McLaren Interview
Found here:
Of particular interest is this:
Q: On the theology behind the emerging church, you reject the idea that there’s an absolute truth. So what boundaries are there on theology that churches are teaching? Can any church just call itself an emerging church?
A: Obviously that’s a challenge. The flip side of that question is look at the Catholic Church: For all of its orthodoxy, it could have bishops covering up for molesting priests. And evangelicals, for all their claims of orthodoxy, can be barbaric to gay people and can blindly support a rush to war in Iraq and can be, as we speak, fomenting for war with Iran. … Obviously, I have a lot of critics and they often say, ‘You’re wanting to water down the Gospel to accommodate to post-modernity.’ I say, ‘No, I really don’t want to do that. But what I do want to do is acknowledge first the ways we’ve already watered down the Gospel to accommodate modernity.’ … I think the naivete of some of those critics is that they’re starting with a pure pristine understanding of the Gospel. It seems to me we’re all in danger of screwing up.
Hatip: The Double V.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:24 am
This has absolutely nothing to do with the article, but please pray for Steven Curtis Chapman’s family right now. Their youngest daughter (Maria, age 5) was hit by an SUV their teenage son was driving. I don’t listen to his music much, but it’s a situation no one should have to go through. :/
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 am
Thanks Merry. Praying at this moment.
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:19 am
Merry,
I just went to SCC’s website, and I guess the daughter has died. That’s a horrible situation for anyone to go through. I really can’t even imagine going through such a thing. Here’s the press release for anyone who’s interested.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:07 am
What a nightmare. Praying.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
Oh wow…from watching people go through it up close, I can scarcely imagine anything worse than losing a child.
(interesting quote, btw)
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:34 am
The Chapman’s are part of a tight knit China adoption community, as our family is, and hearing about Maria’s death made me physically ill. We also have a five year old and I don’t ever want to have to go through a situation like this one, nor do I wish anyone else to. I hope they find strength in God and in their church community.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:55 am
Yeah, I meant to say that she was killed, not just hit. I was really tired last night and wasn’t thinking about what I was writing.
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
the McLaren link seems to be broken.
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Seems its been moved. Dunno what happened to it.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Ingrid probably terrorized the WaPo offices by talking to people about her “faith” and they said “okay, okay, we’ll take it down if you just leeeeeeave!”
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I also found the interview here.
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
To me the most interesting part of the quoted question and answer if the fact that Mr. McLaren doesn’t answer the question that was asked. This practice, of course, is not all that uncommon when various public figures are interviewed, but frustrating nonetheless.
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Oops, I meant “is the fact”, not “if”.
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
EVD,
I would note that the reason many public figures don’t always answer the questions asked is because often these questions are, at some level, “begging the question” - the question, itself, puts a spin on the answer. So, these folks often reword the question and answer the reworded question to avoid agreeing (or disagreeing) with underlying assumptions.
I’m not sure that’s the case here, but it seems like that’s how he’s answering.
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Chris L,
I agree with your point on twisted or leading questions. I would use the old example of “Do you still beat your wife?” - a question that needs to be answered with tact.
It seems to me that this question (or portions thereof) do not necessarily fall into that category. The answer does not seem to me to rephrase or “re-frame” the question, but rather go in a different direction altogether.
Again, certainly this practice is not limited to Mr. McLaren, and certainly he does often answer questions. It just so happens that I have a hard time stomaching question evasion (especially in this political season), and so I made the observation that it Mr. McLaren didn’t answer the question (or even come close in my estimation).
Thanks for your observation.
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
EVD,
It is something that bothers me in his interviews, as well. Sometimes, I am able to figure out what it is he objects to in the question, but not most of the time. Sometimes, I think just being more direct would be helpful, even if it requires lots of caveats afterward.