May 20, 2010
“Finding Our Way
Again” by Brian McLaren (Thomas Nelson, 2008)
review by Randall F.
More, P. Eng.
McLaren, as a Christian, seems to be
writing to Christians to encourage them to grow in their faith and to assist each
one of us in "finding our way again." One wonders, however, what, if anything,
is accomplished for the gospel when practices of the Islamic faith are
mentioned in the same vein as those of Christianity. McLaren makes it sound as
though any and all religions are acceptable, which is an unusual posture for a
person of his stature.
"Fixed-hour prayer, fasting,
Sabbath, the sacred meal, pilgrimage, observance of sacred seasons, giving -
all seven of the ancient spiritual practices are common to the major Abrahamic
traditions of faith... If we have, indeed, lost our way in the clamor of
conflicting systems of belief, perhaps we can rediscover within our religious
traditions some undervalued treasures they have in common. Christianity, Islam,
and Judaism have more in common than many people realize because they all share
a primal narrative, and they all flow from a common sacred fountainhead: a
single figure, at once famous and mysterious, a Middle Eastern man named
Abraham of Ur... and during his lifetime, Abraham - like Moses, Jesus, and
Muhammad - had an encounter with God that distinguished him from his
contemporaries and propelled him into a mission, introducing a new way of life
that changed the world" (pp. 21-22).
McLaren deems the seven ancient
practices to be very important but many people who have come from backgrounds
wherein some of the practices, in fact, have become stumbling blocks to genuine
faith, often because the emphasis has been more on the practices, symbols, and
icons rather than on the personal relationship and the transforming power of
the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Unlike Abraham and Moses, Jesus didn't
have an encounter with God; He is God. Unlike Abraham, Moses, and Jesus,
Muhammad is not mentioned in God's Word. As far as many are aware, Muhammad did
not have "an encounter with God." Muhammad did have an encounter
while in a cave but he was unsure whether it was with God or the devil but his
wife, Khadija, assured him that it must have been with God... and hence,
because of that encouragement and possible misunderstanding, we now have a
religion of one billion people, and growing. Unfortunately, there is no
evidence that Muhammad's encounter was with God. In fact, if it was with God, then
as Christians we should also be listening to what Muhammad had to say.
McLaren suggests that a reinstitution of
rites, rituals, and practices within the Christian faith might be good but that
is not deemed likely by most Christians when linked to Islam. As Christians, shouldn't
we really be committed to accentuating the importance of having a personal
Spirit-filled relationship with the risen Saviour rather than having an
emphasis on the rituals linked to Islam?
"If the first two Abrahamic
practices are pilgrimage and fasting, the third is the holy meal... this meal
will take the form of the Passover for Jews, the Eucharist for Christians, and
Eid ul-Adha or Eid ul-Fitr for Muslims" (p. 26).
"The world would be a far different
place today... if these practices had not enlivened the three Abrahamic faiths,
which have played such remarkable roles in our common global history... But if
these spiritual practices are kept alive in us and our descendants, we may
discover they contain ancient resources desperately needed in the world yet to
be born" (p. 29).
One is not sure to what McLaren refers
when noting the "remarkable roles in our common global history" that
Islam has played. Unfortunately, the most pronounced impact of Islam seems to
have been its longstanding hatred of Judaism, Christianity, and the western
world.
"Jewish torah, Christian gospel, or
Muslim deen - leads us toward the peace, wisdom, and joy we seek" (p. 51).
There is no evidence in history that Islam
“leads us toward the peace, wisdom, and joy we seek." Islam is not the
good news of Jesus Christ. It offers no earthly hope, no abundant life, and no
eternal life for which He came to so freely give. Islam's position on issues of
genuine life-giving faith has few, if any, redeeming qualities. Instead of
accommodating the Islamic faith as part of our message, shouldn't we instead be
speaking the truth of Christ's love and His substitutionary death to all and
for all? As Christians, we need to reach out to Muslims but shouldn't we do it
by accentuating what Christ offers, not by adopting Islamic practices? For McLaren,
"finding our way again" may be important, but for others, a new
course may be the best direction.
Liberals or others may suggest that this
perspective is intolerant of Muslims. That would be an erroneous conclusion. It
is the tenets of Islam which are questioned by many Christians, not Muslims as
people who we should love and care for and have regard for their eternal
destiny. The hope that we have for our Muslim friends and neighbours is not
made complete through Islam.
________
McLaren criticizes the Protestant church
for making a mistake with regard to Darwin, analogous to the Catholic Church's
mistreatment of Galileo. The difference should not be overlooked. The Catholic
Church mistreated Galileo when it had no legitimate right or reason to do so.
Galileo's findings never violated any biblical truth and as such he should
never have been so fiercely denigrated. The situation for Darwin is the polar
opposite in that Darwin denounced some fundamental biblical expositions and the
church was then, and is now, in error in not standing up to defend God's Word
against Darwin and his godless answers. Sure, McLaren may choose to believe
Darwin but his pronouncements, unlike those of Galileo, bear no resemblance to
Scripture. McLaren writes somewhat derisively about "today's
fundamentalists" but it may be they who still uphold biblical truth with
respect to our origins (and for which none of their views, or the biblical
pronouncements in this area, have yet been shown by science to be in error) and
it is they who may actually be glorifying God through their belief. Evolution
brings no glory to God. Sadly, but rightfully, the Catholic Church was humbled
by its mistreatment of Galileo but it should have gone on to stand boldly
against Darwinism instead of surrendering to Darwin's apostasy and godlessness
(p. 133).
In Darwin's case, there is no biblical
basis for his heretical and godless philosophy. As much as McLaren may
personally differ, the church should have then, and still, stood firm against
the onslaught of Darwinism... and admittedly, slavery, as well, as McLaren implies (p. 134).
"Joining a religion is a step in
the right direction" (p. 176).
McLaren suggests that "joining a
religion is a step in the right direction?" The Bible asks us to come to
know Christ and Christ alone. Joining just any religion provides no assurance
that one is moving in the right direction.
One can readily appreciate, as McLaren mentions,
that he may be working through some of his own issues related to his Plymouth
Brethren grounding, just as many others have had to do with their own
backgrounds, but it seems as though he is "throwing the baby out with the
bathwater." Ultimately, if that is the case, it will only detract from
advancing His kingdom. Shouldn’t we instead, individually work through our own
personal situations and backgrounds and then discern those areas, for our own
lives, that need refining or re-tuning without giving up on any doctrinal
truths?
No impertinence is intended to Mr.
McLaren with any of these comments... but it is biblical truth for which we
need to boldly stand.
No comments:
Post a Comment