read his writing and feel hopeful?
Why does it seem to be Boomers, or Modernists who are scared of his questions?
Deeply embedded in the young's DNA is the desire for something new and different. Nothing new and exciting would happen if not for the questioning and challenging that bursts forth from a younger generation. Brian himself has reached 50, so he is not so young himself, but he is hip, cool, he thinks young, he acts young, and he challenges the conventional. What I like about him is his fresh thinking, his iconoclastic mind and personality. Some my age or even younger don't want to rethink assumptions, or tinker with orthodoxy. Brian has been influenced by intellectuals who see great value in the deconstruction of a traditional categories of truth. Younger thinkers are always more comfortable in such an environment, older leaders have already made up their minds, a fixed orthodoxy is a great comfort. Too often theological orthodoxy has become like a Christmas Tree with so many ornaments of a non-theological nature that you can't see the tree anymore. The Scriptures are inspired, orthodoxy is the collected opinion and wisdom of the church over the centuries. So we must be careful not to equate the scriptures with orthodoxy, because there is only one bible, there are many orthodoxies. But like I have already said, questions don't make a theology.
Hi Bill,
I recently picked up "Choose the Life" and read it in a day. Totally loved it! Used plenty of highlighter ink on this one. Overall you confirmed many of my theological perspectives, as well as gave some good organization to a theology of discipleship.
Kurt Staeuble
Park City, Utah
www.thesleddog.blogspot.com
Thanks , hang tough in His Grace
In two weeks our group of 16 who range from age 18 to 65 will " graduate " from our Experience the Life course. It will be sad not meeting with you every week. We feel like we live right down the street from you. I will say we have grown up a lot. and are applying what we have learned. We want to continue meeting and wish there was some suggestions on other material.
David Dahlke
Savannah, Georgia
I am thrilled to hear the news of the positive impact of the Experience The Life Curriculum. Could you tell us more? What were some of the challenges, changes, memorable experiences you had with the material? If you like, contact us at choosethelife.com