DOWN WITH SOLA SCRIPTURA!

 

Professing to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:22, NASB)

Ears Get A Tickle Ringing The Bell With A Mighty Myth Of “The Emergence”

The Lord knows that I don’t take any joy in exposing this stuff; I’m just an ordained elder in the Body of Christ doing the best I can to accomplish the work I feel Jesus leading me to do. I make no claim to be perfect; and the fact is that I never forget, but for the grace of God, I would be those I am trying to reach. All that said, the more I study this Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) at the heart of the Emergent Church, now morphing into Emergence Christianity, the more I observe the same kinds of false teachings showing up among those who practice it.

And in addition as interlocking concentric circles, which was first pointed out long ago by Ingrid Schlueter of the online apologetics and discernment ministry Slice of Laodicea, we also notice the same names popping up together in their attempt to spread various vaccuous versions of the Christian faith. Here’s a couple of more illustrations beginning with a rapidily ascending philosopher/theologian of the Emerging Church by the name of Peter Rollins. As I am looking into the twisted teachings of Rollins I’m seeing at least a couple of posts a day where people are just now discovering him.

Take for example You Must Read “The Orthodox Heretic” from TheGeoffRe(y)port:

It’s not often that you’d write a review for a book before you’ve finished it. In actual fact, I only received “The Orthodox Heretic – and other impossible tales” last night in the mail, and with a basketball game in between, I only managed to read a few of the parables inside, but already this is one of my favourite Christian books. I must admit: I did have a lot of anticipation built up for Peter Rollins’ latest and greatest, but I’ve already had that surpassed… (Online source)

Emergence icon Rob Bell did the foreword to the book mentioned above; and as you can see in the Apprising Ministries post Rob Bell, Peter Rollins, And Queermergent’s Adele Sakler, pastor Bell’s pretty excited about the upcoming pastor’s conference he’s holding this July called Poets Prophets Preachers: Reclaiming The Art Of The Sermon. Of course there are still those of us pastors who didn’t know this particular art had been lost…but I digress. Um, so what’s this got to do with Peter Rollins?

Well, Bell explains:

I’m very excited about it. It’s going to be awesome! I’m going to talk about the failure of language and metaphor. It’s going to be just great. A friend of mine, Peter Rollins, a philosopher-slash-poet from Belfast will be with me. He wrote this book, “How (Not) to Speak of God.”

He’s also started a group called IKON in a pub in Belfast. He’s coming to talk at this conference about what’s called “transformance” art, which I can’t quite explain. But he’s going to be there in person to explain it. He’s going to talk about the anatomy of a parable. He’s one of the freshest voices I’ve heard. (Online source, emphasis mine)

O, and then there’s evangelical publishing house Zondervan who also wants you to know:

New Rob Bell Seminar—Save the Dates!
POETS, PROPHETS, & PREACHERS
a seminar for those serious about reclaiming the art of the sermon… [with]

Rob Bell
Shane Hipps
Peter Rollins (Online source)

Walking Hand-In-Hand Together Down The Broad Path Of The Postmodern Primrose Lane

Ok, so we d0 know that Rollins is a “friend” of Rob Bell’s; and it would also seem Bell is mighty impressed with Rollins’ book How (Not) to Speak of God (HNS). To be sure, Bell’s hardly alone in that regard within Emerging Church circles. Consider the following lofty praise by Emergent Church Roshi Brian McLaren from his foreword to HNS where the Guru gushes:

I am a raving fan of the book you are holding. I loved reading it. I have already begun widely recommending it. In the last two days I have recommended it to three rabbis, and in recent weeks, to many Christian leaders… It helped me understand my own spiritual journey more clearly, and it gave me a sense of context for the work I’m involved in…

In fact, I would say this is one of the two or three most rewarding books of theology I have read in ten years… I am nearly always working through a work of theology, either ancient or contemporary. So when I say this book is among the best I’ve read, I’m saying something significant. And it’s more important still because the author of this book is a young—and I think it’s safe to say up-until-now unknown—emerging theologian.

But as this book makes clear, he deserves to be known and appreciated,… I share Peter’s enthusiasm for what he calls ‘the emergent conversation’. Here he makes one of the most important contributions to date to that conversation… Many will share my enthusiasm about this book and my gratitude to—and for—its author. —Brian McLaren, from the Foreword

Then there’s also this from the Empress of Emergence Phyllis Tickle: 

Here in pregnant bud is the rose, the emerging new configuration, of a Christianity that is neither Roman nor Protestant, neither Eastern nor monastic; but rather is the re-formation of all of them. Here, in pregnant bud, is third-millennium Christendom. —Phyllis Tickle

So you should be able to see that these concentric cirles of a counterfeit Christianity are all now locked up with Rob Bell. Bell is obviously well-aquainted with the teachings of his friend Peter Rollins; and not long ago AM did Peter Rollins Darling Of Emergence Christianity in order to give you some working knowledge concerning this shooting star of the Emerging Church. And make no mistake about Rollins’ growing popularity as evidenced by websites like Beyond Belief feeding information concerning his doings as well as by Rollins being featured in the current issue of Christian Century.

AM also made you aware in Peter Rollins And Phyllis Tickle Discuss Emergence Christianity of a video series Rollins did with Phyllis Tickle concerning what they see as The Great Emergence i.e. the next reformation of an alleged “Post-Christendom,” “Post-Denominational,” “Post-Protestant” version of the Christian faith. And now, just a few weeks ago, Rob Bell even requested that Phyllis Tickle come preach for Mars Hill Bible Church (MHBC) where he’s “teaching pastor,” which she did on May 3. She explains in A Treasure We Don’t Understand:

I’m back at the invitation of your clergy because we’re getting ready, in your series, to talk about the feminine side of the Holy Spirit. Ah, and Rob and Matt, and your clergy, asked if I would come do that. (Online source, :057-1:11)

You see, this isn’t the first time that MHBC has had their ears *ahem* Tickled. Those interested can listen to Tickle’s 6/28/08 sermon Ancient Disciplines of the Church at the MHBC Odeo channel. There you’ll hear Tickle lavish praise upon MHBC as she then goes on to tell us she attends “what’s called an Emergent Church; it’s actually an Anglo-emergent church.” This is why she says she felt right at “home” at MHBC. For more on “Anglicans engaging emerging church” you can see the Anglimergent website of Emergent Church “pastor” Abbess/Vicar/Priest/New Monastic Karen Ward.

As I end this for now, you can catch the deconstruction of Tickle’s mystical myth-filled message on the Fighting for the Faith podcast below from Chris Rosebrough of the online discernment and apologetics ministries A Little Leaven and Extreme Theology as well as proprietor of Pirate Christian Radio. However, it’s no guilt-by-association to clearly show the actual association of these people perpetrating together the advance of apostate Emergence Christianity; a form of neo-Gnosticism where they believe they receive superior knowledge of God through their spurious CSM.

Truly it is as a friend of mine told me recently; when it gets to the point that someone will not even confront blatant apostasy, then at the least they are a partaker of the same evil deeds; and most likely, in agreement with those they associate with because — Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so (Amos 3:3)? It then becomes tragic when someone like Rob Bell, who’s now considered a part of the mainstream of evangelicalism, is making sure that ear-itchers like Tickle have his pulpit to corrupt your youth.

And this is precisely why I have asked: Is Rob Bell Evangelical? 

See also:

CHRISTIANITY 21 AND ALLEGED INNOVATIVE VOICES IN THE FAITH: PHYLLIS TICKLE

NOT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS ROB BELL; IT’S NOT ANYWHERE NEAR IT

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS, AND QUEERMERGENT’S ADELE SAKLER

APPRISING MINISTRIES WITH A PEEK AT THE COMING SOTERIOLOGY OF EMERGENCE CHRISTIANITY

BUT DO EMERGENCE CHRISTIANITY AND BRIAN MCLAREN REALLY LOVE GAY PEOPLE?

ROB BELL IN A NUTSHELL: THE BIBLE