When will I learn?
Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : April 2, 2007
I shouldn’t go into fundamentalist blogs to defend emerging church folks. This is what always happens.
for further reading . . .
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Simplest thing I can say, cheap and cheesy as it may read, is, “I feel your pain.” Sad thing is, the very ones pointing the “feel-good church” finger are probably only clinging to what makes them “feel good”–or, at least, less scared.
The Gospel, and the Christ whom we meet therein, are not for the timid, and not for those who want easy assurances and simplistic answers; but are all too often abused to “drug” those who are and do into compliance and submission to those who would rule in Christ’s stead (rather than lead, gently and at times firmly, with compassion, under his sole authority–which they may honestly [mis]believe they are doing).
If anything, the dogmatic, know-I’m-right, smear-anyone-who-I-think-disagrees approach is the real “diet-pill Christianity”.
Living in the Kingdom of God, as a present reality, is scary–and there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, isn’t the true measure of faith often not a lack of doubt or fear, but an ability to withstand them? I know that’s a bit of a digression; but it seemed appropriate, whether I understand clearly why, or not—I’ll leave that question to the One who gives me life, one breath at a time.
Ah Mark! Posting such things leads to great temptation to join into the fray!
I do think the comments at the end lend some insight, after most of the vitriol was spent. Framing deconstruction in terms of becoming less Christian and more secular holds a host of assumptions I would wager most of “us” don’t share. Such a self-assured understanding of Christianity just doesn’t seem to have the categories to deal with the intertwining of faith and culture, which is where deconstruction is at its best.
Still, it’s no excuse for the arrogance and rudeness. The irony laden in “by their fruits you will know them” and “the speck in your brothers eye” is just outrageous. A strong rebuke, I think, to our own tendencies to pride toward those who think in ways we have come out of.
my brain hurts B*D
Mark, I can’t believe you wrote so much. Once in a great while, I suppose. Nice work. Nate
You know, I have you to blame for introducing me to Slice of Laodicea.
Next time you feel the urge to do that again (particularly on a blog that quotes a slice contributor) call me up and I’ll dissuade you.
On a lighter (and snarkier) note, when I saw you link to a blog called The Merry Widow, I was thinking it was going to be a blog with much different subject matter. I wonder how many badly directed Google searches they get?
Something I have to think twice about when signing with my handle.
Hence, the handle.