Social Issues & The Church

The Emergent Church is a huge topic of conversation among those in the ministry world. For those of you who have never heard of this term you might be able to google it but you will find VERY different descriptions. This link is the best home on the web for the Emergent Church. I do have a reason for bringing up this topic. I find that there are generally two different kinds of responses to ideological differences. Some people dismiss and criticize without fail in order to strengthen the position in which they adhere. The other response is someone who has the ability to hold their convictions while at the same time asking questions about competing ideas and then learning from those competing ideas.

I have very strong issues with so many aspects of the Emergent Church movement. Most of those stem from foundational theological issues. However, I am learning so much from this movement. I have very good friends who proudly wave their emergent banner. Amidst the complete deconstruction of the church there is a phenomenal movement to social engagement and relational discipleship.

As I am studying Ephesians 2:11-22 for this Sunday I am reminded that there is an inextricable social element to the cross. The design of the cross was reconciliation. We should repent of our ego in non-emergent circles and realize that some of what the Emergent Church is doing is an attempt to correct significant mistakes made by the modern-traditional church.

The Bible, apart from any church organization's belief, is a book that demands racial reconciliation, social engagement, and relational discipleship. We become just as guilty as anyone else when we completely deconstruct a movement without being willing to learn from it.

(I realize this post may mean absolutely nothing to some of you but getting it typed helps me construct my thoughts - thanks for humoring me!)

Culture, Gospel, race

Comments

[AmyG]

I have several books regarding the emergent church and am currently learning what it is about. I am curious as to what issues you struggle with regarding this movement? I would appreciate any thoughts you have on this. Thanks.

[Matt P.]

Amy, it would be hard to answer that in a brief way :)

So, I will just throw a few thoughts at you... it seems that praxis is held above doctrinal cornerstones inside the emergent movement. When you read emergent (there is a difference between "emerging" and "emergent") authors you read them placing the highest importance on living like Jesus (here you find all of the social implications of serving the poor and oppressed). Now, there is nothing wrong this idea but at the exclusion of everything else it does become very dangerous. Living like Jesus is great and Paul along side of the other biblical authors help us truly understand that picture and we are inconsistent if we leave them out.

So, in an oversimplified explanation - the emergent church seems to place praxis over doctrine rather than letting doctrine and biblical distinctives demand a praxis. An example might be Brain McLaren (the voice of emergent) not believing in hell. However, a biblical view of the reality of hell greatly informs our praxis of sharing the story of Christ with others. The evangelical view of hell tells us what destination God has saved us from.

The emergent church has completely deconstructed the global church which is an extreme response. They have some great critiques that the church must listen and learn from but that virtue becomes a vice in their deconstruction.

I'm hunting and pecking here at issues... feel free to email or let me know if you have some specific questions and I will do my best to speak to them.