But nearly would agree that he is a major influence in the founding and ongoing EC.

Until they find out what he really believes, that is. Then some ECs try to put some distance between McLaren and themselves.

But, like a battered wife, they still can’t seem to leave him.

It’s an odd phenom, for sure.

Michelle

Rick Frueh writes: “…an emergent leader called the cross false advertising for Christianity. No mention of the cross either.”

It turns out to be Brian McLaren, but when we read the quotation, it’s obviously McLaren’s point to be saying exactly the opposite thing!!! He’s saying that if a certain doctrine (the “traditional” understanding of hell) were correct, then the cross would be false advertising. It’s pretty obvious that he doesn’t mean to be saying that the doctrine is correct, and so the cross really is false advertising; but rather that, since the cross isn’t false advertising for Christianity, the doctrine should be rejected.

I think I was paraphrasing from what I have been taught about the kingdom parables. I’m sure someone said it first. It may have been Paul Kretzmann:

“The yeast may be hidden by the process of kneading, but it will not be long before its strength will become apparent, and the whole mass be leavened. Thus the Word of God, which builds the Kingdom, also exerts its leavening power in case of individuals as well as in that of whole communities and nations. It has the inherent strength to change and to renew the heart and the life of men and to fit them ever more thoroughly to be true members of the kingdom of God.”

(Popular Commentary on Matthew 3:33).
http://www.kretzmannproject.org/MAT/MAT_13.htm

Paul Kretzmann’s Popular Commentary is in the public domain. You may be safer quoting from him. I’m either just a hack or a heretic.

Mega-kudos to iMonk for letting us use his blog to hash out thoughts. He really gets the creative juices going.

Your comment on how we bring the Kingdom is probably one of the best things I have read in a while. Do you mind if I steal it and put it on my own blog?

What on earth is a “Jesus-shaped spirituality”?

And why are you on a “journey” to “create” such a thing?

Is there any Biblical/historical precedent for such an endeavor?

I’m new to the site and I’m very confused right now.

herbert

Good post. When contrasted with the current state of Christless evangelicalism, several things begin to glisten within the emergent community.

Whether left or right of center, Christians tend to address the kingdom in terms of external powers forcing external change on the world. And isn’t that what the Jews wanted Jesus to do: take back the Promised Land from the Romans by force? But Jesus taught them that the kingdom is born within us. It is leaven in a loaf. It is a giant tree growing out of a tiny mustard seed. It is seed sprouting from good soil to bear precious fruit. It works in such hidden ways.

Many writers, like Thomas Merten and Orestes Brownson, talk about action bursting from contemplation. But for evangelicals, contemplation is a devilish work of crystal-worshipers or pietists with their heads stuck in the sand, so we are always trying to act and change without God first acting and changing in the hiddeness of our hearts and weakness through the seed of the gospel. The result is fascist architecture: incredibly impressive, crumbling facades.

John said we love because God first loved us. Paul preached because the love of Christ compelled him. Christians defend the poor, because we were once poor without Christ. There’s nothing political about that. In fact, it is impossible for politics to accomplish that. It’s not earning God’s favor or tickets to heaven. It’s just what faith, born out of the gospel, does to a person.

All of that is not to meant to detract from your comment about being God-centered people. That really says it best. Thanks again.