Emergent
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 21.12.07A friend recently asked about my views on the emergent church movement. They had been looking over the Wikipedia article and wanted to hear about it from a different vantage point. It’s a topic that can benefit from deeper discussion, but I’ll try to keep this brief.
I see the emergent church (or emerging church, depending on who you talk to) as a reaction to the God-less christianity of America. I’ve seen this empty religious traditionalism first hand, and have been absolutely appalled, both at my own tendencies towards it, and at the pharisaical hatred and arrogance that so many people understandably mistake for Christianity.
Many churches in America today can be likened to the Catholic church in the days of “holy crusade”; purely political, and full of superiorist goals. Though thankfully few Americans take it to such heinous measures of violence, it’s still a very religious approach to christianity – not a relationship with Christ. One of the biggest problems the emergent church movement has brought to the forefront is the hatred and condescension so many church bodies have towards “outsiders”, especially those they label as outcasts (Matthew 21:31-32).
Unfortunately, in the emerging reaction against judgmental traditionalism, Biblical authority has been ransacked as well. Jesus said he came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (Matthew 5:17-18), and in the eagerness to do away with the un-Christlike attitudes found in christianity, the foundation of the faith has also been compromised. If Biblical authority isn’t taken seriously, then there is no need for it in the first place… read through some of the New Testament epistles, and you’ll see why that’s a bad thing, if one is to call themselves a Christian.
These are my views on the subject, so don’t take them as absolute truth or anything; read the Bible for yourself. See how Jesus interacted with people, and find His views on religion, humanity, and God.
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