THE
EMERGING CHURCH: WHAT
IS IT?
by
Dennis Hicks, 2007
Ike’s
highlights:
Proponents
Aspects
Commentary & Conclusions
Key Aspects
An
urgent phone call from a Christian friend in Idaho was my first exposure to the
so-called emerging church. My friend asked me if I had heard of New Perspectives
on Paul (NPP) and what did I think of the new resultant interpretations of the
New Testament Pauline letters? I later heard my friend and his family left their
church which introduced NPP, and the church had recently undergone a split over
the new doctrines.
Another
Christian friend recently called to find out what I thought of the new doctrine
of “Spiritual Formation”? He also mentioned his church had begun to teach
the New Perspectives on Paul” and has recently embarked on a strategy to
revolutionize their church by embracing the new teachings concerning Spiritual
Formation.
Courses
and degrees in Spiritual Formation are now being offered by many seminaries and
Bible colleges, such as Wheaton
College Graduate School, Regent College, Talbot School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Northwest
Nazarene University. These traditionally
conservative schools are in the company of other, more
liberal, schools embracing Spiritual Formation, such as the Ecumenical Program in Christian Spirituality, The Clinic
for Spiritual Formation, The Center
of Wholistic Spirituality, George
Fox Evangelical Seminary (Friends), The
Institute Catholique, and The
Gregorian Institute, the Vatican.
An
internet search on “emerging church” brings an overwhelming list of
web-sites, discussion groups, and blogs, and four terms often appear in these
sites: “Emerging
Church” (EC), New
Perspectives on Paul” (NPP), “Spiritual
Formation”, and “the
Conversation”. The EC is difficult to define because it takes several
forms, in fact hundred’s of forms; and no single definition seems to fit them
all -- they defy a single collective definition.
To
better understand the EC, let’s look at their founding roots and leaders:
Church
attendance in America is declining, including even the so-called mega-churches
which were spawned in the “seeker-sensitive” church era. EC leaders believe
the reason for the decline was, at least in part, because of a shift in
epistemology (how people know things). Modern epistemology holds to a single
moral standard and to absolute truth, science, and logic. Post-modern
epistemology holds a different view: “What
we know is shaped by the culture in which we live, is controlled by emotions and
aesthetics and heritage, and in fact can only be intelligently held as part of a
common tradition, without overbearing claims to being true or right.” -
D.A. Carson, Becoming conversant With the
Emerging Church, Zondervan.
The
new Generation Xers are very different from their baby-boomer parents. They are
post-modern, are constantly exposed to global news and global fashions
transmitted though advanced technology. They have satellite TV and TiVo, and
interactive Internet communities like MySpace and Facebook that connect them
regularly with people around the world. Their views of Christianity are shaped
by mass media and prominent celebrities who portray Christianity negatively. They
believe Christians are close-minded, intolerant, and dangerous. They believe
truth is relative and Christians who spew statements about absolutes are bigoted
and racist.
Noticing
this shift in culture, several pastors and concerned evangelicals began to talk
about changes the church needed to make in order to reach this new culture. The
“conversation” echoed across the Atlantic into Great Britain and extended
into Australia and New Zealand. What emerged was an ongoing “conversation”
whose participants comprise the Emergent Village. One EC writer put their
amorphous philosophy this way: “This
is what I believe, but I could be
wrong. What do you think? Let’s talk.” - Scot McKnight, “Five Streams of the Emerging Church” - Christianity
Today, Feb 2007. In his article, the ground rules for the “conversation”
were outlined by McKnight:
“All theology will remain a conversation about the Truth who is God in
Christ through the Spirit, and about God’s story of redemption at work in the
church. No systematic
theology can be final.” The new mystical definitions of Christianity
are echoed by Tony Compolo,
explaining to a reporter why he wrote his book, Speaking
My Mind:
“My purpose in writing the book was to communicate loud and clear
that I felt that evangelical Christianity
had been hijacked. When did it become anti-feminist? When did
evangelical
Christianity become supportive of capital punishment? Pro-war? When did
it become so
negative towards other religious groups?” - Laura
Sheahen, “Evangelical Christianity Has
Been
Hijacked”, beliefnet.com.
EC churches soft-pedal doctrine
in favor of a reconstructed worship experience that is largely mystical. Bible preaching is replaced by a time of individual
worship that takes many forms: journaling, quiet meditation along with soothing
music, art or poetry to “experience” Jesus and connect with the community of
worshippers.
This
Christian mysticism emerged largely through the writings of Richard
J. Foster, a Quaker, who enlightens us is “[p]erhaps the best known Quaker in the world today.”
Quaker founder George Fox, who was himself prone to mysticism, wished for a
“personal” approach “to God” that ended up being “apart
from the Bible.”
“As such Fox began with his theology already turned backward by believing
that it is man who seeks after God and as a result the Scriptures were forced to
take a back seat to his own way of approaching the Lord.” - Ken Silva, Appraising
Ministries.com.
“Out went the Pastoral
Epistles for God’s prescribed method of spiritual leadership
within His local churches; and instead
of objectively judging all experience by Holy Scripture, “the Quaker
way” became proper understanding of the Bible would be determined by subjective
mystical experience in “the Inner Light.” ”And
it is this very same mortal
theological wound of interpreting the text of the Bible by the spiritual
experiences a given person may have that is also central to the
postmodern approach of the Emergent Church, of which Richard Foster is
unquestionably “a key mentor.”” - Ken Silva, ibid.
“This
above view by “Fox and other Quakers” is also indicative of the inevitable
result of the practice of this “Christian”
mysticism as well. Can you see it: If this alleged Inner Light is already within every man
then we don’t have to risk persecution as we stand for the exclusivity of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because now we will have opened the door to a
universalism which negates any real need for anyone to have to be “born
again.”
And
here we have uncovered the reason why so many professing Christians today can
believe that all
religions should be friends now and seek our common ground as we work
together to usher in “the kingdom” of God’s Global Peace. Take an honest
look at the warped and toxic theology of men like Richard Foster, Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, Alan
Jones, Steve Chalke
and even the Pied Piper of Purpose Driven Rick Warren–all men involved to one degree or
another in the practice of contemplative
spirituality.” - Ken Silva, ibid.
“Quaker
and Fuller psychologist (holds a doctorate in pastoral counseling), Richard
Foster is co-founder of Renovaré,
and Professor of spiritual formation at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California.
Foster became an ordained clergyman for the Society of Friends in 1967. He's held pastoral
positions in 'Friends' churches since that time and became professor of theology
and writer-in-residence, 1979 on, at Friends University in Wichita and adjunct
professor at George Fox
College, from 1974-1979. He is a member of the publications board of California
Yearly Meeting of Friends. He obtained his B.A. from George Fox College and
D.Th.P from Fuller
Theological Seminary. Foster teaches all the techniques
of the New Age such as quietism, mantras, centering, Buddhism, Yoga, T. M.,
the exercises of Ignatius
of Loyola, Eastern religion and so on.” - seekgod.ca
In
1978, Richard Foster
published his, Celebration of Discipline, the Path to
Spiritual Growth,
hailed by Christianity Today as one of the 10 best books of the twentieth
century. In his book, he reintroduces Christians to the so-called “masters
of the interior life”, as he likes to call the Medieval mystics honored by Roman Catholics for
centuries.
“In your imagination
allow your spiritual body,
shining with light, to rise
out of your physical
body. … Reassure your body that you will return….Go deeper and deeper into outer space until there is
nothing except the warm presence of the eternal Creator. Rest in his presence. Listen
quietly [to] any instruction given” - Celebration (p. 27).
This is called astral
projection, occult contact through the imagination.
“Foster
introduces to the unsuspecting reader literally dozens of mystics, some from the Christian
tradition, some not. Many
of these, he assures us, have traveled to depths of spiritual experience that we
moderns cannot even imagine. Foster wants us to know that these
individuals knew the
secrets to an encounter with God. If only we would follow their pattern,
we too could enjoy what they enjoyed.” - Bible
Discernment Ministries, rapidnet.com.
“As are concerning as many
of Richard Foster’s teachings and mentors, far more disturbing are the two
main thrusts of his spiritual formation system. The first is his use of what he
calls the “Spiritual
Disciplines.” The second is closely related—“Contemplative Prayer”―which is rapidly becoming
the rage throughout much of evangelicalism, especially among the youth.” - Bible
Discernment Ministries,
rapidnet.com.
A
book review of Celebration of Discipline,
by Gary Gilley, March 2005 - rapidnet.com:
“Written
over twenty-five years ago, and proclaimed by Christianity Today as one of the
ten best books of the twentieth century, the influence of Celebration of
Discipline is all but incalculable. It's author, Richard
Foster, is a Quaker, so his spiritual
life is grounded in the subjective “inner light” presupposition of
the Friends. He is highly steeped in the Roman
Catholic mystics, drawing from dozens of them for
his theology.
More than that, Eugene
Peterson informs us that
Foster has “‘found’ the spiritual disciplines [in the mystics] that the
modern world stored away and forgot” (p. 206). Foster’s views are
also formed by Quaker mystics and even secular thinking, most surprisingly Carl
Jung, self-confessed demon-possessed psychologist.
Without
question, these extra-biblical
sources are behind Foster’s understanding of the Christian life. That
is not to say that he does not refer to Scripture and occasionally interpret it
correctly. However, it
is astounding to see how often he mutilates the Word of God (e.g., pp. 16, 17,
55, 83, 114, 156, 170, and 177).
As
a result of his unbiblical
routes
and disregard for the meaning of Scripture,
it should not surprise us that Foster has become a Pied Piper, leading multitudes away from Biblical Christianity.
From the vantage point of twenty-six years since the publication of Celebration
of Discipline, we see just how far astray Foster has taken his followers. These
include:
•
Subjective leading of God as
being the norm (pp. 10, 16-17, 18, 50, 95, 98, 108-109, 128, 139-140,
149-150, 162, 167, 182);
•
Journaling
and prayer as ways that God speaks to us (p. 108);
•
Open
theism (p. 35);
•
Misunderstanding of the Old Testament Law for today (pp. 82, 87);
•
The contemplative
prayer movement, which has taken many to the foothills of Eastern mysticism;
•
Centering prayer,
in which one moves to the center of God or self—an Eastern mystical
practice;
•
Misunderstanding of the will of God in prayer (p. 37);
•
An unbiblical use of
imagination, which leads to occultic visualization (pp. 25-26, 40-43, 163, 198);
•
Receptivity to all the charismatic
gifts including tongues, visions, revelations
and prophecy (pp. 108, 165, 168-169, 171, 193);
•
Use of rosaries and
prayer wheels (p. 64)
•
Approval of New Age teachers
(i.e.; Merton, Eckhart; Loyola; etc.);
•
Embracing of pop-psychological
views such as self-fulfillment,
self-actualization, loving ourselves, mutual submission, and healing
of inner wounds (pp. 113-120);
•
Propagation of the
Roman Catholic view of confession, penitence, and spiritual directives
(pp. 146-150, 156, 185);
•
Promoting charismatic patterns of worship, including calling for the presence of God and holy
laughter (pp. 158-174, 198).
Overall
Foster’s book is an encyclopedia of unbiblical teaching, which
leads the unsuspecting reader away from Christ and into mysticism, or worse. It is a telltale sign of the state of the
church to find how accepted Foster’s teachings are.”
Richard
Foster founded Renovare (www.renovare.org)
which offers curricula
and even their own Bible
to promote the Emerging Church (sample next page). The Renovaré Spiritual
Formation Bible (Harper San Francisco, 2005) with Richard Foster the
General Editor and a host of
“scholars” contributed commentaries, among them Bruce Demarest, Professor of Theology at Denver
Seminary; Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.,
President of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Tremper Longman III, Professor of Biblical Studies at
Westmont College; Earl F.
Palmer, pastor of University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, WA, and on
the Board of Trustees of the
long-apostate Princeton
Theological Seminary.
“The Renovaré
Bible introduces what it calls “Spiritual Disciplines” to help one’s
“spiritual formation.”
Neither term is found in the Bible. Renovaré
declares that the purpose
of this study Bible is the “discovery, instruction, and practice of the Spiritual Disciplines.”
In fact, many of these are
occult “disciplines” not found in Scripture but advocated by the mystics
as a means of getting in
touch with God. Foster has been a major influence in seducing
today’s church with the same practices—and now has edited a Bible for
the express purpose of justifying this seduction.” - Book Review by TBC,
rapidnet.com.
“Robert Webber,
professor of theology at Wheaton College, sums up Foster’s impact well,
“Over the past two decades, my own personal spiritual pilgrimage has taken me away from the propositional and rationalistic
mind-set that proclaims an intellectualized proof-oriented faith toward a
Christianity of practice and experience” (p. 208). Webber is, of course, erecting a strawman. No one is calling for a
purely intellectualized faith devoid of practice and experience. What those who
draw their cue from Scripture, and not mystics, are calling for is a Christian
faith, experience, and practice that is rational, intellectual, makes sense, and
most importantly, is solidly grounded on the Word of God. Foster and company
have taken many far afield in pursuit of mystical experiences that lead to a
pseudo-Christianity that has the appearance of spirituality, but not the
substance.” - Gary Gilley, rapidnet.com.
That Renovare and the EC
movement are ecumenical
in nature is indicated by the diverse staff at Renovare:
•
Gayle
D. Beebe
(Quaker)
•
Margaret
Campbell
(Baptist)
•
Glandion
Carney
(Christian Reformed)
•
James
Catford
(Anglican), a trustee of InterVarsity Press
•
Marti
Ensign
(Free Methodist), she is an ordained minister
•
Richard J. Foster (Quaker)
•
Roger
Fredrikson
(American Baptist), the author of God
Loves the Dandelions, The Church
That Refused to Die, and John in
The Communicator's Commentary series.
•
Emilie
Griffin
(Roman Catholic)
•
Bob
Howey (Evangelical
Presbyterian Church of America)
•
Todd
Hunter (Vineyard
Christian Fellowship), presently helping plant a community of faith in Eagle,
Idaho
•
Brian
Kang (Independent/Nondenominational)
•
Juanita
Rasmus (United
Methodist) she co-pastors Saint John’s United Methodist Church
•
George
Skramstad (Church
of God)
•
James
Bryan Smith (United
Methodist), Chair of the Religion and Humanities Department at Friends
University
•
Siang-Yang
Tan
(Independent/Nondenominational), Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological
Seminary
•
Donn
Thomas
(Church of God in Christ)
•
William
Vaswig (Evangelical
Lutheran Church of America)
•
Dallas
Willard
(Southern Baptist), Professor of Philosophy at The University of Southern
California
•
Gayle
Withnell
(Christian Missionary Alliance)
Another
web-site that serves as a clearing-house for EC authors and communications is www.theooze.com
(Conversation for the Journey).
A
shortened list of Renovare supporters: (From www.seekgod.ca)
RENOVARE'S STEERING COMMITTEE
*Sister
Thomas Bernard, Director.
The Spirituality Centre, CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE of Los Angeles.
*Isaac
Canales, Ass. Dir. Hispanic Ministries, FTS*
*T.
Eugene Coffin, Counsellor, Memorial Gardens, CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL.
*Richard
Felix, President, AZUSA Pacific University.
*David
Allan Hubbard, President of FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
*Anne
Huffman. 'Harbour Community PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES.
*Jerry
Johnson, Ex. Pastor, Lake Avenue CONGREGATIONAL.
B.
London Sen. Pastor First Church of the Nazarene. California.
*Robert
Munger, Prof. Emeritus evangelism and Church Strategy. FTS*
*William
E. Pannell, Dir. Black Ministries. FTS*
*Robert
A. Seiple, Pres. WORLD VISION, Inc.
*Slang-Yang-Tan,
Direc. Dr. of Psychology Program. FTS*
*"REV.
MSGR. ROYALE M. VADAKIN. Direc. COMMISSION ON ECUMENICAL & INTER-RELIGIOUS
AFFAIRS, CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE of Los Angeles.
(*FTS:
Fuller Theological Seminary).
RENOVARE'S BOARD OF REFERENCE
[Late]
JAMIE BUCKINGHAM, G. Raymond Carlson, Ted W. Engstrom, Gary Fawver, TONY CAMPOLO, Richard Felix, Faith Forster, Roger
Forster, William C. Frey, Millard Fuller, Henry Gariepy, MICHAEL HARPER, Roberts
Hestenes, Jerry R. Kirk, Clarence A Kopp, Sr., David LeShana, Peter Lord,
Carl H. Lundquist,
AMONGST
MANY WHO ARE OF RENOVARE'S
SPEAKING PLATFORM ARE:
Sister
Thomas Bernard, Catholic.
Isaac
Canales, Fuller Theo. Seminary. (Fuller has many speakers for Renovare).
Eugene
Coffin, Crystal Cathedral (Robert Schuller's "cathedral").
Richard
Foster, President of Renovare.
Jack
Hayford, Sen. Pastor, The Church on the Way, California.
Bob
Seiple, World Vision, Inc.
William
Vaswig, of Renovare.
Jane
Willard. Professional therapist (offered for prayer and counselling during
seminars)...(list shortened.)
One
writer wrote: “Included in the extensive list are Lloyd John Ogilvie, Jack
Hayford, G. Raymond Carlson (General Superintendent of the Assembly of
God, USA), David Hubbard (President
of Fuller Theological College), Jamie Buckingham, TONY
CAMPOLO, J.I. Packer, JOHN
WIMBER, C. PETER WAGNER”
Of
the many Evangelicals who have endorsed
Richard Foster’s ‘Celebration of Disciplines,’ in the “Spiritual
Disciplines” (Second Edition ,pp 203-210) we find,
“Jamie Buckingham…;
Gary R.
Collins, professor of psychology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School;
Tony
Campolo, speaker and author…;
Leighton
Ford, Leighton Ford Ministries [Chairman of the Lausanne Committee for
World Evangelization];
William C. Fry, bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Colorado;
Mark O.
Hatfield, senator…;
Caroline Koons, author…;
Judith C. Lechman, author…;
Madeleine L’Engle, author….;
David L. McKenna, president, Asbury Theological Seminary;
Calvin Miller, author…;
John and Paula Sandford, authors…;
Luci Shaw, Harold Shaw Publishers, author…;
Ronald J. Sider, exec. Dir., Evangelicals for Social
Action;
Lewis B. Smedes, author…
Howard A. Snyde, professor…., United Theological
Seminary;
Tommy Tyson, evangelist;
C. Peter Wagner, professor…Fuller Theological Seminary;
Robert Webber,
professor of theology, Wheaton College;
Macrina Wiederkehr, author…;
Dallas Willard, author; and John Wimber,
-
research, compilation, narration, and analysis by Dennis Hicks;
Church Elder, Bible Teacher, and friend
__________________________________________________________
There are many “Renovare” research references on the web now, and I found one just by
typing “Renovare MacArthur”. Similar searches using other church
leaders names yielded results
that comment on, or document, Renovare influence in many formerly strong Christian organizations.
Some “anti-Renovare” sites are abusive and sarcastic
which is unfortunate, but their ‘content’ and ‘analysis’
is still very revealing.
So in evaluating Renovare, the Emergent Church,
and other movements that focus upon the "inner light" without
the caution, cross-checking, authority, and consistency of the Word of
God we must remember that:
all “Spirituality” is not
necessarily Godliness
What does the Bible say? Is God's Word
'sufficient' for "life and godliness", or do we look for
'spirit masters' within our own hearts, or beyond this plane?
2
Peter 1:3-4, 12, 16, 19-21 -
…
as His divine power has given to us all things that
[pertain] to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us
by glory and virtue,
… by which
have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through
these you may be partakers of the divine nature,
… For this
reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though
you know and are established in the present truth
… For we did
not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty
... And so we
have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that
shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in
your hearts;
… knowing
this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation
… for
prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit.
For me, I'll trust in the established Scriptures.
Ike Sweesy
participant - Idaho
Public TV, Faith & Public Affairs
