Thursday, February 15, 2007

Emergent Church Video



Having watched this video I have to ask, "Is this where Evangelicalism is going?" I realize Jesus was not a modern day "Conservative" nor "Liberal", yet did Jesus really hold these views of Himself and Scripture? I realize this video is painting with a broad brush, but isn't it symptomatic of our Christian culture?

What really strikes me about this video is some of the tactics now being employed by even conservative churches. For instance the idea of a teacher teaching a class with pastoral authority is beyond these people. Proclamation is merely a discussion. At one point a man recounts how he wanted to interrupt the preacher during a sermon. So in his mind the man of God who is proclaiming the Scriptures (Where God should be speaking to His people during the sermon) really is not of any significant authority. Radical egalitarianism pervades their thinking.

In fact, I would argue there is no Gospel in the Emergent Church. It is simply another Moralistic movement doomed to failure as all of the other moralistic movements have done. Watch out those of you who like Rick Warren. He is going down the same Moralistic path.

BTW: Kudos to Redski who pointed this nonsense out to me.

3 comments:

the forester said...

I have a minimum amount of exposure to emergent thought and find it pretty off-track. As you say, it's as if people are deciding to reinvent the faith by themselves, abandoning God in favor of their own interpretive cleverness. How far will it go? I don't know, but it's sad.

Anonymous said...

forester, thanks for your comment. I agree it is sad. I hope to interact with some of the statements and ideas presented in this video. I have the feeling that many Christians would not know how to answer some of the claims made in the video.

The one pervasive point that seems to be made is that Jesus is accepting of everyone. Who wants to dispute that?! Which then gives a false premise of certain false beliefs and practices.

Sad indeed!

David B. Hewitt said...

Interesting you say that about Rick Warren. I've been thinking it for a while, though I hadn't put a label on it. Given his recent interests and affiliations, he does *seem* more interested in moralistic and environmental enterprises lately than the Gospel, or even the "purposes of the church" he was putting forth a few years back.

I find it sad.

SDG,
dbh