I am amazed at the response I get to the writings of Brian McLaren.
It fascinates me the things people see in his words. He has regularly been vilified as a proponent of relativism (denying the validity of truth altogether), and is used as a by-word to scare people from the pulpits of conservative Churches nation-wide...
I happen to think he is a much-needed voice in the Western Church.
He has written one of the best books on the Kingdom of God that I have ever read (at least from the perspective of a pastor; looking for a book that is accessable to non-academics, personally applicable and engaging, and covers the range of the topic), has a firm grasp on the pulse of our post-Christian culture, seems to have real insight on how to preach the gospel in such a context, and he is a constant voice for intellectual humility amongst Christians.
I find his challenge to the Western Church to be spot on. We have become, in many instances, a self-contained sub-culture, completely irrelevant to the world. (I know the word relevance gets spit upon by conservative Christians, "what it really means is syncretism, going soft, letting the culture dictate to us, etc." but the simple fact is that God is NOT irrelevant to the world, and if we are, it is because we are out of sync with Him...)
I certainly don't want to go on record affirming everything he has said, but I do want to get him a legitimately honest and open hearing, before he is condemned to the Tower of the Inquisitor!
SO, let's have it, what exactly is your problem with McLaren?
8 comments:
I think you might be asking the right question to the wrong group of people. Ask the Doc.
He doesn't stray over this way too often...
...but I'll see if I can entice him!
Sean, you fiesty booger, you!! And Steve!! If you want to stir something up why don't you just call him...
As for me, No problems with McLaren... If I believed that everything written by every christian was truth I'd probably have to be a universalist... maybe not believing it all makes me a skeptic... I think that's a different conversation altogether.
McLaren's got some really good things to say and I think a lot of American churches have become irrelevant. I think we (the church as a whole) spend more time discipling disciples (poorly, might I add) instead of making new ones.
But the beautiful thing is that we're waking up!!! I imagine It's like that tingly feeling you get when your leg falls asleep and you have to change positions. I hate that feeling... somehow, even though it's doing good, it hurts... I think the bride is getting the tingles! WOO!!
I stray this way more than you think! It was nice seeing you at the beautiful new Downtown Yaks. Hope all is well. I'm in between Chicago and Africa trips, so only have a moment or two to comment.
Brian McLaren... in my opinion...
1. Hard to critique because he dances around his points.
2. When you do get what he says, some of it is indeed good; a needed tweak in the evangelical nose.
3. Some of it is repackaged liberalism, social gospel stuff from the 60's and 70's. That's one of my big objections.
4. Read his analysis of John 14:6 (from his website) and look for false dichotomies, straw man arguments, and inconclusive conclusions.
5. And look for incipient universalism. Jesus did teach about who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, but not if you read McLaren.
6. He draws unfair, inaccurate caricatures of evangelicalism, and then critiques us on on a false basis.
7. His scholarship is uneven.
8. I think D.A. Carson does a spot on critique in Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church.
McLaren is nobody's whipping boy, if you ask me. Rather, he has made it is business to PUSH HARD against evangelical theology and practice, and is it a wonder when evangelicals push back? This is not personal. This is about the "gospel once delivered to the saints." We should contend for it, don't you think? And if we believe there are some unbiblical teachings being inserted into the church--especially among young believers--should we say so? See how I'm ending my sentences with question marks? Doesn't that keep you from holding me accountable for what I say? Isn't that how half of the emerging church sentences end? With a question mark I mean?
Hah! God is on his throne. Jesus rules. He is God's son, and the only way to life here and life forever... through faith in him, consciously by name. That is biblical, historic Christianity. Ask BM if he agrees.
BG
Hey Jessica,
What a wonderful analogy!
I would imaging that McLaren would be perfectly giddy at being likened to the tingly sensation you get when your limbs 'wake up!'
Brian McLaren: that somewhat painful sensation in the Body of Christ that let's you know that we've been sleeping on the job again, but we're waking up...
P.S.
I know of no reputable Christian leader or author who would spit on the word "relevant." Christianity and Scripture our exceedingly relevant. It is not that we are withdrawing (though it was in the 60's-80's); it is that the wider culture is marginalizing the Christian message: on marriage, the sanctity of life, morality, homosexuality, AND on the absolute NECESSITY of faith in Jesus Christ.
Okay, maybe there's been some withdrawl by Christians; but we've been shoved out of the picture too.
And McLaren's attempts to "dialog" on these issues make the church IRRELEVANT, in my opinion. What does it mean to say, "We should place a 5 year moratorium on any comments about homosexuality" (says McLaren)... while the California courts legalize gay marriage. How does that make us relevant?
BG
Hey Pastor,
I love the question marks?
Don't you?
;-)
It was good to see you as well, perhaps next time we come across each other in YAKS I can buy you a latte?
As for the comments, I would agree that McLaren hasn't exactly kept his gloves on either, and so there should be no surprises at any disputes centered on him... although I am surprised at the vitriol. (you don't come across as personally attacking him; but others do, of course once you publish popular books you attract those wackos with 'discernment ministries' so watch out Doc!)
As for the points:
1-I agree, but that seems to be a large part of the point he is making. I think you and I differ in my belief that 'the medium is the message.' (Or at least a significant part of it) Would you rather have someone parrot a creed, or learn to seek truth and think critically?
2-I guess you and I (and certainly McLaren) differ on just how big a tweak is needed, even if we all agree on the need.
3-I'd love to know why this is such a problem? Is it that you don't believe in liberal politics? Is it that God isn't interested in justice per se? Is it that you feel an emphasis on justice takes away from truth? It seems to me that a proclamation of the Lordship of Christ carries within it an implicit command for allegiance that brings a salvation that includes justice; and conversely that 'salvation without justice' is an oxymoron...
4-This was a great read, I think you and I would have to work through it together, because I saw it very different than you... are you up for that?
5-I don't think McLaren says there is no hell, (or heaven) or that no one goes to either of those places, but rather that the concepts and the way that we use them are radically different than the way in which Jesus and His contemporaries did. And so, require radical redefinition for us to use them appropriately... I do agree with McLaren that Jesus seems to threaten the Steve Schenks and Bill Giovanettis of the world with hellfire much more than anyone else ...but if you had a quote or two, we could discuss it.
6-I half way agree, but McLaren is critiquing from within (as am I) and so, when he caricatures I find it authentically done. When the sidewalk sketch artist draws me with a big nose, I have to acknowledge that I really do have one (even if it has been exaggerated for effect ie Matt 19:24)
7-I need more information.
8-I liked the book, but came away thinking Carson didn't really understand McLaren.
I do think McLaren would agree with the statement at the end of your comment, but I think he would dispute the way we have twisted that in our day to mean something very different from what it meant 2000 years ago...
Thanks for stopping by!!!!
Yeah, I didn't like his 'moratorium' idea...
But I despise the views on homosexuality currently popular in conservative Christian circles, and so, while I cringed when I read his idea, I understand the heart behind it.
I think the reason we are being pushed out is not because of our emphasis on Jesus, or even the morality that would result from faith in him, but rather because, in large part, we have tried to force those outside the faith to live up to the morality that those inside it fail to adhere to...
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