Saturday, April 05, 2008

Post Modernism and the Emergent Church



"When the tide is low, every shrimp has its own puddle."
- Vance Havner

Here R.C. Sproul, Al Mohler, and Ravi Zacharias discuss post-modernism, modernism, liberalism, and the emergent church.

Here's a glimpse into the emergent church:

HT: Vitali

And here's Doug Pagitt for you:


pearlie

13 comments:

  1. I think that they represent the many folks that are befuddled by the attraction of the emerging church movement. Their tone is dismissive and sadly condescending to the likes of Brian McLaren. After listening to them I have lost a bit of respect for these "defenders of the truth".. they don't get it and come across a bit like the Sanhedrin perched up on that platform.

    Sorry for the rant Pearlie - they must have hit a hot spot :)

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  2. I admit that I have not seen or hear for myself what they said Brian McLaren has said, but if it is true, then it is of great concern, don't you think?

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  3. ok - i found this entry on McLaren's response to the homosexuality issue.

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  4. Here is a one-minute video (in Malaysia of all places) that offers a glimpse of McLaren's message:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMhOqeArKhE

    McLaren's message is focused on unity in the body of Christ and is often picked apart because he will not bash gays and others that disagree with "Orthodox Christians".

    We would all do well to learn a bit more about him and emerging believers. That generous orthodoxy that he represents (the video mentioned it) isn't a bad thing.

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  5. This is the very event in Christian Life Gospel Center that I missed last year :)

    I don't know yet, so far what I have been hearing, I don't quite agree.

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  6. Thanks for the link Pearlie ... it motivated me to post about it. I'd be interested in you further thoughts about McLaren and your take on right/wrong theology.

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  7. Pearlie, thank you so much for posting these 3 links so I could "hear for myself" what they are saying.

    The emergent church immediately made me think of I Timothy 4:1-2 "How the Spirit, speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;Speaking lies in hypocricy: having their conscience seared with a hot iron."

    I think this just goes right along with Oprah and what she and her group are saying and "preaching".
    Susan

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  8. The emerging/gent church movement/conversation is far from monolithic. (Which is true of many movements; after all, the Reformation is more accurately described as "reformations"!) Currently the best series I've seen that does a good job distilling the whole movement is Michael Patton's. You can find it here. Warning: it's very long!

    I also have an emerging church webliography which I posted over a year ago now - so it might have dated. My review of Brian McLaren's Secret Message of Jesus is here.

    Some of the emerging blogs I enjoy include Scot McKnight (who might not necessarily call himself an emerger but is nevertheless very sympathetic to their ethos) and Andrew Jones, who works for a mission agency, I believe. On the more radical end, i.e those whom I would have more serious disagreements with, there's Tony Jones.

    Hope that is helpful!

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  9. hi,pearlie, to help in this discussions, this is my blog posting on Brian McLaren in Malaysia last year

    see here

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  10. Thanks guys - there is a lot to read. Back then when I first encountered the emergent in 2007, I was scouring for information and read some, particularly by Scot McKnight and Carson. Things have moved on and I have to catch up.

    One question though, how active is it in Malaysia?

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  11. Patton's article look very interesting - but long, yes! the pdf doc is 26 pages in length - my bedtime reading :)

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  12. What I find troubling about the 1st and 3rd video clips is that the conservative/orthodox (Emergent critics) speakers distorted what McLaren/Padgett and others said, thought, believed. How can one have a free and open discussion on theology with those who are being intellectually dishonest?

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  13. Don, I am interested to find out how McLaren and Pagitt's words were distorted. Can you show me?

    Thanks.

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