"How Not to Speak of God'

Peter Rollins is one of the rising starts in the Emergent Church. Since the publication of his first book, Rollins continues to be influential within the movement. Upon one reading of any of his books is easy to see why. I recently read his book, "How (Not) to Speak of God," and found it to be one of the best treatment of its subject among Emergent writings.

Rollins' primary concern is the perspecuity of Scripture. That is, the clarity of Scripture. The question is can we know and understand God, and everything that flows out of Him, fully and objectively? Is it possible to approach the Biblical text objectively? Rollins begins by laying out how the "contemporary Church" argues that one can. Revelation is the opposite of concealment. Because we have Scripture we can know God objectively.

But Rollins rejects such a notion. We cannot know God objectively, even through the a careful study of Scripture and theology, because we cannot know anything objectively apart from the baggage we bring. Such baggage includes our culture, genes, economic position, influences, experiences, etc. This applies to our theology. We cannot know God objectively because we cannot know anything objectively.

But this shouldn't suprise us. Scripture describes God in contradictory terms. God is both a God of war and of peace, etc. The authors are aware of these inconsistencies but is not concerned with them. Systematic theologians, rooted in an understanding that God can be known objectively, struggle reconciling these inconsistencies. But to the original authors, there was no need to reconcile these inconsistencies.

God is both revealed and hidden in Rollins' assessment. And this is the point. It is foolish to think that any one, regardless of their skill in theology, can know God completely and objectively simply by reading the biblical text. Therefore, we must embrace and celebrate the mystery and hiddenness of God. We must accept the fact that God can be known and yet remains unknown.

To be "transformed" by the mystery of God, Rollins wants his readers to not only do theology, but to live it. Theology is only worth the study whenever it is lived out among other people. Rather than say, here is correct theology, we must go out and live theology.

Rollins has a great concern. As he looks at the contemporary Church he sees countless denominations and needless divisions. The reason for these divisions is that one side argues that the otherside has faulty interpretation of the texts. If Scripture is so clear, then why are there so many divisions? What worse is the false, modernistic notion that any denomination or theologian can have the absolute and correct understanding of God and the biblical text. But we must realize that no one can fully understand God and know, on this side of heaven, correct doctrine.

In the end, Rollins questions the clarity of Scripture. Although he might not see it this way, this is what he is saying. He calls on his reader to live in paradox and mystery. We should embrace the hiddenness of God who is knowable and yet unknowable.

This radically affects the conclusions that we draw regarding theology such as the gospel, morality, truth, ethics, sexuality, etc. If God remains unknowable, even through revelation, what else is unknowable. Emergents almost universally look back at the history of the Church and argue that since she has been wrong on many things, like slavery, after a careful study of Scripture, then perhaps she is also wrong about the gospel, homosexuality, and other important issues. We simply do not know.

Rollins presents perhaps the best argument against Scripture's perspicuity, but in the end is is both dangerous and wrong. Systematic theology does not believe that everything about God can be known, but only the things revealed in Scripture can be known, including His infinite, supernatural existence. No one, at least any good theologian, suggests that God can be known fully, but that what Scripture reveals is clear. What is says about God, though oftentimes difficult to grasp and to fully understand, the gospel, morality, the family, sexuality, etc. is clear enough for Christians to have a worldview that affects all that we are, believe, say, do, think, and defend.

"Traveling Light"

Our church is looking at the third fruit of the spirit, peace, and are taking our time through Psalm 23. As you can imagine, a number of books have been written on this fantastic passage of Scripture. One of those great books is Max Lucado's, "Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear."

Lucado is perhaps the best selling Christian author. When I worked at a Christian bookstore, we realized that virtually every area in the store had something of Lucado's in it: books (obviously), music, cards, gifts, kids books, Bible studies, Bibles, and bargains. Lucado is everywhere and there is a reason for that: He is a great writer.

The minute you begin to read any of Lucado's major books, you are almost always immediately gripped by the author to keep reading. And Traveling Light is no different.

Lucado is a master story-teller and a master at using illustrations to drive home his point. To the pastor looking for such gripping stories and illustrations, Lucado is a gold-mine. Lucado brilliantly walks the reader through Psalm 23 and how it applies to each reader. It is a master piece and an enjoyable read.

However, I would say that one of the reasons that I don't read everything that Lucado releases is that he is always a bottom shelf guy. Lucado has a wonderful ability to explain difficult things in a simple way, but oftentimes he leaves things on the bottom shelf. I oftentimes found myself throughout this book wonder, "Is that it?" Each chapter could have been extended with more. More of what the Bible says. More of how it applies to my life specifically. Etc.

But overall, this is an excellent book that anyone would enjoy whether an academic or an everyday Christian. And the fact that it covers the 23rd Psalm just makes it a little more sweeter.

"Finding Peace"

This upcoming Sunday we will begin looking at the third fruit of the Spirit, peace, through the lends of Psalm 23. Many have found peace in its words and it is necessary for us to take the time to discuss it. I have begun my studying on the subject of peace by looking at Charles Stanley's book, "Finding Peace: God's Promise of a Life Free from Regret, Anxiety, and Fear." The title essentially tells the whole story.

The book, overall, is good. It is not a difficult to read. Stanley has a unique ability to write for the common believer with plenty of application and right theology. Stanely's book is built around the Biblical text and is frequently used throughout the books pages.

Perhaps its strongest point is Stanley's emphasis on the sovereignty of God. If God is sovereign, then He is in control. What peace that is! That means that no matter what might happen in our lives, God remains in control. He remains active, powerful, and aware of our situations and heartache. Stanley makes this point very clear and it has immense implications on having real peace in one's life.

The book is not deep at all. I found this a little disappointing, although for the average reader, this is a good thing. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for peace. Stanley is a great pastor and author whose ministry has affected thousands. Pick up anything he writes and they are biblically sound and practical at the same time.

"Imagine! A God Blessed America"

Dr. Richard Land has written a fine work that is both a call of awareness and a call to action for every believer in "Imagine! A God Blessed America: What It Would Look Like and How It Could Happen." Imagine what the United States would be like if it reflected the teachings and morals of Christ and His Word. Our society certainly needs it, even though it may not want it and it is time for Christians to rise up and change the world in which we live and Dr. Land desires that most from his reader. He lays out all of our societies the problems clearly, and then provides the solution to those problems. To change a society, it will take a focused Church.

Summary

Richard Land begins his book discussing the possibilities. What would it be like if we lived in a true Christian nation? Sure we are considered a "Christian" nation throughout the world, but we certainly do not reflect that in our society, especially since we continue to abort babies and marry homosexuals.

Despite this reality, Land wants us to just imagine what it would be like if our nation was more like Christ. Perhaps there would be less crime, no abortions, cleaner air, better focus on the family and education, better trust in politicians, and many other drastic changes in our society compared to what it is now.

However, in the midst of this dream we realize a problem; this task is going to take a lot of work. Nevertheless, Land wants the reader to understand that God can use each individual to make that dream become a reality. All we need is the tools to fight and trust in the God that can make all things happen. We can do it with faith and an understanding of our call as believers in an unbelieving society.

From there, the author begins to discuss specific issues in our nation that we must address in order to turn it back towards God. They include abortion, euthanasia, marriage, homosexuality, pride, crime, and many other issues. Here, the author unravels to the reader what our nation is doing. He provides the reader with vital statistics, news headline, current trends, and what the secularist and humanist of our society wish to push farther. He points out that those advocating in favor of homosexuality also support pedophilia, bestiality, and other grotesque immorality. In addition, he notes a start contrast over the issue of sanctity of human life. Many, including Christians, are against abortion, yet are in favor of euthanasia. That is to say that life is sanctified at the beginning of life, but is easily discarded at the end.

As the author unfolds the "hot" topics in our society, he continues to remind the reader that they can do something about it. For one, we have the power to vote. The Christian should never neglect this obligation. We also can get involved in certain activities to take a stand. But ultimately, we can make out greatest mark by raising godly children who will then raise godly children, and so forth. Land finds the real solution to our problems within the local family.

Therefore, parents should put up blockers on their computers at home to keep their children from viewing pornography, discipline is needed, godly character and upbringing are musts, and so on.

Next, Land begins to focus in more on the individual. Here, Land writes an entire chapter on the dangers of pride in our culture. He shows that it is pride and selfishness that has lead us to such sin. Whether it be abortion, pornography, rape, murder, fornication, or any other sin in our culture, most are done out of pride. We want what we want and that’s all that matters. As a result, if we can deal with this issue, we can begin this much needed progress of turning our nation back to what it once was; moral and God-fearing.

So, what is the answer to our dilemma? How can we overcome the evil of our society? It’s simple; be committed to the common good. Land has already noted that pride was a major problem and reason behind much of the madness in our society, and so therefore we must be concerned, not with our own selfish needs and wants, but the needs of others. Husbands must focus and the needs of their wife and vice-versa. Politicians need to stop seeking power, but instead serve the people that elected them to office. We change society by changing the people. It is a simple concept, and yet powerful at the same time. Politics and speeches will take us only so far, but action among the people will change this nation in the greatest way.

Critical Evaluation

There are several things that could be said concerning Land’s book. First, throughout the book, the author pictures an unrealistic reality of what America would be like if it were more Christianized. For example, he says that if we were a more Christianize nation then the air would clear because Christians take better care of the earth that, they believe, God created. This is simply fanciful thinking. Many say that it is modern technology, such as cars and factories, that are polluting the air, not unbelievers.

At the same time, Land does point some things out that are true. A more Christ-like nation would have a drastic shortage on crime and wrong doings. Perhaps jails would be less full; each city will need less and less of a police force, and other results. There is no doubt that a nation that has more true Christians in it would be a better society, it, however, does not mean everything would be better. Not all Christian students get good grades. Some Christians get fired for their own incompetence. To say that a true "Christian" nation would be completely different in all aspects is just simply not the case. Land, therefore, paints an unrealistic picture.

Though these things are true, there is much that the author offers that is very promising. I am especially impressed with Land’s emphasis on the individual. Throughout the entire book, Land always returns to the theme that it is the reader’s responsibility to do everything they can to see that our nation returns to its roots of Christian values and morals. He repeatedly mentions that one person can change a society. To prove his theory, he gives many statistics and stories throughout history and currently that show one person changing their community and even their nation.

As a youth pastor this is especially comforting. It has become a common theme of mine to remind my youth that they have the ability to change their school, their family, and friends towards Christ. One dedicated, God-fearing young person is enough to do just that. And this is what Land describes the most. The reader comes away from the booking believe that they can in fact change the course of the nations history if only they begin impacting those around them and their culture through authentic Christianity.

Another aspect I enjoyed very much in Land’s book is the progression of the book as each chapter unfolds. Each chapter is simple to read, and yet vitally important. The author discusses some much needed issues in each chapter the reader needs to know about. As these issues unfold, the author explains to the reader what they can do personally to turn this country back towards God. These topics include the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical understanding of sex and the family, personal pride, and many other hot topics in our society today. He unveils these issues one at a time, describes why they are so important, and what we can do about them. The reader walks away with not only with what are some of the morally anti-Christian issues of our day, but what we can do to give the glory back to God.

More specifically, I like his chapter on the sanctity of human life. In this chapter, he not only discusses abortion and the moral and legal issues there, but also euthanasia and the culture of death. He points out that our secular society does not care about the sanctity of life, but rather the quality of life.

I also enjoyed his chapter on pride. This one issue seemed to recapture the deeper sins behind each issue. We abort babies so that they will not become burdens on us, or so we can finish our education first. We euthanize family members so that their ailments will not longer be burdens on us. Pride leads to materialism, crime, greed, and many other problems. Although each chapter is not very deep and easy to read, the author nonetheless says what needs to be said.

Land reminds the Christian reader that he has surrendered all that they are for Christ and His Church. We are nothing without Him and we must stop living for ourselves. Everything we do needs to reflect Him in our lives. For when we forget this, we not only fail God, we lead our nation down deeper into an amoral trail.

Conclusion

Overall, Richard Lands book was very well done. He does not dwell on things that could be summarized in fewer words. He says what needs to be said and moves on. He gives an accurate portrayal of where our country has been, where it is today, and where it is heading in the future. He also challenges the reader to do something about the secularizing of our nation.

This is a book that could be recommended to people of all ages. It is not too difficult, and yet not too easy. Both a young person and an older adult would gain much from reading its pages. This is one that I highly recommend and personally look forward to one day, not only imagining, but living in a God blessed America.

"Esteemed Reproach"

As a Baptist I am well aware of the history of my denomination. As a Kentucky Baptist, I am well aware of how Baptist were treated during the founding of our nation. Many Baptist fled Virginia to Kentucky in order to escape persecution from the Anglican-controlled state. Many will be surprised to know that Virginia, at our nations founding was Anglican. Virginia was not the only state to be primarily controlled by a certain denomination.

I am a descendent of such persecuted Baptist. Seven generations back, my ancestors, converted Baptist, fled Virginia after repeatedly being sent to jail for their Baptist convictions. One of those ancestors was Joseph Craig. Like many in his familyi and like most Baptist in Virginia, Craig was frequently persecuted and jailed for his beliefs. Craig, along with his brothers Lewis and Elijah, joined the ministry and call on men everywhere to repent.

I came across a fascinating book called "Esteemed reproach : the lives of Rev. James Ireland and Rev. Joseph Craig." The authors offer the writings and personal testimonies of the only two men who experienced persecution in Virginia for being Baptist and wrote about it. As a descendent of Craig, I had to pick it up and read it. The authors provide the reader with an excellent introduction that informs the reader on who these two great men were. I found their discussion of Craig particularly informative.

The authors note the eccentricies of Craig, especially cared to his other siblings. One paragraph reads:

Craig's zeal notwithstanding, his eccentricities coud be disconcerting. john Taylor, a well-known Virgina Baptit precher who also relocated to Kentucky, held the Craig family in high regaard but occasionally found himself embarrassed by Joseph's antics, beginning with their initial meeting. Taylor recalled preacing a candlelight meeting at the lower South River Church in Virginia. When the servie ended Joseph Craig ran up to him and exclaimed, 'Here is the ass's colt that myMaster rode to Jerusalem.' Craig may have meant that Taylor had done an exceelent job of 'conveying' Jesus to the people, but he never boteed to explain precisely what he meant. 'After this,' Taylor noted, 'Craig would introduce me to strangers as 'the ass col' without tellimg them my name.' Of course, Taylor also apprecited the methods Craig devised for baffling those who tried to arrest him whether it involved running through swamps, climbing trees to avoid bloodhounds, or pretending to be completely deranged.

I think we all know someone like that.

But overall, this book provides keen insight into the daily life and troubles of Baptist in Virginia. Through his journal and his songs, the reader finds real men who struggled with real issues. I recommend this book. It is more than just insight into an ancestor, but insight into where we have been and how much we have to be thankful for . . . especially as Baptists.

For more:

The History of Rev. Joseph Craig

"Jesus Wants To Save Christians"

Rob Bell remains as one of the most influential leaders in the Church today, and this is not a compliment. Bell is quickly slipping away from orthodoxy and adopting a theology contrary to the gospel and his latest book, "Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto For the Church in Exile" co-authored with Don Golden, is no different.

Bell and Golden are concerned for the Church. To them, the Church is repeating the same mistakes of the past: empire building. The book is based on the New Exodus perspective which makes the story of the Exodus the primary and most important book of the Bible. In Exodus, the people of Israel find themselves oppressed as slaves under the empire of Egypt. God hears the cries of the oppressed and delivers them. Egypt is the anti-kingdom, they oppose God's kingdom. God hates empires.

Bell and Golden lay out various themes of the Exodus such as the Passover, the ten plagues, the killing of the first-born, the giving of the Ten Commandments, and other important aspects of the story. Eventually Israel make it to their own land and possess it, just as God had promised. Then came a King named David who grew the nation of Israel and handed the kingdom over to his son Solomon. Solomon was a great king at first and many came and admired his kingdom and how he ruled rightly and just.

But then, Solomon began to expand his kingdom, build great buildings and monuments on the backs of slaves (the oppressed), he ruled unjustly, allowed unjust things to happen in his kingdom, stored up for himself wealth, made money off of weapons, instruments of war, and war itself. Israel, through Solomon, had become anti-kingdom, just like Egypt. Therefore, God heard the cry of the oppressed and defeated the power of empire. God hates empires.

And so the story of the Old Testament and on to the New Testament it goes. Throughout the Old Testament, prophets prophesied that God was going to send another son of David unlike Solomon who wouldn't rule as an anti-kingdom but would serve the poor, the hungry, the needy, the sick, the forgotten, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed. He would be what Solomon was at first, but would not turn to empire building. He would be a servant. And that servant would be Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ came and helped the oppressed and showed His followers another way to live. Jesus, like God in Egypt, hears the cry of the oppressed (80).

To Bell, the Church is running away from this message of Jesus. The Church has turned its back on building Christ's kingdom and instead is building the American Empire, the anti-kingdom just like Egypt, just like Jerusalem, just like Babylon, and just like Rome. Christians are holding their Bible in one hand and the American flag in the other. "A Christian should get very nervous when the flag and the Bible start holding hands. This is not a romance we want to encourage" (18). The Church no longer hears what God hears: the cries of the oppressed, the poor, the unwanted, the needy, the strangers, and the disenfranchised. The Church has gotten intament with the empire.

Jesus wants to save Christians.

God needs a body and His body is the Church. The church should demonstrate God's love, God's ears who hears the cries of the oppressive, but she isn't. She is in bed with empire, the anti-kingdom. It is time for the Church to repent from her sins and serve the poor and the oppressed.

In the end, what Bell and Golden offer is nothing short of a social gospel. Not on the surface, but underneath lies the social gospel. But there is a real danger here. Too many conservative Christians like myself think of the social gospel as the worse thing and then turn around and do nothing about serving others. We must not do that. What the social gospel is saying, we need to hear. However, we must not abandon genuine and correct theology. The gospel should mobilize us to serve others, share the gospel with others, and do all that we can to fulfill the Great Commission which radically changes hearts, actions, words, and deeds.

The authors make the gospel nothing more than a homeless shelter or a soup line. The gospel is so much more. In the Epilogue, the authors right:

Jesus wants to save us form making the good news about another world and not this one.

Jesus wants to save us from preaching a gospel that is only about individual sand not about the systems that enslave them.

Jesus wants to save us from shrinking the gospel down to a transaction about the removal of sin and not about every single particle of creation being reconciled to its maker.

Jesus wants to save us from religiously sanctioned despaired, the kind that doesn't believe the world can be made better, the kind of that either blatantly or subtly teaches people to just be quiet and behave and wait for something big to happen 'someday.' (170)

This "transaction" the authors are referring to is the doctrine of penal substitution. Like most Emergents, Bell and Golden believe that Evangelicals have made salvation about life after death and not about life before death. They want to correct that and that is the authors point in writing this book. Salvation is just as much about this world as it is the next.

This is all good and well (and we need to hear this message), but the authors are undermining the gospel. It is important to emphasize the present reality of the kingdom and the gospel, but as CS Lewis argued, one cannot be obedient in this life without an understanding of the next. In their attempt to correct Evangelical doctrine, they undermine it. The gospel saves us from the wrath of God that will be poured out on us in hell after we die. That's part of the gospel. To write that off is a huge step towards heresy.

Though Bell and Golden might say that they don't reject or deny the importance of life after death, their book suggests that they do. It's as if they are saying: as long as Christians help the poor and bring about justice, God will be pleased. But they miss the point: unless a sinner repents of their sin there will be no serving the poor or the oppressed out of pure motives. We must begin with the sin issue first, before we can help the poor out of their poverty or the oppressed out of their oppression. We must be changed. The spiritually poor must be made in order to serve the physically poor. And the first step in doing that is to resolve their spiritual poverty first, and then consider their physical poverty.

Bell and Golden write a fascinating book, but a dangerous one. Some of their hermeneutical conclusions are insightful but oftentimes off based. They find allegory that is forced. It is good to see a book that emphasizes the importance of the Exodus, but in the process they undermine the importance of other parts of Scripture.

In the end, the authors miss the gospel. In fact they undermine it. There could be no worse critique than that. Serving the oppressed is great. Redeeming the slave is wonderful. But let us not forget that before God, we are all slaves of sin. Through the cross and resurrection, we can become slaves of Christ (Romans 6). Let's be about the business of the gospel.

"Foxe's Book of Martyrs"

I have recently recommended the book, "Foxe's Book of Martyrs" by John Foxe. To read that recommendation, click here. I recommended this book as I have returned to it a number of times since I was a teenager. Although many of the stories are horrifying and grotesque, it is a constant reminder of the cost of discipleship and the depravity of man against the gospel.

This is one book that will both break your heart and enbolden you to a more radical and real faith in Christ. Let us as Christians in the 21st Century be willing to boldly proclaim the gospel as our brothers and sisters in Christ did before us.

For More:
You can read the entire book online by clicking here.
You can also download and listen to the entire book for free by clicking here.
See also the Voices of the Martyrs, USA ministry webpage which continues the legacy of John Foxe
DC Talk has also published two books in the tradition of Foxe called Jesus Freaks: Volume 1, Volume 2

"Velvet Elvis"

We all have that painting, toy, or memorabilia in our basement or junk room. That item that has lost its flavor, its appeal, it "in-style" feel to it. One must wonder, is the Church as we know it today in America becoming like that item in our basement? That is one of the main questions that Rob Bell (along with many other Emergents) are asking in "Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christan Faith."

Things are always needing repaired. Needless things holding it down must be stripped and removed. It needs to be updated and recasted. And to Bell, so does the Church. In the end, Bell makes the same argument, and as a result, the same mistake, of other Emergents: the Church and its faith are outdated, it is time for a remodel; a repainting.

Bell doesn't try to redefine or reshape the faith, just repaint it. Make it new. Make it excited. Make it worth believing in again. Times have changed. God hasn't. We need something new, something fresh, something worthwhile.

Bell is one of the most influential, and coolest, pastors in America. I came across Rob Bell through one of my youth. I as aware of him, but paid not attention to him. He is heavily influential to young people and his church in Grand Rapids continues to grow. I do not say this with glee. Bell presents a number of problems to the faith. His approach to ministry, his understanding of the gospel, and his theology are all dangerous. His influence means that we must be honest and straightforward.

I will not walk the reader through the whole book. Just note the books premise: the Christian faith needs to be repainted. And repaint it he does. Bell suggests, while always clinging to mystery, paradox, and ambiguity, to universalism/inclusivism, failed view of Scripture and the gospel. These are all foundational issues. To miss one of them is to destroy the Christan faith.

But Bell is honest. The difference between him and someone like me is the difference between a brick wall and a trampoline. To him, the Christian faith is like a trampoline. God has no boundaries or shape. But we use things, like springs, to describe God. We refer to the Trinity and other doctrines that seek to explain and give deeper meaning to the mystery of God. These springs can be removed, re-examined, re-formed, and re-shaped if need be. The springs are not God, but tell us something about Him. We are called to explore God, the faith, and its theology.

The problem, at least to Bell, isn't the jumping, but "Brickianity." There are trampoline persons and brick persons. Brick people build boundaries that say, "if you don't accept, say young earth creationism, then you don't believe Jesus died for your sins" (this is the example Bell gives). To Bell, this creates barriers and boundaries that do not allow exploration or mystery or paradox. It carries the idea that we can have God all figured out so long as we affirm these bricks and their meaning. Bell couldn't be more against this approach to the faith.

Now apply this to all areas of Christianity. What does this mean about Sola Scriptura? Well, it means that it is ludicrous to think that we can read Scripture without cultural and experiential baggage we carry with us. What does this mean about the Church? It means that preaching and monologues are brickianity, "communities" is trampoline jumping. What does this mean evangelism? It means to call on people to join you on your journey to godly living, not just calling on people to repent, believe, and convert. What does this mean for the gospel? It means to think less about salvation as a one-time event where Jesus absorbs our sins (penal substitution) but that we are constantly living saved lives: environmentalism, Bell says, is a spiritual and gospel issue.

As you can see, Bell has completely repainted the faith as he set out to do. Though at time subtly, Bell repaints (actually he redefines) the faith into something it is not. To Bell's proponents, they would describe me as a Brick person. I affirm orthodox creeds and orthodox faith. But nonetheless, Christianity is not about what we want to explore, or what we want to believe, but what God says. Let God build bricks where he wants them if He so wants them. We offend God whenever we don't say, do, obey, think, and believe in what He expects and demands us to believe. In the end, trampoline faith is cowardice.

Bell presents a number of problems to the Church and they must be addressed. Christians must be careful not to fall for Bell's charisma and thus sell their souls. Though Bell has some valid insights (even a broken clock is right twice a day) his overall thesis and goal is dangerous. Why should any of us think that we can paint a better picture than the master piece God Himself has painted? Our problem isn't that we need to new paint job, but we need to get the old one out of our basement.

"The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World"

John Piper is one of the giants in modern evangelicalism. His mulitple books, sermons, articles, blogs, and ministry have dramatically influenced pastors, professors, and everyday people all over the world. Piper's ministry is centered around the joy and glory of God. Virtually all that one reads and hears from Piper center on those two issues: the joy and glory of God.

Piper's emphasis on these two issues is interesting. Book after book, Piper shows how God's glory and joy affects every area of life and in the book he edited with Justin Taylor, "The Supremacy of Chrst in a Postmodern World," Piper continues that tradition.

The book as a whole, obviously, deals with postmodernity. At times, the chapters were confusing and distracting. I frequently found myself wondering why a certain section or even chapter was even in the book. But overall, Piper and Taylor suceed.

The chapter most helpful to me was written by Voddie Baucham on "Truth and the Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World." I must say that of anything I have read regarding postmodern society and philosophy, this is perhaps the best summary that covers a great deal of subjects and issues. Baucham wrote with amazing clarity and depth. I constantly found myself with lightbulbs turning on in my head.

I also enjoyed the chapters provided by Mark Driscoll and Tim Keller. These two men are very postmodern and yet have not forfeited their souls. These two men are the postchildren of how to do ministry in a postmodern culture. Driscoll serves as a pastor in Seattle, WA while Keller has served as pastor in the heart of New York City. Each men write insightful chapters that engage the reader to think theologically and ministerially.

Overall, the book is well written and put together well. Although there were parts I found scratching my head distracted, the book is a helpful resource to have especially as the culture continues to shift below our feet and before our very eyes. The occasional reference to Emergents and the Emerging Church is insightful and well received. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about how to deal with postmodernity with a Reformed Christian worldview.

Slaves, Women, & Homosexuals

The Emerging Church has an interesting hermeneutic. They interpret Scripture through the lens of culture. Here is how it works. Scripture (at least to them) supports slavery and we know that slavery is wrong. Therefore, we can cast aside those portions of Scripture that allows slavery. Likewise, Scripture supports (at least to them) a patriarchal view of women calling for them to submit to their husbands and to remain quit in the church. And since we know that such patriarchy is wrong, we are allowed to ignore those portions of Scripture.

And if Scripture has been wrong on these issues, then what else might it be wrong about? What about homosexuality? Many Emergents have raised the point that 150 years from now, our descendants will be laughing that we debated this issue just like we laugh at those who defended their right to own another human being.

This is a dangerous hermeneutic. Perhaps the best summary and argument put forth for it comes from William J. Webb in his book, "Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis." The title is a good summary of the content: sometimes, Scripture must be seen through the lens of its culture and the current culture. The author makes the argument that some of the texts regarding slaves and women were culturally limited, not binding to other cultures.

Webb offers a thorough review of the many issues, arguments, and texts surrounding these three issues. Webb, not surprisingly, finds slavery to be wrong and the apparent view of women in Scripture to be inadequate in our day and time. Homosexuality, on the other hand, is a little more difficult. The author writes:

Analyzing the homosexuality texts with the canons of cultural analysis has been an enlightening task. While some Christians advocate covenant/equal-status homosexuality as an appropriate expression for human relationships today, the results of this study would argue against such a position. The same canons of cultural analysis, which show a liberalizing or less restrictive tendency in the slavery and women texts relative to the original culture, demonstrate a more restrictive tendency in homosexuality texts relative to the original culture. Furthermore, the biblical texts not only hold an aversion to associative features (e.g., rape, pederasty), they appear to voice a concern about the more basic or core issue of same-gender sexual acts themselves . . . Once this factor is paired with finding a more restrictive movement within Scripture compared to the surrounding cultures, the covenant homosexual argument fails to be pesuasive. Virtually all of the criteria applicable to the issue suggest to varying degrees that the biblical prohibitions regarding homosexuality even within a covenant form, should be maintained today; There is no significant dissonance within the biblical data. (250)

This is a rather shocking conclusion. After all of the historical, cultural, theological, and biblical analysis, the author concludes that Scriptures views regarding homosexuality to always be more restrictive and less liberal than the culture it surrounded itself and expects such commands to binding in every culture.

This is a striking blow to many in our culture and in the Church who try to find wiggle room in the Biblical text. After hundreds of pages of surveying the culture behind each text in Scripture, the author is left with the conclusion that the Bible uniformly considers homosexuality to be a sin.

So although I disagree with the author on a number of things, this conclusion is fitting. There is no wiggle room in Scripture for the open acceptance of homosexuality. One must ignore Scripture if they wish to accept homosexuality as a viable lifestyle.

Overall, this is an important book. Although I disagree with some of the authors conclusions, it is at least an honest attempt to deal with some of these difficult issues by examining the biblical text, its original hearers and authors. Although the hermeneutic offered here can be dangerous (as is offered by the Emerging Church) one can find themselves in a webb of information that provides keen insight and perspective on these difficult issues.

"A Conflict of Visions"

Several months ago, I wrote a series of posts that sought to explain the root difference between conservatives and liberals in the area of politics, religion, ethics, and other areas. I eventually gave up for a number of reasons. But the process has been helpful. The difference between the two is rooted in nothing else but how they view the nature of man. Conservatism, for the most part, views man as corrupt. Liberals see man as naturally good.

I came across a book by Thomas Sowell called "A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles," which makes that same argument. However, the point should be made, Sowell is much more articulate and academic than anything I could ever attempt to do.

Sowell traces his argument through all of the major political issues such as crime, justice, economics, war, and peace. In each issue, Sowell shows that both sides of the issue aren't arguing over war or economics, but about the nature of man.

Take crime and justice for example:

Crime is another phenomenon seen in entirely different terms by beoievers in the contrained and unconstrained visions. The underlying caues of crime have been a major preoccupation of those with an unconstrained vision of human nature. But those with the constrained vision generally do not look for any speical causes of crime, any more than they look for special causes of war. For those with the constrained vision, people commit crimes because they are people -- because they put their own interests or egos above the interests, feelings, or lives of others. Believers in the constrained vision emphasize social contrivances to prevent crime or punishment to deter it. But to the believer in the unconstrined vision, it is hard to understand how anyone would commit a terrible crime without some special cause at work, if only blindness. (157)

Note how the differences play out. The conservative (constrained) side believes that since man is corrupt, criminals should be punished, and if need be, severely. The liberal (unconstrained) side believes that since man isn't corrupt, criminals need to be rehabilitated, treated as victims, who need to be educated. The constant cry for more education reflects this worldview: if people only knew more, then there would be less crime, hate, unwanted pregnancies, or poverty.

It is amazing what the difference a worldview makes. It would be nice, for a change, if politicians and the American people discussed this issue rather than chasing rabits. Let us deal with the root difference, the root divide.

I strongly encourage everyone interested in political science, cultural understanding, or an honest debate between various worldviews and how it shapes ones politics, economics, and morality, there is perhaps no better book than this. However, if your like me, this will be a difficult book to keep up with. Sowell is much smarter than I am and much more academicly astute. But int he end, it is well worth the read.

For more:

What's the Difference? Drawing the Line Between Liberals and Conservatives: Morality

What's the Difference? Drawing the Line Between Liberals and Conservatives: Politics

"The Coming of the Son of Man"

When one reads and studies (in detail) the Emerging Church movement, one is lost in a world of ambiguity, mystery, narrative, orthopraxy, and helping the poor, that one is struck by the silence regarding eschatology. Once in a while, Emergents raise the issue but spend little time on it. One thing is clear: they're not fans of Left Behind.

So I picked up Andrew Perriman's book, "The Coming of the Son of Man: New Testament Eschatology for an Emerging Church," to get a better understanding of what the Emerging Church believed about eschatology.

I must say that I was impressed (though disagreeing with the conclusions) with the book as a whole. The main reason I was impressed was because the author provided a serious review and an honest argument from Scripture. There wasn't as much speculation, conversation, or ambiguity as I expected. What I read was an honest treatment of Scripture and although I disagree with Perriman's conclusion, he at least deserves credit for taking the text seriously unlike most in the Emerging Church movement.

Perriman offers an argument that most of the eschatological prophecies in Scripture were fulfilled in the First Century. I do not wish to go into specific detail because this argument has been repeatedly made for two thousand years. In the end, I find the argument lacking and incomplete. I do believe that much of what is prophesied in Scripture was fulfilled in the first century and that the original readers did see much of Revelation to refer to Rome and their own times, however, much of eschatological prophecies in Scripture do not refer to just the first-century, but also to a final moment in history. There is oftentimes an immediate fulfillment and a future fulfillment.

Overall, this book provides keen insight into Emergent eschatology. Although I disagree with his conclusions I appreciate his honesty and thoroughness. What Perriman offers is missing in other Emergent theology.