FORMULA ZERO: RACING TOWARDS OBLIVION ~ BRIAN MCLAREN AND THE EMERGENT CHURCH

I saw something this week that has about made my blood boil a few times as I was thinking about it: a poster promoting Brian McLaren at Eastern Mennonite University on April 1, 2009 on the wall of the church I attend; this shouldn't really come as a surprise since this is a Mennnonite Brethren church. What really bothers me though is that ignorance of McLaren's theology is so prevalent, and that people blindly endorse a speaker because they are promoted by a trusted source. (I, however, no longer consider the MB Conference to be on that list). I would no more send one of my children to hear McLaren speak than I would throw them into a den of ravenous hyenas. (The lecture at EMU is being promoted as for Senior High youth).

These thoughts prompted me to do an internet search to see if I could find a comprehensive article on McLaren's theology in case anybody would ask me for more information about what he believes. The best article I could find is entitled Formula Zero: Racing Towards Oblivion ~ Brian McLaren and the Emergent Church in the July 2007 issue of Vanguard Magazine by Neil Richardson. Using quotes from McLaren's own books, (especially A Generous Orthodoxy, which begins with chapter "0", hence "Formula Zero") Richardson reveals the aberrant theology held by McLaren.

Here is Richardson's fine conclusion to the article:

Brian McLaren’s brand new formula of Christianity when tested by the Word of God proves to be, like the first chapter of A Generous Orthodoxy, nothing but a big zero. He dismantles every single major doctrine of the Bible: the authority of Scripture, the nature of God and Creation, the nature of Man and Sin, who the Lord Jesus is, why He died, who the Holy Spirit is, what His work is in converting unbelievers, what the unchanging Gospel is that we proclaim, what being part of the Body of Christ means, how truth and unity must connect, the doctrines of hell and the devil.

The Emergent Church, like a souped-up theological race-car, makes a lot of noise, has a lot of va-va-voom, has every possible denomination label stuck on the side (each cancelling the rest out). McLaren goes round and round in circles, leading his followers, not to the finish line of a Christ-filled eternity, but to the hellbound pit-stop of a Christless social gospelism. 1.

I hope you will find his article as helpful as I have.

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Additional articles revealing McLaren's theology:

• The Coming Kingdom: Evolution or Revolution by Pastor Larry DeBruyn
• Who Defines the Kingdom of God by Berit Kjos
• Brian McLaren Quotes: "Ignorance is Bliss" to "Theology" by Matthew J. Slick
• A Review of Brian McLaren's "Everything Must Change" by Chris Curry
• Book Review of McLaren's "Secret Message of Jesus" by Randy Brandt
• Book Review of McLaren's "Finding our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices" by Lighthouse Trails

Quote from the Lighthouse Trails review of 'Finding our Way Again", McLaren's latest book, the first in a series of seven:

In the last chapter of McLaren's book, "Theosis (via Unitiva)," he sums up his calling by stating that "The purpose of the via purgativa [the practices] is to prepare us for the via illuminativa [the awakening], and the purpose of the via illuminativa is to prepare us for the via unitiva [all is one], the union of our nature with the nature of God" (pp. 171-172). He calls God "fire" and says, "We join God in being fire ... Before the beginning ... God was All, and All was God" (p. 175). This is the exact same message that Eckhart Tolle and Oprah are propagating. But while many Christians are now condemning Tolle's message, they don't realize that the very same message is permeating their very own churches. For those readers who care about the spiritual future of their children and grandchildren, it is vital they understand the meaning of McLaren's spirituality in particular and the emerging/contemplative movement in general. We believe this is an extremely compelling motivation and should prompt us as believers to defend the faith and the gospel message of Jesus Christ. 2.

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1. http://www.vanguardmagazine.info/vanguard/Vanguard23.pdf
2. http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?c=1&more=1&p=1093

A PERSONAL UPDATE

Since my last blog posting on January 13th I have received a number of inquiries from interested readers regarding my absence over the last two months or so, so here is a personal update. Please use the information to pray for me. Some of my readers have also wondered if I have given in to pressure from those I am writing about in a way that challenges them to examine themselves and their teachings who have been publishing warnings to the public about blogs who are exposing their unbiblical theological errors in recent days. I will assure you this is not the case.

On January 17th my husband and I went to Saskatoon to help my oldest daughter and her husband move closer to home, where he is presently doing his practicum, the final three months of the program he is in before graduating from the College of Pharmacy. At the end of December they excitedly informed us that they are expecting a baby this summer, so we are really looking forward to becoming grandparents for the first time! Jenna has not been feeling well at all so far, so we hope that the last half of the pregnancy will be better for her than the first. Their move from Saskatoon also meant that our jointly owned property there would be for sale, as they had been renting it from us and the other owner, so some of our time has been taken up with the phone calls and paperwork necessary for the sale, which we hope will be completed by the end of this month.

Our other daughter, our second-born, also made the decision to quit her job in Saskatoon and move back in with us at around the same time, until such time as she makes a decision about the direction in life she next wants to take. She has been planning on working as full-time staff at a nearby Bible Camp this summer, and is presently looking for part-time work until then. Please pray for her as she make decisions regarding her future plans. In the meantime she has been helping me at home, and we have been able to get some painting done around the house that I have been unable to do by myself in the last two and a half years since we undertook some major house renovations. This included painting the ceilings and walls in our dining room, kitchen and entryway which we had redone at the time (we still have to sheet-rock and paint the entryway walls and recarpet it and the basement). I had already painted the cupboards earlier but since a fall down the stairs last April I have not been able to tackle this job by myself. It has been a great relief to finally get a good portion of the work completed, and I am very grateful for the help she gave me. I couldn't have done it without you, Andrea!

Part of the time I have been away from the blog has simply been spent on the couch reading through a number of the last shipment of books I ordered for the church library, listening to online radio (lots of Brannon Howse of "Worldview Network" on the economic situation and the political machinations behind it) or watching "Little House on the Prairie" (I've gotten through almost eight of nine seasons!). Late last Fall my doctor came to the conclusion that I fractured my tailbone when I fell down the stairs, which is now almost a year ago. I have had a terrible time sitting for any length of time and some times I can not sit at all. Some of the trips in the vehicle we have taken in the last few months have meant 3 or 4 days which I was flat on my back in recovery. Along with recurrent flareups of fibromyalgia, I have to admit that many of my days are not nearly as productive as I would like them to be. The extra time it takes me to keep caught up with things around the house has meant time away from the computer.

During this time I have also had time to think through my role and involvement in this whole movement which is exposing some of the errors which are continuing to make their way into the Mennonite Brethren Conference. I will continue to expose the errors online here as much as I am able and will provide a supportive role only, if asked to and if it should ever become organized. I see my role as primarily being a warning voice to all those who will listen, while continuing to gather as much information about it as I can. I had some very wise advice from an aunt regarding this. She reminded me several years ago that my first ministry is my husband and my children, with my local church being next, and I have chosen my blog to follow that since it reaches a larger audience beyond any scope I could ever imagine. Beyond that, I will only do as I am able but without obligation. There are many people of greater influence I would love to have discussions with about some of the issues my blog covers, including some of the professors at the Seminary where I took several classes in 2006/07. Maybe that will happen some day. Or maybe some of those people will come across my blog and take the time to do some reading. In the meantime I have come to accept my limitations and be at peace.

This blog has been, and continues to be, a wonderful format to record my personal spiritual journey and write articles on topics which concern me. I have found many new friends and allies since I began doing this. It has been a real joy to find camaraderie all across the continent, and even around the globe. Thank you to all of those who have expressed an interest in my absence and have upheld me in prayer during this time. I hope to be back here at the blog on a fairly regular basis, the Lord willing. I would appreciate continued prayers for my health (I am presently awaiting an appointment with a neurologist to see if they can do anything with this nasty tailbone of mine).

Blessings to you all, Bonnie