Adventures in Missing the Point

Together, Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo, both major leaders in the Emerging Church movement, set out an emergent theology that does not "miss the point." in their book, "Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel." The two authors take on various issues in theology including worship, sin, salvation and other issues such as culture and postmodernism. The book is heavily emergent. However, unless one understands the philosophical assumptions behind the words, one could be fooled that the two men make orthodox arguments.

Perhaps the most shocking treatment is their discussion on homosexuality. Campolo, writing on this subject, differentiates between those who have an orientation toward homosexuality and those who prefer homosexuality. The difference is that those who are oriented do not have a choice in the matter. It is, therefore, wrong to force such persons to become heterosexuality. He tries to offer scientific proof of this stance, but fails to prove his point, in fact, he admits it. While Campolo says that homosexuality is a sin, he somehow rationalizes it away and he does so by looking at the main texts in Scripture and tries to right them off as Christians misunderstanding them.

Overall, the book is at times promising, but always on razor edge. Their adoption of postmodern thinking and the hope of cultural approval has led them to compromise clear Biblical truth. So while claiming to believe that the Bible is true, interpret it, at times, as if it is also murky.