Chris Rosebrough has a new article on Emergence Christianity icon Rob Bell posted at the online discernment and apologetics ministry (ODAM) Extreme Theology where he begins: 

As I’ve previously pointed out, Rob Bell, in his book Velvet Elvis claims that, “The moment God is figured out with nice neat lines and definitions, we are no longer dealing with God. We are dealing with somebody we made up.”

This is not an isolated instance of Bell speaking like this. In an interview with Christianity Today on topic of the “Emergent Mystique” Bell said he and his wife found themselves increasingly uncomfortable with church after they launched Mars Hill in 1999. The interview goes on to say:

“Life in the church had become so small,” Kristen says. “It had worked for me for a long time. Then it stopped working.” The Bells started questioning their assumptions about the Bible itself—”discovering the Bible as a human product,” as Rob puts it, rather than the product of divine fiat. “The Bible is still in the center for us,” Rob says, “but it’s a different kind of center. We want to embrace mystery, rather than conquer it.” (Online Source)

The term “embracing mystery rather than conquering it” sounds so spiritual and enlightened. But, did our ancient Christian forbears “embrace mystery” or did they embrace and worship God using the neat lines and clear definitions of God laid out for us in God’s Holy Scriptures?

By way of comparison, here is the confession of faith that Irenaeus confessed. See if you can detect any “mystery embracing” by this ancient saint who learned the Christian faith from Polycarp. (Polycarp learned the Christian faith directly from the Apostle John.)… (Online source)

You can read the entire article by Christian apologist Chris Rosebrough here.

See also:

MARCUS BORG AND ROB BELL: THE BIBLE IS NOT A DIVINE PRODUCT WITH DIVINE FINAL AUTHORITY?

ROB BELL IN A NUTSHELL: THE BIBLE

ROB BELL AND EMERGENCE CHRISTIANITY REJECT CARDINAL DOCTRINE OF SOLA SCRIPTURA

THROUGH ROB BELL “THE GREAT ENLIGHTED ONES” TELL US MAN HAS DIVINE GREATNESS

BOB DEWAAY: EMERGENT CHURCH ASKS “HAS GOD SAID?” 

JOHN MACARTHUR: EXISTENTIAL NEO-ORTHODOXY DENIES SOLA SCRIPTURA

THE EMERGING CHURCH SOWING ITS NEO-ORTHODOX CONFUSION ON SCRIPTURE