Wednesday, May 10, 2006

After the Deconstruction

I saw this comment on Out Of Ur regarding a discussion between Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren and I think it sums up for me what I find most difficult about people like McLaren. I also liked the comment because of the unusual grace it displayed (relative to that often exhibited in that forum):

"Brian, thanks for living out your journey in front of us. I really do appreciate that and applaud that you sincerely wrestle. My caution is that too many “Mclarenites” lack your learning and ability to land in good places with a grasp of truth as being something we can rely upon. Rather, I come across people who are all to willing to let you erase a line without redrawing one and now they live without lines or the confidence they bring. In one very real sense they are gaining a “truthless faith,” unable to sustain any convictions. This is not like Jesus. He came, erased lines but redrew them with his life, words and authority."

I am personally stimulated by the questions McLaren poses. But. There is a risk with asking people to question established norms - and that is they may not have the capacity to reconstruct a world view which adequately grounds them. It doesn't mean we shouldn't but the responsibility to also equip people with the tools of reconstruction is a heavy one.

2 comments:

BJ said...

Hey Captain,

I don't know that its fair to accuse me of gravitating to "seminar types" like thats some sort of accepted epithet (thats epitheton in german). Someone's opinion stands or falls on the strength of their opinion, not on the method of delivery. Hitler was a great orator, but his message was dangerous for example. Moses was hardly a seminar type but he had some good things to say, even if Aaron handled most of his press. I suspect Brian McLaren is a Christian, despite your implication that he is not...the question is: who the submarine are you?

Anonymous said...

Deconstruction of the bible is allowing the text to be subverted. As a Christian believeing that i can deconstruct the text allows me to not only reconstruct it's meaning, but also deconstruct it's truth.

I agree that if we attempt deconstruction of the text, we must first discover where our faith is grounded.