Warning: Some people I know may feel that this blog reveals me to be intolerably narrow. I am sorry about that!
I don't know what to do about Summer Madness. Summer Madness is Ireland's largest Christian youth event. It takes place in Belfast for a week in July. Recently we have sent kids from our church with our youth team. Yet this year I have reservations about SM and don't know what to do.
The reason I have reservations is because the committee of SM have asked Brain McLaren to be their main speaker (My apologies, Brian is not the main speaker, nor is appearing on the main stage. My reservations about his theology remain but my reservations about SM are lessened). This disturbs me because, as a previous post highlights, Brian McLaren says that he does not know why Jesus had to die on the cross.
John Stott writes, 'If the cross is not central to our religion, ours is not the religion of Jesus.' Central to the centrality of the cross is a clear articulation of the purpose of the cross. On the cross Jesus triumphed over evil powers (Col. 2:15), the cross provides an inspiring example to those who suffer unjustly (1 Peter 2:21-23), and the cross is the place where Christ became a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). Historically evangelical faith has believed in the doctrine of penal substitution, which 'states that God gave himself in the person of his Son to suffer instead of us the death, punishment and curse due to a fallen humanity as the penalty of sin' (Jeffery, Ovey and Sach). It is this doctirne of penal substitution that McLaren seems to have a problem with.
So what will McLaren be teaching our kids? What will be at the heart of his message? Will it be an accurate reflection of the gospel and the implication of the gospel for our lives? Will he be able to ground them in the grace that comes through Christ's sin-bearing work on the cross?
Summer Madness isn't just about the main speaker. There are other speakers that will contribute other than Brian and there will be many other things that will be good. But I don't know what to do! Can I encourage our kids to go? Do they have the ability to weigh what he teaches and sift the good from the inadequate, or will they simply hang on every word of a gifted and charming speaker? The choice of the SM committee to choose a speaker that Don Carson describes as having largely abandoned the gospel (see 'Becoming conversant with the emergent church') is sadly regrettable.
5 comments:
hey paul
as one of the sm committee, i thought you should know that brian is not a 'main stage' speaker. he is however participating in the seminar programme.
our seminar stream tends to attract the older attendees and leader types and it is in this environment that we generally tackle topics that may have a breadth of Christian views (or some might say 'controversy'' associated with them). Summer Madness has over the years not shied away from tackling some difficult issues and to quote directly from our festival director: '...we do feel that encouraging dialogue with those of opposing views is a healthy and often necessary part of our Christian walk.'
hey there Paul,
OK I promise not to make a point of coming on to every blog you write ... it always seems stalker-ish!
but I'm afraid when I got to your last sentence I just couldn't let it lie ...
So, Revmac has dealt with the first point - he's not mainsatge (although I for one have pushed for him to get at least one mainstage spot) ...
but more importantly - the bland sweeping statement that Brian does not know why Jesus had to die, is simply inaccurate. His own questions are legitimate (as for example, with penal substitution, and you know how I feel about that), and are aired. He then moves on to legitimately answer his questions through his books ...
Brian is a sincere, humble, quiet, smiling (most of the time) gentle, intelligent Christian ... I don't agree with everything he says about everything ... but hey, that's faith ...
Can I recommend you read ...
http://emergent-us.typepad.com/emergentus/2005/08/brian_mclaren_o.html
cos this is Brian in his own words - about who he is and why he thinks the way he does.
You could also try A Generous Orthodoxy, which outlines much of his theological thinking.
But to the reason I actually put finger to keyboard ... Carson's 'conversant' book is one of the most arrogant works I've ever read. It is supremely patronizing, overly critical and must on occasion come close to slander. I was honestly shocked by it Paul. And finally - to have the audacity to write about becoming 'convergent' with a movement he has consistently refused to engage in conversation with is simply false advertising. I know that members of the emerging world have offered to enter conversation publicly with Carson (web, blogs, conference ... whatever way works) and he has consistently refused to engage with them. And with Brian.
Come on man .. come to madness and engage with the conversation ... that way we all get to grow, because we all give and all receive!
Keep up the blogging ... I've moved to frivolous matters of rugby ;)
Thanks for your comments RevMac and Jools.
RevMac, I will correct my error regarding the suggestion that Brian is on the mainstage. As you know I am friendly with a couple of people on the SM committee and continue to hold them in high regard.
Thanks to both of you for the decent tone of your replies. I still have reservations about Brian but am happy to engage in a conversation about his, and others, theology.
Regarding my statement that Brian McLaren does not know why Jesus died, I am taking that from a conversation he has with a guy called George in 'More Ready than you Realise' (page 7). I have read most of A Generous Orthodoxy but found it frustrating - he redefined terms so often and it was hard to know where he was coming from often (he did not seem to want to call it on issues). What I will say is that he comes across as a decent and charming bloke.
Jools, you can comment on all my blogs if you want. It keeps me accountable for what I write and will stretch my thinking. Thanks.
Hey Paul ... you're a lucky man - you get a conversation on your blog - I just get abuse on mine ;)
Anyway - I just read an interesting blog by McLaren - and helps explain the reason why I get 'ever-so-slightly-sensitive when I read criticism of him ...and like I said before, I don't agree with everything he says!
but this is just really sad and is a great example of the kind of thing he has to put up with
http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/you-gotta-just-love-em.html
Thanks Jools
Pretty strong stuff towards McLaren there. I am going to continue this conversation by giving a series of blogs trying to justify Penal substitution. Would be keen to hear your comments as it will stop me from just giving simple-not-thought-through ideas.
Paul
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