Postmodernism & "Emergent" Churches
by David Dunlap
Today the church faces a threat far greater than the anti-supernaturalism
of the 18th century rationalists and deists, potentially more damaging than the
persecution under Islam or Communism, and more cunning in its inroads into the
life of the church than mysticism and emotionalism. I am referring to
postmodernism. To many sincere Christians, this rather new tool of the Enemy
will be relatively unknown. However, among university students and those in
government and the media, the concept and influence of postmodernist thinking is
vigorous and pervasive. Postmodernism is a danger to every Christian tradition,
whether it be Reformed, Dispensational, Arminian, or Charismatic. The
postmodern threat is deadly to biblical truth and the Christian world view.
What is Postmodernism?
Postmodernism is a philosophic viewpoint that
rejects the concept that
there is absolute truth. Postmodernists believe that truth is an illusion; they
see it
as a veiled disguise to gain political and financial power and to oppress the
less
informed. They cynically dismiss all the claims of objective truth as worthless
and empty promises. They reject philosophic, scientific, political truths, but
most
of all they reject objective Christian truth as revealed in the Scriptures.
Postmodernists teach that the Modern Age began in 1500 A. D. and came to an
end in 2000 A. D. The Modern Age was characterized by reason, objectivity,
scientific study, and truth, as they flowed out of the Protestant Reformation
and
later the European Enlightenment period. Postmodernism interprets expansionist
capitalism, Communism, anti-environmental attitudes, and the destruction of
native
peoples all as outgrowths of modernism. The new Postmodern Age, it is said, has
rejected many of the values that have come to us from the so-called "Modern
Age". It is intolerant of absolute truth; in fact, it is more fashionable to
make no
claims to truth at all. Postmodernism places the individual first and foremost,
setting aside traditional institutions that have been championed over the past
five
hundred years, namely, the church, marriage, and the family. However, the church
has not done a very good job of defending itself from the attacks of
postmodernism. Many believe that postmodernism has so infiltrated the church
that it is transforming the very doctrines and practices that have set the
church
apart from the world. George Barna, in his book
What Americans Believe: an
Annual Survey of Values and Religious Views in the United States,
effectively
argues that postmodernism has so influenced the church that in many segments
of the United States the church is essentially a postmodern church.
(1)
Moreover, in
the United States a new fast-growing movement of churches has arisen, called the
"Emergent Church" that unashamedly claims to be postmodern in its approach.
Postmodernism and the Mega-Church Movement
The Australian L'Abri leader Frank Stootman has
stated, "Postmodernists
are so focused on I, me, myself that they have trouble focusing on anything
beyond themselves."
(2)
Postmodernism is consumed with what the individual
feels, thinks, wants, and dislikes. This aspect of postmodernism is especially
evident in the modern mega-church. Today, the secular unbeliever has the
greatest
influence in the church. The music, preaching, and outreach of the postmodern
church are not designed primarily to exalt Christ or even build up the
believer, but
rather to attract the unbeliever. Does this new approach bring with it negative
consequences? How will it affect future generations?
In his book
The Prevailing Church,
Randy Pope, a church leader and
author asks the modern Church Growth Movement to re-examine its postmodern
principles and its impact on future generations. He says:
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It is common to have a potential church-planter call me to talk about
starting a new church. I typically ask him to describe the church he plans
to plant. Quite often I hear, "It's going to be a Willow Creek type of
church." I usually follow up with another question: "What is the down
side of such a strategy?" Unfortunately, the usual response is a blank stare
and the admission that he has not considered any downsides. I ask him to
consider the following: When will believers worship together? How will
you train leaders? When will there be the expository preaching of a book
of the Bible? Where, for instance, will people receive teaching on the book
of Isaiah?...I fear the impact of the modern church-growth movement on
future generations.
(3)
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The postmodern church's message and doctrinal
content has been altered
to meet secular unbelievers' needs and insure that they feel comfortable.
Fundamental doctrines of the Bible that seem offensive to the unbeliever have
been
quietly removed from the church. Popular themes of personal improvement, a
doctrinal de-emphasis, and a light preaching style are all brought into the
church
for the purpose of filling the church. In the process, the church of Jesus
Christ has
been transformed into the church of secular values. The purposes and standards
that God has for His church have been replaced with the purposes and standards
of the world. Mega-church leader Mark Mittelberg writes:
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I also tend to talk in terms of receiving Jesus as "Forgiver and Leader"
rather than "Savior and Lord." This is an attempt to convey biblical
concepts while avoiding misleading connotations in some people's mind of
medieval "lords" who were rulers over castles. I also avoid the word
"master", which for some people might evoke images of slavery and
oppressive taskmasters. You may not like the way I translate some of these
concepts. That's okay.
(4)
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Postmodernism has removed Christ from His central
place within the
church and replaced Him with secularism. The sad result is that the Lord Jesus
Christ has been reduced to an indistinct and undefined blur. Some will rise in
defense and say, "Isn't this simply a question of different methods?" "What
harm is there in a new approach to outreach?" There have been different
approaches to evangelism in every age of the church. All Christians rejoice when
the gospel is proclaimed and souls are won for Christ. There have been different
music styles in every age and the church has been blessed by their richness,
however, there is something different going on here. This postmodern emphasis
upon the individual has sent the message that the individual is more important
than
truth and New Testament doctrine. The postmodern church has set aside the
corporate worship of Christ, the expository teaching of the Scriptures, and the
preaching of the gospel because these practices are "too spiritual" for the
secular
man and may turn him off to the church. The postmodern message has been
clearly passed on: All obstacles that stand in the way of reaching the secular
individual must be removed, even if the obstacle is church doctrine. This leads
us
to the next phase in the postmodern attack on the church.
Postmodernism, the "Emergent" Church, and Biblical Doctrine
This postmodern perspective has so infiltrated
the modern evangelical
church that essential biblical truths are being compromised. "Emergent" church
leaders are now arguing that the teaching of "propositional truth"(that is
biblical
doctrines such as hell, inerrancy, and even salvation by faith in Christ) is
arrogant,
intolerant, and ultimately harmful to the cause of Christ. They argue that the
Bible
is not the only revelation of truth. Moreover, they suggest, how can we be sure
of
what the Bible teaches, considering that there are so many doctrinal differences
among Christians. Many wonder about the orgin and background of the
"Emergent" movement and why it developed?
Young people who have been raised in the slick
packaging of "seekerfriendly"
fellowships and the materialism of contemporary mega-churches are
finding that these churches are leaving them spiritually empty. More and more,
younger Christians are looking for simple gatherings of Christians that can feed
their souls with heartfelt worship and fellowship. Clint Rainey, a journalism
student interning at the
Dallas Morning News,
writes that his generation is put
off by the "seeker-friendly" approach that fills churches but leaves many
spiritually empty. He writes, "These churches attract middle-age adults like
iron
fillings but my generation isn't in much awe." Rainey contends that megachurches
are much too materialistic and impersonal. Young people aren't
impressed with the technology, commercialism, and over emphasis on "stuff" in
the modern church. Today's young adults crave real religion.
(5)
Many of these young people are drifting into
churches that follow the
"Emergent" church approach. Emergent church thinking has made inroads into
many segments of the Evangelical church. Leading churches such as Solomon's
Porch in Seattle, WA, and Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, MI, are growing.
Bookstore shelves are stocked with books espousing the "Emergent" gospel.
Brian McLaren, a leader in the Emergent movement, has been called by
Time
magazine (Feb. 7, 2005) one of the 25 most influential Evangelical leaders in
the
U. S., and his book
A New Kind of Christian
received an Award of Merit from
Christianity Today
in 2002.
"Emergent" churches and their leaders have
rejected the structure and
message of the current contemporary mega-churches and traditional churches.
While the "Emergent" church embraces more simplicity in church meetings, true
fellowship, and reality in worship, it decries the professionalism,
materialism, and
commercialism of the mega-church. However, it is also unashamedly secular,
postmodern, and liberal in much of its theology.
Postmodernism, Emergent Church, and the Teaching of Brian McLaren
The mega-church's limited embrace of postmodern thinking has paved
the way for the Emergent church's almost full-fledged endorsement of secular
postmodern ideology and liberal theology. The Emergent church's stress on
feminism, environmentalism, pluralism, and the teaching of Darwinian
evolutionary theory, while down-playing biblical doctrines of eternal
punishment,
inerrancy, and salvation by faith in Christ causes many concern.
Respected evangelical leaders are calling the
church to examine more
carefully the teachings of the "Emergent" church and especially the writings
of Brian McLaren. Dr. Douglas Groothuis, professor of philosophy at Denver
Seminary, has written a review of Brian McLaren's book,
A New Kind of
Christian.
In his review entitled "A New Kind of Postmodern", he writes:
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There are many objectionable items in this small but dangerous book,
including its flippant endorsement of evolution, its unorthodox
speculations on heaven and hell as not being separate places...there is
enough truth mixed to make the errors seem more attractive.
(6)
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Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern
Baptist Theological
Seminary, in his review of Brian McLaren's book
Generous Orthodoxy,
writes:
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The Bible, McLaren argues, is intended to equip God's people for good
works. He rejects words such as authority, inerrancy, and infallibility as
unnecessary and distracting. In a previous work, McLaren had argued
that the Bible is "a unique collection of literary artifacts that together
support the telling of an amazing and essential story." The Emergent
movement represents a significant challenge to biblical Christianity.
(7)
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The accommodation of church to popular culture has been a subtle
deception that usually leads to the weakening of the church rather than to the
winning of the lost. Whenever the church has met the challenges of culture
with biblical preaching, strong evangelism, and spiritual worship then Christ
is exalted and souls are led to salvation. May the church resist the sophistry
of
evangelical postmodernism and return to the sure foundation of Scripture.
Endnotes
(1) George Barna,
What Americans Believe: An Annual Survey of Values and Religious
Views in the United States,
(Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1991)
(2) Gene Edward Vieth,
"Taking the Roof Off",
World Magazine,
March 26, 2005, p. 34
(3) Randy Pope,
The Prevailing Church,
(Chicago: IL: Moody Press, 2002), p. 189-190,197
(4) Mark Mittleberg,
Building A Contagious Church,
(Grand Rapids,MI:Zondervan,2001),52
(5) Clint Rainey, "Mega Burnout",
Dallas Morning News,
July 25, 2005
(6) D. Groothuis, New Kind of Postmodernist,vol. 25, 03,
Christian Research Journal,
p. 58
(7) Albert Mohler, Generous Orthodoxy-Is it Orthodox, Crosswalk.com, Feb. 16,
2005
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"The greatest
challenge facing
the church today is
postmodernism.
What is at stake is
not just Christian
truth but whether
any assertion can
be regarded as
truth.
Postmodernism
obscures all
distinctions,
including
distinctions
regarding right and
wrong, true and
false, and heaven
and hell."
Donald Williams
from
The Church and the
Postmodern Challenge
"McLaren suggests
that we should
embrace the
existence of
different
faiths...What would
this mean? Well, a
complete
reconsideration of
Christian
missions... He
writes: " I don't
believe making
disciples must
equal making
adherents to the
Christian religion.
It may be advisable
to help people
become followers
of Jesus and remain
within their
Buddhist and
Hindu contexts."
Albert Mohler
citing Brian McLaren writing
in his new book
Generous
Orthodoxy
(Zondervan)
"Citing
missiologist
David Bosch,
McLaren affirms
that we have no
assurance that
salvation is
found outside
the work of Jesus
Christ.
Nevertheless, he
believes that we
cannot jump
from this to a
claim that there is
no salvation
outside belief in
Jesus Christ."
Albert Mohler
citing Brian McLaren writing
in his new book
Generous
Orthodoxy
(Zondervan)
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