An Orthodox Generosity
August 19th, 2006
(By Nathan Busenitz)
Over the last week, I have been rereading much of Brian McLaren’s A Generous Orthodoxy. I have reviewed the book elsewhere, so I won’t rehash all my thoughts on it again here.
The book (as I understand it in my own limited framework) essentially argues that orthodoxy (meaning a right opinion about doctrine) should be approached with great humility (meaning a realization that you might not be right), tolerance (meaning a willingness to dialogue with others in a non-authoritarian way), and hospitality (meaning a welcoming of other views, including those of non-Christian religions). The author’s postmodern premise leads him to the conclusion that certainty (in matters of biblical doctrine) is impossible. Instead, we should pursue truth through conversation as we live out our Christian mission (of loving those around us), rather than wasting time arguing about doctrinal correctness.
I believe the title is half right. The book is very, very generous. Pretty much every belief system (except for Calvinism and conservative Christian theology) is applauded and embraced.
Where the book fails, however, is that it is anything but orthodox. In an effort to be generous, McLaren goes off the doctrinal deep-end.
Perhaps if he had flipped his title around, he might have gotten closer… An Orthodox Generosity. Instead of beginning with generosity, and redefining orthodoxy to fit; he would have done better (much better in fact) to begin with orthodoxy, and then limit his generosity accordingly.
The New Testament is very generous. Love, humility, selflessness, kindness, and service are all repeatedly upheld as Spirit-filled, Christ-like acts.
But, the generosity of the New Testament is not a free-styled, all-embracing, blind acceptance of every wind of doctrine for the sake of conversation. It is, in fact, just the opposite. False doctrines and those who teach them are condemned with the harshest terms.
Jesus said: Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Paul said: If any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
Peter said: It has happened to them [false teachers] according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
John said: If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
Jude said: But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.
These are harsh words for anyone who promotes false (i.e. unorthodox) doctrine. But why would Jesus and the apostles be so ungenerous in their condemnation of other teachers?
It is precisely because their generosity was governed by orthodoxy, and not the other way around.
Nathan,
Thank you for a gracious, and yet accurate response to this movement. I’m always grieved to hear professed believers, particularly pastors/teachers espousing this approach to biblical truth. The Authur of Scripture makes it so clear across His book that we are to “contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints”(Jude 1:3)
Get ready. the “emergent/emerging thing is going to cause a split within my own denomination. thank you for hitting it right on the head.
If you really want to be broken in spirt, read chapter 4 (party in the living room, torture in the basement) of Brians latest book.” The Last Word and the Word After That: A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity” it is unbelaivable!(or is it)
May God help us ho;d fast to His Truth.
(you can read the exerpt at CBD.com)
I am currently in the middle of reading this book, so I’m not at all qualified to comment…
But I think you were a bit harsh by making it appear that McLaren is promoting false doctrine on fundamental issues.
The verses you quoted were out of context. If you read those passages in context, you’ll see that they were condemning false teachers who preach a gospel other than salvation through Jesus Christ the Risen Son of God.
Examples of this would be Gnostics, who didn’t believe Christ had “come in the flesh” (which John warned of in his first letter).
This wouldn’t include Catholicism, for example, because they teach that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, and that He is the Savior.
(Of course that could open a whole can of worms here… but I’m just trying to say we shouldn’t take verses out of context).
My 2 cents…
Carl
Hi, I was wondering if you have seen the Criswell Journal. www.criswelljournal.com
There are several articles on the emergant church in the current issue on line now.
Criswell Journal is printed by the Criswell College in Dallas Tx.
Nathan-
You were too generous in your review–but I know you–you’re just a real nice guy. It would have been more accurate to call the book: “A Dangerous Heterodoxy.” Consider some of the author’s outlandish comments: Is there “any way to follow Jesus without becoming a Christian?…If you need permission, YES, you can follow Jesus without identifying yourself as a Christian” (p. 20); “as in most of my other books…I have gone out of my way to be…unclear” (p.27–he accomplished his goal!); “in spite of all appearances, underlying all things is–peace, salvation, gloria, that nothing and no one is lost” (p.202); “Christian leaders” are required “to find new content, new ideas, new truth, new meaning” (p. 215); “doctrinal distinctives are a lot like cigarettes” (p. 217); “Calvin’s descendants…seem to believe they have been granted an exemption from 1 Corinthians 13″ (p. 221); “I was deeply moved by…Mary’s image….by venerating Mary…we come to more fully know who we are” (pp. 249, 257); “I’d like to add six things…about Catholic Christianity that have enriched and continue to enrich my life in Christ:….(5) Catholics know how to party (p. 257); “when Scripture talks about itself, it doesn’t use…words like authority, inerrancy, infallibility, revelation, objective, absolute, and literal…extrabiblical words…words foreign to the Bible’s vocabulary” (pp. 182-83); “Also by the way, ‘the Word of God’ is never used in the Bible to refer to the Bible” (p. 181); “I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many…circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish contexts” (p. 293); “I don’t hope all Buddhists will become…Christians, I do hope all who feel so called will become Buddhist followers of Jesus…I hope all who feel so called will become Jewish or Hindu followers of Jesus…I hope that Jesus will save Buddhism, Islam and every other religion” (p. 297)
There’s more, but I can’t go on. Keep up the good work Nathan!
blessings in Christ
Cliff