the emergence of the postmodern era (1960 onward) is only now beginning to impact the world and the church in a profound way. most folk know about luther, calvin and the reformation. some have likened what is taking place in the church today to a "second reformation."because the church is organic (the living body of christ), it needs evolution or re-formation to stay healthy and vibrant.
You'll notice that they are so cool and hip and oh so modern that they don't need to capitalize any letters. I'm somewhat surprised they limit themselves to the restrictions of punctuation. Leaders in this movement are Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Spencer Burke, Brian McLaren, Dan Kimball, Andrew Jones, and Chris Seay among many others. A favorite gathering place for these men and their followers is a website called "The Ooze."
Is this a good thing? A dangerous thing? A fad that will soon disappear. A second reformation that will change the church forever? I know what the men above think - they made this amazing statement:
Yes, it is true that times change. But does the church change with the culture? No, Jesus told us that we are to be preservers of the culture, not change right along with it. I simply am at a loss to understand why anyone would think it a good idea to let a lost unregenerate nation determine how the church operates in its God-given mission to reach that lost regenerate nation. The church is not a market-driven organization that exists to make its "customers" happy. It is a spirit-led organism that exists to bring glory to its head - the Lord Jesus Christ.
D.A. Carson, research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has been at Trinity since 1978, has written a wonderfully irenic critique of this movement. You can find it here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
G.K. Chesterton saidit well: "The Church always seems to be behind the times, when it is really beyond the times; it is waiting till the last fad shall have seen its last summer. It keeps the key of a permanent virtue." That key is the Gospel, the message of the forgiveness of sins purchased at the Cross, with the blood of Jesus.
Is this a good thing? A dangerous thing? A fad that will soon disappear. A second reformation that will change the church forever? I know what the men above think - they made this amazing statement:
the emergence of the postmodern era (1960 onward) is only now beginning to impact the world and the church in a profound way. most folk know about luther, calvin and the reformation. some have likened what is taking place in the church today to a "second reformation."A second reformation? These men consider their "movement" the equivalent of reclaiming the apostolic truth from the corruption of Pelagian Rome? If so. does that means current evangelicalism is "Rome" in their eyes - an abandonment from the true gospel?
Yes, it is true that times change. But does the church change with the culture? No, Jesus told us that we are to be preservers of the culture, not change right along with it. I simply am at a loss to understand why anyone would think it a good idea to let a lost unregenerate nation determine how the church operates in its God-given mission to reach that lost regenerate nation. The church is not a market-driven organization that exists to make its "customers" happy. It is a spirit-led organism that exists to bring glory to its head - the Lord Jesus Christ.
D.A. Carson, research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has been at Trinity since 1978, has written a wonderfully irenic critique of this movement. You can find it here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
G.K. Chesterton saidit well: "The Church always seems to be behind the times, when it is really beyond the times; it is waiting till the last fad shall have seen its last summer. It keeps the key of a permanent virtue." That key is the Gospel, the message of the forgiveness of sins purchased at the Cross, with the blood of Jesus.
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