absurdity

That emerg* is finally articulating what it is (ANKoChristianity). The more I read, the more Jeremy Bouma's words ring true; "in reality the emerging church simply believes otherly; the form of Christianity that this version of Christianity pushes is neither innovative nor different: it is a form of Christianity other-than the versions that currently exist but mirror those that have already existed." And sadly, in that effort, has left Christianity.

In ANKoChristianity, McLaren repeatedly mischaracterizes Christians. I noted some of this based on on an critique by Michael Wittmer. To add to that, since many of the defenders simply claim McLaren isn't being properly represented, here's another.

McLaren claims that according to Sola Scriptura, we must take everything in Scripture at face-value. From page 89;

“God has just told us that a large proportion of what is uttered in the book of Job is false and foolish. Yet we are taught that the book of Job, being part of the Bible, is the Word of God and is inspired by God. Does that mean that God inspired the introduction and conclusion, but not the middle, where the pious blowhards speak? Or does it mean that God inspired the pious blowhards’ false statements? Or that God was pretending to inspire that part, but was crossing the divine fingers behind the divine back, so as to come out later on to say, ‘I was only kidding in that part’?

As with so much that the emerg* is against, they simply do not understand what they vehemently dislike or disagree with. I'm sure they have had some bad experiences but rather than take time to properly understand, they just want to be different. When it comes to Christianity, this is the reaction of the unregenerate. I'm reminded of the number of times I've talked to someone who recently had some sort of "conversion experience". If they had any church history at all, they inevitably report something to the effect of, "wow, that other church never told us about God/Jesus like that." Now I'm sure many in their past failed at some point but it is not true that no other church ever witnessed the truth of God. It's typically that the person simply didn't have ears to hear and now that the Holy Spirit has opened their heart, they "hear" for the first time. The problem isn't usually that it wasn't said.

So back to ANKoChristianity. McLaren is a smart man. His writing is simply to fuel the dissension in the emerg* ranks rather than to help clarify and correct. He promotes an absurdly wrong view of Sola Sciptura and therefore his alternative cannot be taken seriously.

McLaren proposes redefining a Christianity that he doesn’t understand and doesn't like. He and his follows need to return to Scripture and to God. There, and only there will they find the peace and the life we all so desperately need.

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