Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Postmodernism and the emergent Church

This week in worldview, we are studying postmodernism and the emergent church.  I had studied the ideas of postmodernism before. I was pretty familiar with the beliefs in which people question the relevence of the Bible and the meaning of human life. Sadly, this is how a lot of people think.  They believe that there is no absolute truth upon which to measure things.  In this view, people argue that salvation is not in Christ alone, but can be obtained through the individual person. I was pretty familiar with these beliefs- as they are ones that as Christians we have to face in this world, but I had never looked into the Emergent (or emerging) Church. If you have never studied (even a little bit) of what this Church is based on, then you really should, becasue it is infact "emerging" into society and becoming more and more prevelant.  They have some ideas that are similar to postmodernism. They "gather together" and converse about what is true.  They do not believe in an absolute truth, but in something that can never be discovered.  They teach on the importance of the journey and specifically the "experience with God".  They argue that the journey is more important than the destination.  More and more, eastern mysticism and eastern orthodoxy is playing into the emergent church, which enhances the "experience with God" through meditation and other activities.  As Christians, I think that we need to be cautious about what we believe.  It is so important to know what we believe and why.  We need to study the Word of God and have such a strong relationship with Jesus, that when we are faced with decisions and questions dealing with these things we will have the full armor of God to combat them.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

"the Apologist's Evening Prayer"

"The Apologists Evening Prayer" by C.S. Lewis

From all my lame defeats and oh! much more
From all the victories that I seemed to score;
From cleverness shot forth on Thy behalf
At which, while Angels weep, the audience laugh;
From all my proofs of Thy divinity,
Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me.

Thoughts are but coins.  Let me not trust, instead
Of Thee, their thin-worn image of Thy head.

From all my thoughts even from my thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle's eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.


I love the second to last line in this poem. "Lord of the narrow gate and the needle's eye".  I think that these two ideas are really special, because Christ points out in these two verses the way to get into heaven.  In the New Testament, Jesus points out that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  He also talks about how Christians should go through the narrow gate and not through the wide gate. 

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Trinity Broadcasting system



This week in my worldview assignment, I was asked to research the Trinity Broadcasting Network (or TBN).  It is an organization that was established in the mid-nineteen seventies in order to reach people for Christ.  Today, TBN works through around 300 stations in the United States and broadcasts on many more around the world.

TBN hosts different famous pastors, authors, and artists.  They define their beliefs and opinions of things through their questions and answers on their show.  I watched a couple of shows of the Trinity Broadcasting Network in which they inerviewed on personal beliefs and experiences.  In both cases, the audience present expressed their emotions in clapping in general approval.  The network seemed to me to be a positive show with beneficial information.

I can't speak for the personal beliefs and standards of the network's founders and current authority (which is the Crouch family), but I do question their motives in the establishment of the organization.  TBN receives large amounts of money every year from generous donors.  Multiple reports have risen about where that money goes.  Close family members and employees have said that the Crouch family spends the money lavishly on themselves, and dishonestly hoards donated money to themselves.  These examples that have questioned the character of the Crouchs has made me doubt the sincerity for which they claim to run the organization.  Do they really do it all for the glory of God?