Monday, December 28, 2009

Emergent Church - Part 2/3

Chapter Four - Undefining Theology (pgs 73-94)
  • DECONSTRUCTION - removing the meaning of words
  • The EC embrace contradictions
  • words are fluid
  • definitions morph due to experiences, they do not hold to any meaning
  • beneficial to have beliefs that are incompatible
  • WHY? Because believing in both sides will evolve or synthesize into a better belief.
  • truth and meaning are experienced rather than known
  • KNOWLEDGE
  • General Revelation: our 5 senses and rational mind
  • utilization of logic to learn
  • economy, industry, and scientific achievements are based upon general revelation.
  • Specific Revelation: revealed only through SCRIPTURE
  • spoken to the world through human mediators (prophets/Jesus Christ)
  • God's plan for salvation and reconciliation only through SPECIFIC REVELATION.
  • MYSTICISM (focus and emphasis)
  • spirituality by experience - truth and meaning are found through experience and not specific revelation (DECONSTRUCTION)
  • Problem: mystical experience(s) always lead to idolatry and damnation - not the God revealed in scripture.
  • Old-Fashioned pagan mysticism repackaged

Chapter Five - Undefining the Bible and Preaching (pgs 95-114)

  • EMERGENT CHURCH PERSPECTIVE
  • rejection of the idea that we should utilize our minds, logic, and reason to understand the scripture
  • scripture does not convey a fixed meaning determined by the biblical, Holy Spirit-inspired authors.
  • The EC seek meaning and revelation through spiritual experiences pursued together, in community with others.
  • BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
  • God has commanded us to study, understand, and believe His words and to obey His commands
  • God holds us accountable to understand the meaning of His words.
  • The means by which the Christian grows in sanctification and holiness is to better understand and believe the word of God.

Chapter Six - Undefining the Means of Grace (pgs 115-134)

  • EMERGENT CHURCH PERSPECTIVE
  • reject boundaries and definitions - freestyle approach - every congregation designs for themselves what measures they take to approach God.
  • Paganism repackaged
  • pursuit of mysticism
  • focus on spiritual experiences in order to come to God and grow spiritually
  • Many means of grace - same types of influences that infected the Catholic Church - eventually leading to the Reformation
  • Buzzword(s) = "Spiritual Disciplines" and "Lost Secrets"
  • BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
  • Jesus Christ, equally God, lived, died, and was raised from the dead
  • His body ascended into heaven
  • sinless man Jesus Christ, paid our debt of sin with His death on the cross.
  • acceptance an belief results in reconciliation with God.
  • Confidently approach God and offer our requests to Him through prayer.
  • All was recorded in a book by real human beings
  • Interpreted as literal history

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