DOWN WITH SOLA SCRIPTURA!

“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the Word of the LORD!  This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!” (Ezekiel 13:2-3) 

Rob Bell Continues Exposing Your Youth To People Of Dubious Spiritual Character

At the interfaith website Read the Spirit we’re informed that, “For decades David Crumm has been connecting men and women with great spiritual voices.” One of these “great spiritual voices” allegedly is pastor Rob Bell, the Elvis of the Emerging Church. Crumm tells us about a recent “connecting” with Bell; and during this conversation, Crumm brings up a pastor’sconference to be held by Bell who then 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)

In the Apprising Ministries piece Peter Rollins Darling Of Emergence Christianity we introduced you a bit to the mystic philosopher and postmodern [read: postliberal] theologian Peter Rollins. Rollins is a master ear-tickler and is currently a fast shooting star within what basically was the Emergent Church; but which is now is morphing into something they call Emergence Christianity.

In Rollins’ book How (Not) To Speak Of God (HNT), which Bell brought up, Rollins says Emergence is “rediscovering the Barthian insight that even the revealed side of God is mysterious.” And this way the Emerging rebellion against Sola Scriptura “is thus able to leave aside the need for clarity” (18). As I said previously, to me, it’s little wonder because snakes prefer to slither around in the shadows; and the subjective neo-orthodox view of Scripture provides just such cover. 

No wonder Bell thinks his friend Rollins is “one of the freshest voices” he’s heard; now together they can continue to blur and obscure the text of the Bible to “embrace mystery,” which isn’t actually even there. But make no mistake, Peter Rollins is indeed rapidly rising up through the Emerging Church as evidenced by the following praise for HNT. You see, Bell’s not the only personality within the Emergent rebellion raving about Rollins.

Here’s what Phyllis Tickle, the Empress of Emergence, says about HNT: 

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

Even emergence Guru Brian McLaren himself gushes in the Foreword:

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…

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

So what does this recommended so highly “freshest” voice of “the emerging new configuration” of Christianity, who’s made a “most important” contribution have to say; well, Rollins spins such postliberal theo-babble as the following:

The desire to get a God’s-eye view of the world is reflected throughout history in theology, mythology and philosophy. In much of the Western intellectual tradition there’s a strong desire to name and capture God in conceptual form. I am trying to explore the ancient idea that God transcends all names.

We can’t reduce God to a theological idea without making an idol out of words. Instead of thinking of God as a noun it is perhaps more useful to think of God as a verb. For God is known through action. (Online source)

This is the kind of pseudo-intellectual mystic musing Rob Bell wants to help garner exposure within your evangelical youth groups. But as I pointed out before: 1) God is known through Christ; not by social work, 2) we can know God through Jesus because He also condescended to make Himself known through Holy Scripture, and 3) to revere God’s Word in the Bible is not idolatrous.

If You Really Do Love Someone Then You Don’t Assist Them In Their Self-Destruction

Isn’t well past time you ask why Rob Bell is drawing attention to people like e.g. Rollins or Living Spiritual Teacher and “Progessive Christian” scholar Marcus Borg; and another troubling association of Rollins would be with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer (LGBTQ) activist Adele Sakler. Rollins’ friend Sakler, aka Existential Punk, is herself a practicing lesbian “Christ-follower” and co-leader of Richmond Emergent Cohort.

In addition, Sakler also heads up the Emergent Church group Queermergent, which Emerging Church theologian Tony Jones introduced to us at his blog on the inter-spiritual website Beliefnet in his earlier post Announcing Queermergent. As you’ll see below Adele Sakler wants us to know that she is friends with “the great Peter Rollins” and that he has personally, as well as profoundly, influenced her views of the Christian faith.

While introducing herself to us in her post Why Queermergent? Sakler says:

i have been a part of the Emergent conversation both in the UK and the USA for the past 6 years… Twenty years ago this month I had a ‘born-again’ experience at a charismatic church… I went forward for the altar call to ‘receive’ Jesus into my heart. I did this because I was afraid of going to hell. Thus, I was purchasing my ‘fire insurance’.

I attended Pat Robertson’s graduate school in Virginia Beach, Regent University, to obtain an M.Div so I could be a youth pastor. I began to seriously look at my life-long struggle of same-sex attractions. The school and my therapist along with my charismatic church back home always communicated that being gay was a sin, a choice, and those who actively pursue it will go to hell… (Online source)

She then goes on to share with us how it is she has arrived where she is today theologically. Tragically Rollins, as you’ll see below, has had much to do with leaving Sakler within her sinful practice of sexual immorality albeit of the same sex variety. And yet, because he feels Rollins is “one of the freshest voices” in the Emerging Church, this is the unloving attitude toward gay people that Rob Bell apparently wishes to bring wider exposure within the visible church.

But for those of us who do have love and empathy for sinners of whatever stripe, how sad that Sakler—who by her own testimony has no excuse for her unrepentant sin—will now tells us:

In 1997 I moved to Los Angeles and began living a double life as a Christian and as a gay woman. I began to read Brian McLaren and found him writing things I had felt inside but was very afraid to express outwardly to anyone.

In 2002 I went to Northern Ireland to do a DTS with YWAM. I met the great Peter Rollins and we developed a great friendship. His teachings and writings on postmodernism and Christianity radically shaped how I viewed my faith. I could no longer hang onto certainty with regards to interpreting scripture. (Online source, emphasis mine)

I don’t about you but the following grieves me. And it also makes me angry to read Sakler’s confession below that “the great Peter Rollins,” with his warped views about the genuine Christian faith in favor of this new Emergence de-formation of Christianity, has had much to do with leaving this woman—imprisoned by her sin—content to simply wander along the broad road which Jesus tells us leads to destruction.

First Rob Bell’s friend Rollins speaks:

Pete Rollins wrote @ January 15, 2009 at 8:35 AM

Adele…I love your passion and courage. You never sit back and think, ‘what if’, you get up and makes things happen. Know that you have lots of support and respect and people covering your back. (Online source)

And then emboldened by the lies Rollins has been teaching Sakler responds: 

queermergent wrote @ January 15, 2009 at 8:38 AM

Pete,

Thank you! That means so much coming from you! i really appreciate your love and support. You were a HUGE part of my coming to terms with my sexuality and reconciling it with G-D. i am forever indebted to you, my dear friend. THANK YOU!

Adele (Online source)

But brazenly clinging to her unrepentant sin Sakler has not been reconciled “with G-d.” And yes, I do take a lot of verbal shots for my alleged “man-crush” of Rob Bell; well, that’s hardly persecution so I am not complaining in the least. That said, as one who has this issue of practicing homosexuality within my own family, I have no plans to remain silent while Rob Bell—one of the most influential voices in the entire visible church—continues promoting people who obviously do not really love GLBTQ people. 

Because as I wondered in But Do Emergence Christianity And Brian McLaren Really Love Gay People?, just when are these loving  “Christ-followers” going to love gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and/or queer people enough to stop lying to them? And why won’t they tell these dear people the truth? Rob Bell, Peter Rollins, and Brian McLaren, are highly critical of proper Biblical Christianity; and they also say men like me don’t love GLBTQ people.

Really; at least I love them enough to tell them the truth—trapped as they are within their sin of practicing sexual immorality of the same sex variety: No one practicing sin of ANY kind in an unrepentant manner will enter the Kingdom. And even if but one—maybe Adele Sakler herself—repents I will continue to proclaim the truth; as lovingly, gently, and patiently as I can, but tell it I must:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NASB)

Concerning the video below the Central Ohio Emergent Cohort wants us to know:

Our friend, Peter Rollins, was recently interviewed on “Inner Compass”, a television interview show from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. (Online source)

HT: Following Judah’s Lion

Explaining Emergent Churches – Inner Compass from Calvin College on Vimeo.

See also:

EMERGENCE CHRISTIANITY IKON PETER ROLLINS AND JUDAS SAY HAPPY [Bleep] EASTER

IS ROB BELL EVANGELICAL?

SADNESS FOR “GAY CHRISTIANS”

APPRISING MINISTRIES: SHOCKING NEW EVIDENCE JESUS CONDEMNED THE PRACTICE OF HOMOSEXUALITY

MOST MAINLINE PROTESTANTS SAY SOCIETY SHOULD ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY

BRIAN MCLAREN WITH GOOD NEWS CONCERNING “THE HOMOSEXUAL QUESTION”

REJECTING SOLA SCRIPTURA OPENS THE DOOR FOR LESBIAN EPISCOPAL PRIESTS