(August/September 2009 – Volume 15, Issue 5)
Emergent spokesman Brian McLaren calls for the evangelical community to get over its love affair with certainty. He writes, “Drop any affair you may have with certainty, proof, argument – and replace it with dialogue, conversation, intrigue, and search.”[1] Are we to take McLaren seriously? If so, then the best way to get over our love affair with certainty, according to McLaren, would be to replace it with uncertainty, or more commonly, mystery. It is definitely in vogue at this point in church history to make the rather “certain” claim that we cannot be certain about anything. Of course, the irony of such certainty about uncertainty is obvious. But much like impossible political promises, when statements are left unanalyzed and unchallenged they tend to be uncritically absorbed by the minds of some people, often resulting in great harm.
It is important then that we give careful thought to the recent love affair with uncertainty. What are its origins? Is it really something new? Does it line up with the claims of Scripture? How should the people of God respond?
Inroads of Uncertainty
There is little doubt that those espousing an “uncertain” or mystery brand of Christianity, as found in the Emergent church and similar groups, are merely lip-synching postmodern philosophy which has permeated much of the Western world. Postmodernism,[2] which is still taking form, and simultaneously has grown tiresome, is best known for its uncertainty. Knowable absolute and universal truth is denied, even despised, in the postmodern system. Christian thinker Os Guinness offers the following definition of postmodernism:
Postmodernism is a movement and a mood as much as a clear set of ideas, so it often feels as if it is everywhere and nowhere. Doubtless, this means it is blamed for too much as well as too little. There are, of course, telltale fingerprints that postmodernism leaves on all it touches – the rejection of truth and objective standards of right and wrong, the leveling of authorities, the elevation of the autonomous self as the soul arbiter of life and reality, the equalizing of cultures, the promotion of image over character, the glorifying of power…”[3]
As postmodernism has encroached on our society it is becoming more and more common to see its views reflected in many realms of evangelicalism. For example, theologian Donald Bloesch writes, “Scripture is authoritative by virtue of its relation to the living Word, not by virtue of its truthfulness as such.”[4] And, “The knowledge of faith is not an empirical objectifying knowledge but a knowledge of which we are lifted above reason and sense into communion with the living God.”[5] In a rather convoluted manner
Bloesch is challenging a rationalistic approach to Scripture, which teaches that the Bible provides propositional truth and a common sense approach to the understanding of life, and replacing it with a postmodern, mystical understanding. Others have been clearer; for example Brian McLaren believes conservatives have entirely missed the Bible’s purpose and message and therefore, “Hardly anyone in conservative churches actually encounters the Bible any more.”[6] As a result, those of a postmodern bent, we are told, “find the doctrines and principles [drawn from Scripture] as interesting as grass clippings.”[7] This is because conservatives, according to McLaren, “Have conquered the text, captured the meaning, removed all mystery, stuffed it and preserved it for posterity, like a taxidermist with a deer head.”[8] But even McLaren’s friend and cohort, Tony Campolo sees the danger of this mystical approach to the Scriptures. In response to the thoughts of McLaren as quoted above, Campolo writes,
Most biblical scholars would contend that the apostle Paul’s theological propositions have largely defined traditional Christianity… Brian may have bought into postmodern thinking just a little too much for me. As I see it, Jacques Derrida, the famous postmodern deconstructionist philosopher, and his followers contend that the text of Scripture has no single interpretation; instead the Bible should be read as though it was a Rorschach test. They tell us to see in the text whatever meaning we want to impose on it. They tell us that no single interpretation should be considered objectively valid. The text, says these postmodernists, has a life of its own—and once it is written, the reader provides the meaning. To me, that approach to the Bible has inherent dangers.[9]
Campolo, certainly no conservative, nevertheless is correct. Once we decide that the Bible is primarily the means of a mystical encounter with God rather than God’s truth revealed to man which is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16b-17), the purpose of God’s revelation changes. Scripture can be twisted to mean anything we want it to mean; the meaning of the revelation is not important, what matters is our supposed encounter with God. There is no question that we encounter God in the Bible, for as Jesus said, He came to “explain” God to us (John 1:18), and Hebrews 1:2 tells us that God has spoken to us “in His Son.” My contention is that we encounter God in the truth that He reveals. John said that his greatest joy was knowing that his “children [were] walking in the truth” (3 John 4). The Bible offers more than truth claims and propositions, but it does not offer less.
The Product of Uncertainty
A medical physician friend of mine compares this postmodern/mystical approach to the AIDS virus. He told me, “Postmodernism attacks true Christianity’s defense system, the truth (including God’s Word), denying it exists or at least that it can be known with any degree of certainty. Like the AIDS virus, which leaves the body subject to all manner of infections and malignancies, postmodernism leaves Christianity with all manner of heresies if not apostasy.”[10]
This disease of uncertainty has produced a very ill patient. A recent report entitled, “Crisis in America ’s Churches: Bible Knowledge at All-Time Low”[11] reveals a startling picture of the evangelical church. Below are some of the findings by George Barna and other researchers as documented in this report:
- The most widely known Bible verse among adult and teen believers is “God helps those who help themselves” – which is not in the Bible.
- Less than one out of every ten believers possesses a biblical worldview as the basis for his or her decision-making or behavior.
- When given thirteen basic teachings from the Bible, only 1% of adult believers firmly embrace all thirteen as being biblical perspectives.
- Of Baptists (of all kinds) only 34% believe Satan is real, 57% believe that good works earn heaven, 45% do not believe that Jesus was sinless and 34% do not believe the Bible is totally accurate.
- Only 32% of “born-again” Christians believes in the existence of absolute moral truth.
Commenting on such beliefs Professor Gary Burge of Wheaton College believes such theological and biblical illiteracy is the result of:
- The failure of the church to transmit what it believes to the next generation. One of the reasons for this is an overemphasis on personal experience to the exclusion of serious Christian education.
- Many churches have abandoned serious Bible exposition and theological teaching. Exegesis is becoming a “lost art” in the pulpit.
- Today there is a tremendous influence of nonbiblical philosophies and worldviews on churchgoers.
- Christians have accepted and combined so many ideas from other worldviews and religions that they have created their own faith system. The average born-again, baptized, churchgoing person has embraced elements of Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Mormonism, Scientology, Unitarianism and Christian Science – without any idea he has just created his own faith.
It seems to me that those cheerleading for a Christianity devoid of propositional truth and centered around an experiential encounter with Christ should be quite pleased – they have gotten what they want. Scripture is basically ignored by the average believer who now measures his Christian life by how he feels and what experiences he has encountered. On the other hand, I am convinced that our Lord is not so pleased. He designed and commissioned His church to be the “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15), but the church is rapidly becoming a place without truth. David Wells informs us, “Theology does not fare well in the culture because it is not believed, it does not fare well in the church because it is not wanted.”[12] He goes on to warn, “A church that neither is interested in theology nor has the capacity to think theologically is a church that will be rapidly submerged beneath the wave of modernity [or swallowed up by its culture].”[13]
The roots of this weakened form of Christianity can be found long before the influence of postmodern philosophy. In an oft’ quoted observation, Michael Saward, surveying the evangelical scene in the 1980s, could say,
This is the disturbing legacy of the 1960s and 1970s. A generation brought up on guitars, choruses, and home group discussions. Educated, as one of them put it to me, not to use words with precision because the image is dominant, not the word. Equipped not to handle doctrine but rather to “share.” A compassionate, caring generation, suspicious of definition and labels, uneasy at, and sometimes incapable of, being asked to wrestle with sustained didactic exposition of theology. Excellent when it came to providing religious music, drama, and art. Not so good when asked to preach and teach the Faith.[14]
Where to from Here?
As a result of these past and present influences, the church of Christ is facing an authority crisis. There has been a steady erosion of confidence in Scripture for several decades cumulating in theological and/or practical elimination of the need for the Bible in our lives. After all, in a society infatuated with success—theological understanding, biblical knowledge and even righteous living are no match for fancy buildings, high-powered programs, the finest in entertainment and emotional experiences (no matter what the source). Very few churches grow numerically today because of solid teaching of the Word. That is because very few Christians today see the importance of the Word. To them the Bible is much like a musical concert, there to produce an experience, not to transform their lives. They see no vital connection between Scripture and life. To know God’s truth is not essential to how they want to live their lives, therefore they have no desire to study the Bible. This leaves a vacuum that is being filled with mysticism, rituals, entertainment and fun, all in the name of Christ. Ultimately, however, like the sinkholes in Florida a few years ago, once the faith has been sucked dry spiritually there will eventually be an implosion. Without a timely recovery of the importance and sufficiency of the Word of God such an implosion is imminent, although it will most likely take the form of a slow degeneration rather than a sudden collapse. I believe we are witnessing such deterioration even at this moment and yet few believers have noticed – another sign of our spiritual condition.
Our buildings are large, megachurches are prolific and multiplying, our programs are well-funded, the Christian entertainment industry is big business, and church atten dance is still respectable, at least in America . Outward appearance would reveal a robust evangelical community filled with ministry opportunities and overflowing with life.
But beneath the surface we detect serious concerns. Two generations of believers have, for the most part, been devoid of sound systematic teaching of the Word. An appetite for the superficial has been cultivated and few crave solid food. Biblical discernment is a relic of a bygone era and is viewed with disdain by a people trained to cherish relativism. Such a situation cannot be long endured by God’s church. Francis Schaeffer warned in the early ‘70s,
Once we begin to slip over into the other methodology—a failure to hold on to an absolute which can be known by the whole man, including what is logical and rational in him—historic Christianity is destroyed, even if it seems to keep going for a time. We may not know it, but when this occurs, the marks of death are upon it, and it will soon be one more museum piece.[15]
The Bible Stands
One of my favorite Christian songs is “The Bible Stands.” Although it is difficult to find in hymn books these days, its message has always encouraged my heart:
The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
‘Mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal,
And they glow with a light sublime.
The Bible stands tho’ the hills may tumble
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
For the Bible stands.
The Bible lays out its own claim to authority and power. Our familiarity with 2 Timothy 3:16-17 should not rob us of its force, “All Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequately equipped for every good work.” Paul makes a radical assertion that the Scriptures are profitable to identify the true needs and issues in our lives, to correct us, to teach us how we should live and then train us in righteousness. When the Scriptures have finished their work we will be found adequate and equipped for every good work. It is no wonder that Paul follows up this declaration of the Bible’s power with a charge to preach the Word (4:2) and to do so while there are still people wanting to hear and respond to its message (4:3-4). Paul speaks of a window of opportunity that, with the help of hindsight, apparently opens and closes throughout history. We can observe an opening of the window, for example, during the times of the Reformation and the Evangelical Awakening. Now we can observe the window of opportunity for the Word, especially in the Western world, rapidly closing. We urgently need to proclaim God’s truth while some are still willing to listen.
I believe the Word of God has the power to transform our lives and lead us into godliness first and foremost because it makes that claim. The typical evangelical would likely pronounce a hardy “amen” to the above statement—unless and until the claims of the Scripture run cross-grain to the patterns of his life. When the authority of the Bible steps into the arena of his career, his personal habits, his psychological concepts, his finances, his marriage and family, his sports, his dealing with conflict, then suddenly the Holy Scripture is considered of no value and eliminated out of hand. After all, our friend reasons, what does the Bible have to say about such things? The answer—everything. Our friend retorts, it is an ancient book full of nice stories and good proverbs, suitable for worship services and funerals, but it has no reasonable bearing on everyday life, does it? The answer—the Bible, through the power of the Holy Spirit, says it can absolutely transform our lives—every aspect of our lives.
The Holy Spirit in Romans 12:2 indicates that everyone is born with a mind conformed to the world system. As a result we naturally think and act as one would expect those lacking an understanding of God to think and act. Upon conversion we become new creatures (2 Cor 5:17) with new capacities to think and act in ways that please God (1 Cor 2:14-16). But such a transformation is not automatic. We carry with us into the Christian life the residue of our unregenerate, conformed state. It is for this reason that the New Testament calls for us to lay aside our former manner of living (Col 3:5-9) and put on the characteristics of our born-from-above nature (Col 3:10-17). But such a transition will successfully take place only as our minds are renewed ( Col 3:10). Paul commands us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). Such renewal is possible only as the Word of God penetrates our minds and heart.
The Scriptures then stand ready and able to expose and correct all our former conformity to the world system and its way of interacting with life. And by the same token they stand ready and able to teach us how to live and to train us in the right path. When Scripture is viewed in this way it becomes the indispensable power and wisdom of God to direct us in every area of life. The Word is not just adequate for church services, funerals and occasional pick-me-ups. It is adequate for every area of our lives from child rearing to job selection to investments to tragedies and loss. The Bible is every bit at home in the work place, in the hospital, and on the basketball court as it is at a church service.
This becomes obvious when we observe that, immediately following the command to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, Paul launches into application on the most practical of everyday issues.
- Serving one another (Rom 12:3-8).
- Dealing with people (Rom 12:9-13).
- Handling difficult people and conflict (Rom 12:14-21).
- Attitude and behavior in regard to government (Rom 13:1-7).
- Loving one another (Rom 13:8-10)
- Moral behavior (Rom 13:11-14).
- Relating to those who embrace different opinions from ours (Rom 14:1-15:6).
This represents just a sampling of the many areas in which the Scripture brings our thinking into conformity with God’s. I would venture to say that the Bible speaks to every issue in our lives either directly or through principles.
The article referenced earlier dealing with biblical illiteracy ends with this sour prediction, “Experts do not expect the trend toward biblical illiteracy in churches to change.”
But the prediction is followed up with wise exhortation: “This does not alter, though, the responsibility of church leaders to do all they can do to reverse this dangerous trend…we must try.” [16]
And, by God’s grace, perhaps we will succeed.
[1] Brian D. McLaren and Tony Campolo, Adventures in Missing the Point (Grand Rapid: Zondervan, 2003), p. 84.
[2] For more on postmodernism see my book “This Little Church Stayed Home,” ( Darlington, England : Evangelical Press, 2006): pp. 21-54.
[3] Os Guinness, Time for Truth ( Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000), p. 52.
[4] Donald Bloesch, Essentials of Evangelical Theology ( Peabody, MA: Prince Press, 2001), p. 275.
[5] Ibid., p. 268.
[6] Brian D. McLaren and Tony Campolo, Adventures in Missing the Point, p .78.
[7] Ibid., p. 77.
[8] Ibid., p. 79.
[9] Ibid., p. 89.
[10] Personal letter from Dr. James Blankenship.
[11] Michael J. Vlach, “Crisis in America ’s Churches: Bible Knowledge at All-Time Low,” http://www.theologicalstudies.org/page/page/1573625.htm.
[12] As quoted in Gary L. W. Johnson & Ronald N. Gleason, Reforming or Conforming? “Church and Community or Community and Church?” ( Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), p. 174.
[13] Ibid.
[14] As quoted in Iain H. Murray, Evangelicalism Divided ( Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust: 2000), p. 254.
[15] Francis Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer, The God Who Is There (Wheaton: Crossway, 1982), p. 47.
[16] Ibid.
