I have not read it yet, but will do so later today. If you'd like to see it, here is a link. I will likely come back and comment after I read it, so feel free to do so if you would like.
post your reaction to it when you can - i'd like to hear your thoughts. i had some hesitations and misgivings before reading the document, but was actually quite impressed and invigorated after taking in the whole of what it addressed.
they chose not to say that creationism and inerrancy were non-negotiables - i liked that. for the first, there's very little biblical justification anymore behind whatever the latest flavor of anti-natural-selection dessert is being served up; for the latter, somehow we can admit that we can't prove the existence of God, but goshdarnit we have a golden egg this unprovable God laid right here. kind of stupid when you think about it ... not that thinking is a pre-requisite course in any of these endeavors.
more than anything, i was motivated and energized by the very positive nature of the piece - that it wasn't yet another "here's everything we're against" rant but an effort to make the gospel again a message of good news. imagine that - the gospel being good news. American Christianity has lost this defining characteristic ever since it embraced the neo-con's Jesus bobble-head doll.
and, maybe i missed it, but there didn't seem to be great emphasis on evangelism in this Evangelical Manifesto. was that intentional? i didn't see a single chick tract referenced in the bibliography...
perhaps one unintended benefit of the proposal is a clear opportunity to take this EM (Evangelical Manifesto) and align it with the other EM (Emergent Manifesto) and finally have all our EM & EMs in a row without demonizing the other side.
I first looked at the original signers, and I rejoiced to see names of a few whom I've heard, or met, and who I greatly respect and admire. John Bueno is chief among those, and there are a couple of other AG folks as well.
I was pretty awed to realize that a conservative like John Bueno or Os Guiness signed a document that Jim Wallis also signed. Perhaps some of you have wondered, if you have ever clicked on some of the sidebar links, why I link to a very conservative, Republican, male and also a less conservative, Democratic female. That is on purpose. Both of those individuals are committed, faithful, brilliant (IMO) Christians. YAY!
Kathi, perhaps you will feel more reassured if you look at the summary version and take careful note of the 7 points.
I rejoiced, and I signed it, and I wanted to jump up and down at the tone.
The gospel is a social gospel. It is more than that, for sure, but Jesus said it first. For a long time those of us in the somewhat more conservative, often "free church" camp left that "social gospel" sutff to the mainline churches--they were liberal, you know.
Shame on us!
Let's reclaim the "good news" of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Let's stop throwing stones at others and work together in those areas where we agree. Our bad reputation is, sadly, partly our own fault.
I read it quickly, and then I read the summary. If you click on the side link "The Manifesto" you will be able to download either the full or the summarized version.
I will go back later. But I tend to agree with you, Mike, in that I was energized by the positive nature of the piece.
3 comments:
post your reaction to it when you can - i'd like to hear your thoughts. i had some hesitations and misgivings before reading the document, but was actually quite impressed and invigorated after taking in the whole of what it addressed.
they chose not to say that creationism and inerrancy were non-negotiables - i liked that. for the first, there's very little biblical justification anymore behind whatever the latest flavor of anti-natural-selection dessert is being served up; for the latter, somehow we can admit that we can't prove the existence of God, but goshdarnit we have a golden egg this unprovable God laid right here. kind of stupid when you think about it ... not that thinking is a pre-requisite course in any of these endeavors.
more than anything, i was motivated and energized by the very positive nature of the piece - that it wasn't yet another "here's everything we're against" rant but an effort to make the gospel again a message of good news. imagine that - the gospel being good news. American Christianity has lost this defining characteristic ever since it embraced the neo-con's Jesus bobble-head doll.
and, maybe i missed it, but there didn't seem to be great emphasis on evangelism in this Evangelical Manifesto. was that intentional? i didn't see a single chick tract referenced in the bibliography...
perhaps one unintended benefit of the proposal is a clear opportunity to take this EM (Evangelical Manifesto) and align it with the other EM (Emergent Manifesto) and finally have all our EM & EMs in a row without demonizing the other side.
one can only hope...
mike rucker
fairburn, georgia, usa
mikerucker.wordpress.com
I just read it for the first time. I might read it again, as it's 6am and 1 cup of coffee at the moment.
What I take away from my first reading: social gospel, social gospel, social gospel... not The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I first looked at the original signers, and I rejoiced to see names of a few whom I've heard, or met, and who I greatly respect and admire. John Bueno is chief among those, and there are a couple of other AG folks as well.
I was pretty awed to realize that a conservative like John Bueno or Os Guiness signed a document that Jim Wallis also signed. Perhaps some of you have wondered, if you have ever clicked on some of the sidebar links, why I link to a very conservative, Republican, male and also a less conservative, Democratic female. That is on purpose. Both of those individuals are committed, faithful, brilliant (IMO) Christians. YAY!
Kathi, perhaps you will feel more reassured if you look at the summary version and take careful note of the 7 points.
I rejoiced, and I signed it, and I wanted to jump up and down at the tone.
The gospel is a social gospel. It is more than that, for sure, but Jesus said it first. For a long time those of us in the somewhat more conservative, often "free church" camp left that "social gospel" sutff to the mainline churches--they were liberal, you know.
Shame on us!
Let's reclaim the "good news" of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Let's stop throwing stones at others and work together in those areas where we agree. Our bad reputation is, sadly, partly our own fault.
I read it quickly, and then I read the summary. If you click on the side link "The Manifesto" you will be able to download either the full or the summarized version.
I will go back later. But I tend to agree with you, Mike, in that I was energized by the positive nature of the piece.
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