Monday, April 03, 2006

An Invitation


Carla at Emergent No has issued an invitation:

"Now how about the rest of you who are pro-ECM? Let's just be totally honest here, and tell the readers of ENo where you stand on this issue:

"Is the written word of God, for you, in your life as a believer, the final authority in all matters of your faith, and practice?"

You might want to run right on over there and bare your heart...
or not.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow... a picture really is worth a thousand words...

David Cho said...

I had only heard of the site, but thanks to you, I visited it for the first time. Just in case she removes my response, here is what I wrote (I know you won't delete it :)).

Carla, popping in here through a site called "emerging grace."

I am merely sympathetic to the EC movement, having embraced the fundamentalist brand of Christianity for the past 20 years in the mold of John MacArthur and RC Sproul, but have not done enough research into EC to consider myself a member of it.

As to your question, much like what I have seen in the fundamentalist church, the question comes across as a rhetorical one with the sole purpose of cornering the opponent in the game of gotcha with no substantive goal of seeking honest dialogue.

So therefore, I have a rhetorical answer:

The final authority in all matters of my faith and practice is the Author of the written Word of God.

Okay, so end of babble on my part...

But on a more serious note, Carla, I am working on a series of blog entries on coming to terms of my fundamentalist past (and present because I am not sure if I have shed it entirely), and the Scripture centric philosophy of fundamentalism will be the central theme. If you are willing to have dialogue without getting mired in semantic and rhetorical war of words (I know I have to do my part to avoid that), I would love your feedback.

Linda said...

Bob,
You did a great job of expressing your comment at emergentno.

David,
You too. Thanks for sharing it here. Because our backgrounds were so different, I always find your perspective very interesting.

I wonder if Carla will be interested in dialogue with you, beyond warning you of the dangers of all things associated with emerging.

David Cho said...

Thanks grace. It's amazing how we see eye to eye on so many things despite our vastly different backgrounds.

Anonymous said...

Grace,

I gave my two cents at the site, so we'll see if it illicits any reply. I have chosen not to ever link to the site, as I do not believe the critique available there is edifying. Perhaps I am being too hard, but it is where I am at.

Peace,
Jamie

Linda said...

David,
I believe we've learned the error of dogmatism from both ends of the spectrum.

Jamie,
As usual, your two cents are very well spoken. To be honest, I'm regretting linking to the site also.

To everyone else,
I'm sorry that I linked and directed you to a site that I have found to be unnecessarily critical and judgmental.

David Cho said...

I agree, grace.

Just spent some time reading some blogs about the latest ECM controversy on the new DVD called "Be Still." Wow, some vitriolic statements in the name of Christ, but few, if any very informative.

I think the anti Emergent camp should make a DVD of their own called: Be Shrill.

Linda said...

jon,
It's good to see you again. I'm glad you can appreciate my warped sense of humor.

David,
I should stay away from there, however, I find their manner of "ministry" interesting to observe.

David Cho said...

You got me into it :-)

Rob said...

E-No is like a really graphic episode of CSI. It's gory and gruesome, but it's got some sort of morbid fascination to it...

I also thought your choice of the spider image to go with the title "Invitation" was not only funny but absolutely brilliant!

Pam Hogeweide said...

ok, so I checked out ENO and you know me by now Grace, I left a diplomatic comment. Tonight I read through her blog a bit more and decided, um, no ,I don't want to be associated with this. So I just posted a request for my comment to be deleted. I don't even want my name there. Too divisive.

I don't mind critics. Critics provoke thinking and evaluation. But I'm thinking that it is not critical thinking that is being manifest at ENo. NOt sure what is being manifested but I don't want any part of it.

David Cho said...

If you think ENo is bad, then you have not seen sliceoflaodicea.

Linda said...

David,
Now I feel bad for exposing you to this. Consider yourself warned. And you're on your own with Ingrid. She only allows comments that agree with her though.

Thanks Rob. I was inspired by the spidey feeling I got when I read the original post.

Pam,
I hear you. I'm staying away too.
Really. :)

David Cho said...

I knew about slice before you told me about EmergentNo (which I knew of). And I already knew about Ingrid's policy, so no worries.