Stetzer and Sweet on the emerging church
Friday, September 26, 2008 at 8:01AM Ed Stetzer has written a good piece on the emerging church from a missiological perspective. I appreciate Ed's approach. It's well researched. Ed is honest, but he doesn't appear to have an axe to grind.
You can read some of Ed's background or download the issue that contains Ed's article, and reactions to it, in PDF.
I was surprised to read this quote by Len Sweet about Emergent. "So far, [Sweet] asserts—rather than reach back into 2000 years of Church history, Emergent stopped at the 'liberal turn' wherein the Gospel became all social and no gospel." Sweet emailed Stetzer:
The emerging church has become another form of social gospel. And the problem with every social gospel is that it becomes all social and no gospel. All social justice and no social gospel. It is embarrassing that evangelicals have discovered and embraced liberation theology after it destroyed the main line, old line, side line, off line, flat line church.
Agree or not, it's certainly worth exploring this issue. It's not the first time I've heard this statement from someone who has been a friend to the emerging church. Wounds of a friend?
Check out more at Ed Stetzer's site.
Reader Comments (6)
I like Sweet's use of "justice" and "gospel". Social isn't the issue - gospel is. Great thought. If we fight for justice, we will clearly indict ourselves. Conversely, if we bring the gospel, we rest on grace and fight injustice.
Bang on comment by Sweet. I don't know him well enough to be surprised as you are. What surprises you?
Ken: I think I'm surprised because it's strong criticism coming from a friend and early author within the emerging movement. It's not the first time I've heard this voiced from people who've been within the movement.
Like all generalizations it is true but at the same time a little (or a lot) over reaching. I agree that there is a liberation theology that has come up lately which I find interesting and puzzling as well.
Interesting comment by Sweet. Has liberation theology really destroyed the church? (i.e., South America??). Or, is Sweet referring to a form of it that is de-contextualized and lifted into the American scene?
Sweet is a genius. His quote is priceless and dead-on. I expect that this discussion will continue and expand in the days ahead.