I've spent the past several years wrestling with a number of new ideas and issues regarding my faith. As I've found myself, and I realize it's a buzzword now but, emerging out of the traditional faith of my fathers to embracing something new and potentially far more ancient and true, I've found solace in the writings and offerings from the friendship known as Emergent. It's the authors, speakers, and practitioners associated with this growing movement that have helped to expand my horizons of thought, provide me a safe place to hurt and question, and who have prompted and encouraged me to explore. In fact, in the early winter of my discontent, it was the works of men like Dan Kimball, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Spencer Burke, and the venerable Brian McLaren who have taught me so much. For that I am truly thankful.
That having been said, I've come to admit to myself that I've been swinging along the pendulum from one side to another. I've allowed some of my wanderings to take me to a place where I found myself affirming some points that I really didn't agree with. So, now, I'm thankful to a man like, Scot McKnight, who has helped to pull me out of my intellectual slumber.
I've followed recently McKnight's blog review of Spencer Burke's new book, A Heretic's Guide to Eternity. Apparently, the book delves into the area of discussing a growing theme among some emerging thinkers, that of universalism, or the idea that all will be saved. Now, let me say that I would love for this to be true, but I just don't think it is. As I affirm the truths of the Bible, I cannot reconcile the teachings of Christ with the ideaology of universalism. And McKnight, a friend of Burke's, calls him out on this.
My thanks to Scot are two-fold. First, thank you, Scot, for showing us that we can take a stand. Your intelligent, honest, and solid conviction over the things of the Bible as they compare to the thinking of man have encouraged me to snap out of some of the fog I've been in and to start really thinking again. In some ways, I suppose I traded one sort of dogma for another and need to learn to live in the middle ground. My second point of thanks comes in acknowledging the way you have engaged your disagreements. You were honest, fair, and humble. This is a great example to all of us who hope to one day be used in such a way. Thanks for representing the best of what Emergent has to offer!
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4 comments:
I find the topic of universalism to be an interesting one. This always seems to get a good conversation going among a group. I'm not sure if everybody will be saved but I really don't think only one "religion" has it right. Groups such as satanists excluded, I think if peoples hearts and minds are in the right place then there is hope for them.
I totally agree. It is definately one of those "hot button" sort of issues that just about anybody has an opinion on. It certainly brings up some interesting conversation....Maybe I'll just post some more because this could get to be a really, really long comment here...I think I might have something to say on this issue! :)
Andrew,
Great thoughts on the interaction over at Scots blog. I do hope you get a chance to read the book for yourself. I know Scot and I were dealing with some of the details of the book(his site / his rules) but I think you will find the "big picture" questions interesting and challenging too.
As you can see the interest in these ideas is not going away so I would be interested in your thoughts as you read through the book (hopefully in community).
The pendulum never stops but critical thinking for yourself and not taking someone else's word for it, is a great start.
Thanks for your thoughts, too, Spencer. "Making Sense of Church" was a huge help during a critical period in my ministry life and now, as I find myself at another point of struggle, I look forward to hearing more! And yes, I'm still going to read the book for myself! :)
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