I recently blogged about the forth-coming Pete Rollins book, and I got this response from a blog-acquaintance of mine, David Williamson. His concerns about the danger of reducing Christianity to a metaphor really resonated with me, expressing a central concern for me in my journey of faith. All comments and discussion welcome.

David Williamson said...
I have a hunch that the emergent phenomenon is the chemical reaction which happens when you a generation of evangelicals is exposed to higher education, non-Walt Disney films and music with drums.

It's wonderful to be blessed by theologians found in places other than Faith Mission bookshop, and it's an ecclesiological breakthrough to be sharing the worship of Christ with an unprecedented number of fellow travellers on this journey, but where's the rude messiness of incarnational faith?

The baby who came to us in a muddy manger caused scandal every day and preached a gospel that God could be approached with confidence. This led to him and almost everyone who followed him - in the words of Douglas Adams - getting nailed to things.

Just as none of the Greek philosophers actually believed in Zeus & Co., but went along with the rituals to express mystery and provide consolation, so we're in danger - perhaps - of reducing Christianity to a metaphor.

Reduced to a story of death and hope it's certainly moving and inspiring, and is unlikely to result in summary execution. But is it going to change the world? And how, in the incarnational realities of a church, do we respond to the blunt questions which define the chaos of created life?

These include:

I'm scared of death - is there an afterlife and what do I need to do?

So, is sex outside marriage wrong? Will you have any problems with me having communion if I go off and etc?

Do I need to evangelise, and do I have to worry about my friends' chances in the next life if I don't?

Is it possible to make judgement calls on these issues and still admit that we're seeing through a glass darkly and straining for truth? I think so.

I also think it will be a sad thing if the fervour and excitement that sprung up in the Mannafests and Scripture Unions of our youth is lost. Can you think of a single blog, for example, which expresses the zeal of a George Verwer etc?

Thrilling things are happening, but we are at a crossroads moment. Will the charismatics and evangelicals of this fin de siecle moment disolve into the establishment obscurity that has characterised post-war Methodism or will that edge of scandal keep a Wesleyan revival fire burning?