Conversing with the Emerging- part 6

The ECM methodology is largely centered on spiritual experience, spiritual mystery, and the usage of the five senses in worship. This is driven, in part, by the ECM’s reaction against the rightly perceived shallowness and superficiality of the seeker-sensitive movement with its show biz presentations, felt-needs sermons, and businesslike organization and professionalism. ECM understands that the under-thirties are spiritually hungry, and have determined that they want this hunger satisfied in experience and feeling, and not theology, apologetics, and logic. And so, the ECM incorporates mystery into their service making sure that there are elements that would incorporate all the senses.

The issue with this is that it tends to put the focus on the method and not the content of the message associated with it. It emphasizes experience and feeling at the expense of truth and the person who should be the object of affection in worship, Christ. The methodology must not be the focus of the experience, nor should the subjects own satisfaction of feelings be the ultimate goal. It is clear from Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 that the methodology must be Spirit-filled and Christ-centered. In addition, the methodology itself is to be scripturally focused, orderly, and appropriate producing an experience that focuses on Christ and is edifying to others.

With respect to ECM theology we cut to the chase of this syncretistic amalgamation of postmodern philosophy and its own brand of biblical theology. Where the seeker-sensitive movement was all about method and from its perspective kept the core of the gospel message in tact, the ECM is willing to adjust the message as well. Since ECM ministers to postmoderns and since postmoderns largely reject absolute truth and authority the ECM has itself abandoned the clarity and certainty of absolute truth claims. As expected this philosophy effects doctrine, tradition, and the exclusive and particular claims of the gospel message.

The ECM’s deconstruction mindset minimizes, if not eliminates the original author’s words and intent redefining the words and ideas to suit the current reader. The ECM likes to project its own attitude as one born out of humility. Yet, this deconstructionist philosophy is one that tears everything down, dismantles the essentials that the majority of Christendom has believed through millennium, and has determined they (ECM) have now gotten it right and are revising history. As we examine the Scriptures (ex. 2 Timothy 1:13-14) we discover a mandate to remember and hold the biblical traditions past down to us.

This is not a genuine attitude of humility, but a massive display of ego masquerading as false humility. The ECM has torn down centuries of history, tradition, doctrine, and story and has replaced it with nothing of substance or credibility. In its wake it has left a people and a church with no solid foundation to build from, and has robbed the church of her richness and uniqueness.

This deconstruction combined with abhorrence for absolute truth has naturally led to a subjective, personal form of Christianity that disposes of doctrine, and the authority of the Bible. Both of these combined the minimizing of absolute truth and the deconstruction of truth and Scripture has left behind a postmodern pluralistic relativism as the foundation for ECM theology.
This attack on the Word of God should come as no surprise since it is found in the very beginning of Scripture as found in Genesis 3 when Satan sought to sow the seeds of doubt in Adam and Eve’s mind regarding the clarity of Scripture as a Word from God that was to be taken literally and obeyed fully. "Has God said," was the ploy to get Adam and Eve to begin to doubt the truth claims of God.

With respect to truth it is true that we may not have exhaustive truth regarding a thing or person, but that is not the same as the ability or inability to have a certain truth about a thing or a person. The Word of God is replete with references to truth, and an expectation to believe and obey. I Peter 3:15 gives evidence that there is a known body of truth common to the faith, necessary for salvation, particular to Christ that each believer was to remember and reflect upon in order to present an apologetic for the faith as opportunity presented itself.

The Spirit of God is known as the ‘Spirit of Truth’. Jesus said, "I am…the truth…." (John 14:6). The Psalmist prayed that God would "Lead me in your truth…." (Ps 25:5). Paul’s letters to Timothy make reference to ‘knowledge of the truth’ and ‘handling the word of truth’. In his epistles John talked about truth being in us or not in us, practicing the truth, acting in truth. All references to objective standards and not subjective feelings and experiences.

The subjectivism of the ECM runs counter to the teaching of experience. It is one thing to agree on the meaning of the text, and then discuss various applications to the individual, it is quite another thing to say that we can never know the original author’s meaning and therefore the text has a different meaning for different people. We are warned in Colossians about being taken "captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition…." Jude 3 also makes reference to a common faith or salvation that Jude needed to discuss again. In words, the community was not to determine doctrine based on subjectivism, but was to receive that which they had already known and whose elements were essential and particular to all.