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Part 9: The Emerging
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Emphasis added
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If God is not limited to any
special kind of time, space, or galaxy, the possibilities of God
are greater. In a way, the Muslim concept of God hints at this
‘open’ inclusiveness: ‘God will continue creating, and maybe
recycling. Even after the death of the earth, he can continue
creating,’ said Muhammad Tahir, of Washington, D.C., editor of
Islamic Items, in an interview. Tahir, noting the Koran
says God created all creatures, adds, ‘They [creatures] could be
on earth or other planets. Mankind is just a small segment of
God’s creation.‘[1]
Brian
McLaren of Emergent Church fame announced that he intends to
celebrate Ramadan this year, “joining
Muslim friends in the fast which begins August 21.”[2]This fact is not surprising given the history of the
Emerging/Emergent Church movement. From its earliest
inception this movement was devoted to a wider, broader,
“open” faith. It wasn’t just ecumenical in the sense of
multi-denominational. It intended to be ecumenical in the
sense of all
religions on the planet, and even beyond the planet! In the
futurist worldview, which gave rise to this Emergent
culture, God is “open-ended.”[3]Bruce Larson, in his 1970 book
the emerging church,
in Part V “Dreaming Dreams,” left open the option that God
was doing “a new thing,” which meant He could change His
goals and His strategy. This wasn’t merely a discussion
about a local church changing its own vision, goals and
strategy. Larson explained that “the nature of God as
revealed in Jesus Christ and the New Testament clearly
indicated that God can do once again a new thing, and give
new orders to His people.”[4] Thus, from its earliest beginnings this movement
opened itself to new revelation, new visions, new dreams and
new truths.This accounts for how and why McLaren and friends can
further their “own spiritual growth, health, learning, and
maturity” by
participating in Islam, and “also hope” that their
“experience will inspire others to pray and work for peace
and the common good, together with people of other faith
traditions.”[5] McLaren
calls this his
“inter-religious collaboration for the common good.”[6]
His recommendation? PeaceMoms, changing the world through the “savvy”
marketing of “peacemaker” moms.[7]McLaren links his
expanded ecumenicity with Islam to “peace” and
“nonviolent means,”[8]
implying that those who don’t go for this type of activity
are in favor of
degrading the planet, consuming its scarce resources,
and are dangerously violent. Sadly, these bodacious
mischaracterizations typify McLaren’s
“everything must change” narratives.
The Truth:“Jesus saith unto him, I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6)
To be continued. . . .
Endnotes:
1. Hiley Ward.
Religion
2101 A.D.: Who or What Will Be God? (Doubleday,
1975), p. 63. See Part 1 of this series for an explanation
of the significance of Hiley Ward’s book. Interestingly,
this quotation comes in a section of the book, “Not
Pantheism But Penentheism,” describing how Matthew Fox, in
1973, had called for “panentheism” as part of the emerging
futuristic spirituality.
http://herescope.blogspot.com/2009/05/emerging-church-circa-1970.html
2. See story posted at
http://apprising.org/2009/08/brian-mclaren-of-emerging-church-to-celebrate-ramadan/.
McLaren:
http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/ramadan-2009-part-1-whats-going.html.
3.
Religion 2101 A.D.,
Ibid.
4. Bruce Larson & Ralph Osborne,
the emerging church
(Word, 1970), p. 141.
5.
http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/ramadan-2009-part-1-whats-going.html
6.
http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/ramadan-2009-part-2-why-is-a-com.html
7.
http://www.peacemoms.com/
8.
http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/ramadan-2009-part-2-why-is-a-com.html
© 2009 by Discernment Group
Source article:
http://herescope.blogspot.com/2009/08/reinventing-clergy.html
change
http://www.herescope.blogspot.com/
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*Index to other articles by Discernment Group
Emerging “Christianity” – Part 1