‘Christian’ … ‘evangelical’ … What’s in a name?

Steve Knight has put up the following video at Emergent Village:

At GetReligion, Terry Mattingly breaks down another news story that seems to misrepresent the foreign policy approach of most evangelicals: “Evangelical–Here We Go Again” (and see this earlier post).

And Phil Johnson clarifies some of his views on evangelicals and politics here.

“Even individual Christians need to consider their priorities from a biblical perspective and make wise choices about the best use of time and resources. Which is ultimately the better long-term answer to sin—law, or gospel?”

Peter Rollins explains his latest book

… that being The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church Beyond Belief. Two years ago, Rollins published How (Not) to Speak of God.

(HT: Emergent Village >> Tony Jones)

Rollins’ site.

[NB: In the video, Rollins is talking about 'heeding' God's revelation -- not 'hating' it. His Irish accent may throw some American ears for a loop.]

On the meaning of the Cross

Shane Vander Hart takes emergents like Brian McLaren to task for allegedly throwing the penal substitution theory of the atonement under the bus.

And at First Things: On the Square, Grant Kaplan interviews “Christian intellectual” René Girard, an outspoken critic of the penal substitution theory. Says Girard,

“In a way, Christianity is the end of archaic religions because it reveals that the victim is innocent. When you understand Christianity correctly in its closeness and distance from archaic religion it is the same structure, the scapegoat phenomenon, that Jesus is victim of. Yet the text is intended to destroy your belief in scapegoat phenomenon instead of using it in order to have sacrifices. The relationship is very central and rational with all archaic religions in the past that may go back tens of thousands of years.”

FYI
penal-substitution theory of the atonement - “The view that speaks of sin as the breaking of God’s law, for which the penalty is death. Hence on the Cross Christ suffered the death penalty in the sinner’s place and so appeased the wrath of God. This theory was first proposed in the Reformation and and later became the most widely held view among Protestants, and especially evangelicals, in Britain and the United States.” - from Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, ed. Grenz, Guretzki & Nordling (IVP, 1999).

[The case could be (and has been) made that this theory was actually introduced much earlier, with Anselm (1033-1109), or the patristic writers, or even the Apostle Paul. One might even argue that it is inherent to Scripture itself. - Admin]

Pagitt running for office

On his blog, emergent spokesman Doug Pagitt has announced that he will be running for a seat in the Minnesota state legislature in 2010.

Smiley happy people

From the mind of Jon Birch:

On religious pluralism

Adam Walker Cleaveland reflects on the mission of the Interfaith Youth Core:

“I often find it interesting when I hear the question, ‘So, what do you think about pluralism…?’ In some ways - it’s really like asking the question, ‘So, what do you think of air?’ What do we think about pluralism? Well - like the air we breathe - it just is; we live in a pluralist and multicultural world.”

Interfaith Youth Core website

Audio: Changes at Emergent Village

A conversation between Tony Jones, Brian McLaren, Mark Ostreicher, and Ivy Beckwith. Jones introduces the podcast thus:

“We’re making some significant changes in the structure and organization of Emergent Village. … We’re really moving toward a flattening … or making Emergent Village more of an egalitarian, social networking organization.”

See also this letter dated 10/30 from the EV board.

“You cannot be a Christian and vote for Obama”

An article by Janet Porter posted at WorldNet Daily:

“To all those who name the name of Christ who plan to willfully disobey Him by voting for Obama, take warning. Not only is our nation in grave danger, according to the Word of God, so are you. …”

(HT: Brian McLaren)

McLaren: “Why I’m Voting for Obama” (update)

The fourth in a series of posts by emergent author Brian McLaren, dealing with environmental concerns.

See also parts 1-3:

1. On the “framing narrative” or mindset of each candidate
2. On the issue of personal integrity
3. On “the least of these” (foreign aid, trade, poverty-relief, etc.)

(Update 10/28) Part five is up, on “The Sacredness of Life“:

“Some of my friends and relatives have been reading my reasons for voting for Barack Obama, but the issue of abortion is a major roadblock for them. They believe that a vote for Obama is a vote for abortion, and a vote for McCain is a vote against abortion. They are surprised to learn that I believe an Obama presidency could actually take us farther in reducing abortion than a McCain presidency, and it could do so through a wiser, less-divisive, more effective strategy. Here’s why. …”

Emergent conference: Reclaiming Paul streaming updates

At the Emergent Village blog (via a Twitter ticker).

Review: Jesus Wants to Save Christians, by Rob Bell and Don Golden

Posted by Nick Norelli at Rightly Divinding the Word of Truth:

“Bell and Golden do help the reader to see some patterns in Scripture that they otherwise might have missed.  They do seem to express a genuine concern for the disenfranchised of the world.  But I think that there are better ways of going about voicing such concerns and calling people to action.”

The Great Emergence National Event

… will be held December 5-6 in Memphis, Tennessee. Based on the book by Phyllis Tickle, The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. Tony Jones writes about the event at the emergent village blog:

“For a couple years now, Phyllis Tickle has been causing a stir with her presentations on the Great Emergence, her take on the 500-year-turning that we are currently experiencing. … Not only will registrants get to hear Phyllis unpack The Great Emergence over four sessions, they’ll also get to hear some of the leaders of the emergent movement give ‘ignite’ presentations and get to pray the Divine Hours in the majestic St. Mary’s Cathedral.”

Daily Scroll blogger interview: Tony Jones

[From Tony's site:] “Tony is the national coordinator of Emergent Village (www.emergentvillage.org), and a doctoral fellow in practical theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the author of many books, including The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier and The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life, and he is a sought after speaker and consultant in the areas of emerging church, postmodernism, and Christian spirituality. Tony lives with his wife, Julie, and their three children in Edina, Minnesota.”

DS: What compelled you to start blogging?

“I was actually one of the last emergents to blog (and to Twitter, and to buy a Mac).  I was skeptical at first, but I ultimately became very fond of the type of communication that it allows.  It allows you to be quick, opinionated, and engaged with your readers.  I finally became a fan in 2006, when I was commuting to Princeton for PhD work and spending lots of lonely nights in an apartment.  Those are still some of my best posts.”

DS: How would you describe the purpose of your blog?

“It’s a forum to express my opinion on any number of things: the church, religion, politics, etc.  My friends say they also like the more personal posts, which I sometimes write.  My blogging hero is Andrew Sullivan.  He writes in the first person, and I feel that I have really come to know him through his blog.  But his blog isn’t about personal matters, it’s about politics.  So he’s really gifted in that way.”

DS: What unique responsibilities do you think Christian bloggers have?

“None.  ‘Christian bloggers’ and bloggers who happen to be Christian have the same responsibility as any bloggers: contribute to the depth and civility of our society; don’t detract from it.”

DS: What are your own favorite blogs or news sites?

“I subscribe to about 250 blogs via Google Reader.  I check GR about 5 times per day on weekdays, once or twice on weekends.  My favorites include Andrew Sullivan and Mark Ambinder for politics.  I like reading Mark Oestreicher — I think he ‘gets’ blogging; he writes two short posts a day.  Scot McKnight, of course, is a rock star, but I’ll admit that I don’t often follow the multi-post series he does on books.  I have Google feeds out there on all my book titles, so I see what people are writing about me.  And I read the New York Times opinion page online every day.”

DS: How would you be spending your extra time, if you didn’t blog?

“Well, I actually consider blogging to be part of my vocation, so I don’t consider it to take away from things I do in my extra time.  Outside of writing and speaking, I spend time with my kids, exercise everyday, and read as much as I can.”

‘ZeroChurch’

“We have a talk, but no preaching.
We have an offering, but not for us, for the poor and oppressed.
We have a warm community, but don’t care a lot about formal membership
We have a band, but not much worship music.
We have a worship service, but not to the exclusion of new worshipers.”

- from the website of ZeroChurch. One blogger at Defending-Contending is not in favor of their approach.

Audio: Doug Pagitt interview

Pagitt discusses his new book, A Christianity Worth Believing (2008), with Chris Rosebrough, on Rosebrough’s show, Fighting for the Faith.

“(Not to brag but I had to pay the long distance for the hour-long call. His show, but I paid - oh, I think I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back). I left in all the little chit-chat, Chris’ copy has removed it. I think it adds a sense of warmth.”

Download here.

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