In the last week I have read three interesting blog posts that mention people exiling from evangelicalism (or Reformed thinking) that I have found interesting:
- Jason Stellman discusses his controversial departure from the Presbyterian Church of America to the Roman Catholic Church in “I Fought the Church, and the Church Won”–a guest post for the blog Called to Communion. He says that Catholicism was not alluring to him, but that he found it to be “the truth,” especially when he began to doubt the reformational language regarding Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide. Remember, this is the man who lead the trial against Peter Leithart for the Pacific Northwest Presbytery because Leithart was suspected of teachings that were close to those of Rome.
- Roman Catholics are not alone in anticipating more people to flee evangelical and reformed community. The Orthodox Church is asking themselves if they are ready for the “coming evangelical collapse.” Kevin Allen provides a self-diagnosis for this communion in “Are We Ready for the Coming Evangelical Collapse?” He believes that the Orthodox will be “short-term beneficiaries, but that there are many hinderances to people joining their ranks as well.
- Peter Enns has written many blog posts providing an “in-house” critique of evangelicalism’s shrinking boarders warning that there are many who no longer feel at home in evangelicalism as it is self-defined currently. In “Outgrowing Evangelicalism: It’s Not Just for Scholars Anymore” he shows that it isn’t academics alone who are feeling marginalized within evangelical circles. Of course, the so-called “emerging church” has been saying this for sometime now. I think evangelicals seeking to realign and redefine evangelicalism may have a harder time than Roman Catholics and Orthodox because there has yet to “emerge” an alternative to evangelicalism than doesn’t have the feel of evangelicalism run amok with individualism or the type of church that seeks to be “ancient-future” in practice while being liberal-progressive Protestant in theology (something that may lack staying power).
Pentecostalism continues to expand globally and domestically (I think the Assemblies of God are one of the few larger denominations in this country that have seen growth over recent years). There remain many problems there as well. When the energy declines and the emotionalism dries many “thinkers” in Pentecostal ranks wonder what they are doing with their time. At least that was my experience.
Do you foresee a “coming evangelical collapse?” If so, where will evangelicals go? If not, what reforms do you think need to be made?
September 24, 2012 at 8:57 am
I do think there is a lot of unrest, but I don’t know about a collapse. To me, it seems like this unrest may also be more of a phenomenon among North American evangelicals, though I could very well be wrong about that. I think a lot of these North American evangelicals are finding they identify a great deal more with the European strand evangelicalism. As a revert to the Catholic Church myself, I don’t know how many people we will receive into our communion due to dissatisfaction within evangelicalism. I think Newman’s concept of the development of Christian doctrine is appealing to those seeking a “middle space,” as I think Enns calls it in his post. It at least suggests that the Church must be both conservative and progressive at the same time, staying true to acorn while recognizing that the oak tree that develops from the acorn may not look much like the acorn itself. However, I think the strong hierarchical structure of the Church is a hindrance for a lot of people even considering fleeing toward Roman Catholicism. At least in the popular view, the pope and the hierarchy represent much of what people struggle with within evangelicalism, just in a different form.
September 24, 2012 at 9:08 am
My assembly is non denominational and our basic doctrines would be maybe 75% of a Catholic/Orthodox/Protestant view, 25% eclectic and at odds with any specific one.
I left my SBC raising over various issues, I chose non denominational. We have flexibility to inquire even into “heretical stuff”, like universal salvation. Maybe we’ll find it’s a pipe dream, maybe we won’t. Denominations can’t do that. I think this inquiring idea is great. You don’t have to come down on any specific side,but, you’re willing to eyeball everything.
September 24, 2012 at 9:25 am
Did you ever come across Michael Spencer’s, InternetMonk’s, whole series? It went huge across the internet world, even making it on the Drudge Report.
You can see here – http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-original-coming-evangelical-collapse-posts
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September 24, 2012 at 9:54 am
More a slow death than a collapse, at least the current iteration of evangelicalism. I’m sure it’ll morph into something different, especially as younger Christians grow more disatisified with the ruling class of current evangelical thought and ideas. Christ’s church will continue despite the way we humans try to mess it up!
September 24, 2012 at 10:46 am
This isn’t hard, as our culture becomes more hostile to Christian faith expect evangelicalism to fade. Duh. Contra people like Enns, if evangelicalism’s big problem was its ongoing commitment to certain shibboleths like biblical inerrancy that its people are increasingly outgrowing and/or its fascination with goofballs like Ken Ham then the fortunes of other Christian communities that don’t suffer from these problems (e.g. mainline Protestant denominations, the RCC) should be better then they are.
Spencer grew up in a time when American culture was at least nominally Christian and when it became obvious to him that this was no longer case he predicted that evangelicalism would be a house deserted “within two generations.” A real Nostradamus, that one.
September 24, 2012 at 11:06 am
I think Pentecostalism will continue to expand. I think the Pentecostal ethos thrives in countries that aren’t Western and this is part of the reason why there’s such an expansion in countries like Korea, Africa, and India.
September 24, 2012 at 11:08 am
This isn’t to say that other denominations don’t thrive in other countries; I just think the spiritual openness to the power of the Holy Spirit in mighty physical acts is something that draws people in third world countries. This is just speculation.
September 24, 2012 at 11:19 am
I don’t know about collapse, but I can already feel an evangelical exodus in my particular demographic. The core problem evangelicals face in regards of current cultural trends is that an evangelical faith often defies deconstruction.
The monolithic nature of evangelicalism forces those who ask questions to venture down one of three paths: 1) swallow your questions and stay in the evangelical stream 2) search for answers and discard the church out of spite for not providing them or 3) search for answers and find them in non-evangelical Christian outlets.
I for one went from the Church of Christ to the Episcopal Church because traditional evangelical answers were no longer responding to my questions. The Episcopal church doesn’t necessarily offer answers either, but they offer me space to explore. Freedom is more valuable than answers.
September 24, 2012 at 11:42 am
I think that the evangelical Christians that I have seen focus too much on Hell and condemnation. I think that they will ultimately drive people away from their dogma and fire and brimstone thinking. I’ve concluded that their language and approach almost seems hateful and mean.
September 24, 2012 at 11:53 am
Yes — it will happen, except remember that isn’t a bad thing. Remember the whole “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” thing?
What happened when great persecution arose in Jerusalem, later to be complimented with famine? It scattered believers first to Asia Minor then throughout the Roman Empire – which ultimately led to the collapse of the Roman Empire and emergency of Christianity.
Many may be disillusioned by the current culture of the evangelical community. It’s not without fault (look at the whole Mike Licona thing, and the re-radicalization of Calvinism. When you have guys like Norman Geisler in charge …)
Without cast dispersions on why folks are fleeing, or on their sincerity, what will the net result be? I doubt they will become Mary worshipping, pope pontificating radicals (overnight at least). They will take with them their evangelical perspective and seed more traditional, and oft spiritually dead churches. How is this different than God seeding the Roman empire with Christians?
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September 24, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Is evangelicalism collapsing? Of course, I think most would recognise a shift in western Christianity, or the Christendom of the west. Well, actually western Christendom as we know/knew it (which was based in Europe) has fallen. Over here in Europe, we feel the shift much more than in the US and there isn’t a fight to hold on to once was. There are considerations of what it means to be the church now, post-Christendom. Britain is a bit behind mainland Europe, but not too far behind. The US is much further behind.
I know for some, the emerging church concept seems old and/or over. But a shift has taken and continues to take placeplace. I like what Phyllis Tickle noted in her book, The Great Emergence, which I share a short review here. I’ve just now seen that she has come out with a new book even this month entitled Emergence Christianity: What It Is, Where It Is Going, and Why It Matters. I think she is worth dipping into for understanding the larger historical setting, not just the particulars about method and theology of the emerging church.
September 24, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Scott, the only thing that frightens me more than rabid hyper-Calvinists are ‘emergent church’ types…
… humanism run amok, disguised as the gospel, a veritable wolf in sheeps clothing.
September 24, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Come come Andrew, I don’t think emergent types such as myself are that terrifying. Perhaps a bit pretentious, but certainly not scary.
September 24, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Perhaps not right now, but let the beard go untrimmed for a bit Benjamin. I’m sure I could whip up a ‘fret’.
September 24, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Jeremy
Indeed, many of the things that seem to have disenfranchised many evangelicals will remain problems if they convert to Roman Catholicism. For example, I think many evangelicals are quite distraught by the way certain aspects of evangelicalism continue to pretend that women must retain an antiquated role in the church and the home. I think an all male (and celibate) priesthood will be unsatisfactory. The hierarchy example that you provided is another problem.
Scott
I believe I saw Spencer’s writings a while back. The summary that page provides seems quite fair and accurate to me.
Daniel
I agree that Pentecostalism will continue to expand, but I do think it must aim for more foresight lest it run into the same problems evangelicalism faces now. I do have hope when I read the works of people like Amos Yong or blog posts by Pastor Jonathan Martin. Unfortunately, I don’t think they represent mainstream Pentecostalism quite yet.
Ben
Freedom to be able to ask questions without being punished is very important to me. I get the idea of “defending the faith,” but I would venture to suggest that for evangelicals most questions being asked don’t actually threaten their faith, but rather could result in the so-called “slippery slope,” so they are being overly cautious in their reaction.
September 24, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Brian, I haven’t come from the Pentecostal tradition, as you have, but I find it interesting you treat Pentecostalism and evangelicism as distinct. Is that the norm?
September 24, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Andrew:
I think many see Pentecostalism as a sub-set of Protestantism broadly and even evangelicalism specifically, but I think the evolution of the movement makes it difficult to say this. Pentecostalism began with all types from all branches of Christianity coming together around a particular Pneumatology that aimed to pass over old creeds and confessions. As Pastor Jonathan Martin has written recently: “I consider the modern movement to be the third great historic movement in Christianity, neither Catholic nor Protestant but an entirely different way of being with God in the world. As Land notes, global Pentecostalism operates both in continuity and discontinuity strands of Christianity in a variety of contrasting ways.” See http://pastorjonathanmartin.com/uncategorized/a-pentecostal-theology-rant/ . He receives some inquiry regarding this statement in this interview: http://rachelheldevans.com/ask-a-pentecostal-response .
September 24, 2012 at 4:49 pm
I should add that Jonathan sees Pentecostalism as being more like Orthodoxy theologically speaking (though the opposite in visible ecclesiology I might add) because of Pneumatology and soteriology.
September 24, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Moralistic fundamentalism is collapsing, and ought to collapse; but certain kinds of evangelical expression seem to be increasing in strength.
In particular, there have been positive developments in the past few years with regards to issues like apologetics, knowing and loving God, passion for evangelism and mission, and a deep desire to see the Gospel proclaimed explicitly and “aggressively” (for lack of a better term). People are tired of moralistic therapeutic deism: some leave the church on account of it; others find the Gospel of grace and redemption.
September 24, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Thanks.
September 25, 2012 at 2:38 am
Andrew -
I think you are making too broad a sweep to condemn the emerging branch of the church. I can point you to very solid evangelicals who see the positives of postmodernism and the emerging church. You ought to engage with Jamie Smith’s book, Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism?. He’s a good ol’ reformed guy teaching philosophy and ministry at Calvin College. And let’s not forget Scot McKnight, David Fitch and others have identified with the positives of the emerging expression of church. And, though some do it a bit negatively and reactionary, as Brian’s article shows, some people are really trying to think if things need a bit of change in American evangelicalism. I think it needs it desperately to move forward into some new things of God.
No doubt certain people go too far. But their voices should still be at the table – McLaren, Bell, Tickle, Tony Jones, etc. Whether we realise it or not, there was a time when a guy by the name of Martin Luther was the Brian McLaren of his day. That kind of blows my mind. Time will tell what settles and what falls off the radar.
Whether we like it or not, a major shift has taken place and is taking place in the western world. Like I said, western European Christians are already, as a whole, trying to consider how to be the church in a postmodern, post-Christendom society. The UK is not far behind. But the transition period is still so very prevalent in the US. You have enough on ‘each side’ in the US to where the polarisations are still there, where the pendulum is too far one way or the other. You have ‘fights’ stirred constantly about certain issues that aren’t the main issue. I think over the next couple of decades the shift will have taken place even more in the US. But I’m looking at it from a perspective that something good will rise out of this. God is at work, but sometimes things need to be shaken so that what is left is that of the unshakable kingdom (ala Heb 12:26-29). Here in Europe, there is a stench of manure. But manure can be used for preparation for fresh green growth. That’s my hope here over the next couple of decades. And we can have the same hope for the US.
September 25, 2012 at 9:33 am
You’re point is well taken Scott. I agree I shouldn’t judge folks such as Jamie Smith, Scot McKnight, David Fitch by the voices of McLaren, Bell, Tickle, Tony Jones etc, just as I shouldn’t judge Calvinist mainstream by the voices of Piper, James White, Geisler etc.
Nevertheless, I’m left with a strong impression that just as US politics are moving from the centre, so are American faith movements (not in a left right sense, but towards more radical positions). This could be a false impression, but who gets the press so-to-speak? Rob Bell for the emergent folks and Geisler for the Calvinists?
Brian’s asked if his readers believe in an Evangelical collapse. I try to consider this in terms of what makes a doctrine stable over time? Looking to the Reformation there were signs typical of most revolutions, radical ideas, extremes to counter the norm, met with reactionary ideas in return. Ultimately this settled out in a steady-state. The Catholic Church moved towards Vatican 2, Hyper-Calvinism not the norm.
When I look at what’s happening in post-modernism, I see the destruction of the middle-ground in favour of the extremes. The mixture seems to be separating into oil and water all over again. Because of these pressures I see the collapse as inevitable, and I see the extremes driving the boat.
Hence, my disdain for at least the popular Emergents.
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September 25, 2012 at 6:19 pm
I’ve been following critiques of evangelicalism for years now, resonate with a lot of them, but am disenchanted with the “outcomes” of these critiques. I think most, though not all, fall into the category of talk without power. If a leveling critique of Christendom patterns doesn’t result in repentance and prayer, we cannot expect much movement.
I seriously doubt that in the coming years, evangelicalism decline will mean that Orthodox and Catholic churches will brim with yesterday’s Chris Tomlinites. I think those sorts of converters represent the fringe. Unless Orthodox and Catholic somehow get into the center of conversion growth, the long term outlook wont be much different than today.
This is the main reason I believe the Pentecostal movement (and it’s various streams) represent the near future for worldwide Christianity, which doesn’t have it’s locus in the west anymore anyway. They are actually seeing conversion growth, as well as tradition hopping. Plus, I happen to think God is doing something there (of course not implying he’s “not” doing something anywhere else
).
September 27, 2012 at 9:19 am
Scott, while I’m sure there is some good in the emerging movement, it seems like a lot of it has become barely distinguishable from a hipper version of liberal Christianity. McKnight and others have distanced themselves from it somewhat.
September 28, 2012 at 9:03 am
Andrew -
Sorry I am late to come back and respond. So, I don’t know if you will see this.
You said in your latest comment to me: When I look at what’s happening in post-modernism, I see the destruction of the middle-ground in favour of the extremes. The mixture seems to be separating into oil and water all over again. Because of these pressures I see the collapse as inevitable, and I see the extremes driving the boat.
But that’s why I appreciate folks like McKnight, Fitch, Jamie Smith, etc, including some like InternetMonk and others who desire changes within much of evangelicalism. They are looking for a middle-ground balance to modernist, consumerist American evangelicalism (that was a mouth full!). And, though some of the things are extreme, I think it fair to note that, at times, we need a bit of an extreme pulling us away from the opposite extreme so that we head back to the middle.
September 28, 2012 at 9:04 am
Joel -
Scott, while I’m sure there is some good in the emerging movement, it seems like a lot of it has become barely distinguishable from a hipper version of liberal Christianity. McKnight and others have distanced themselves from it somewhat
I think I’d word it this way – They are trying to stay balanced in the approach rather than fully distancing themselves.
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March 3, 2013 at 10:27 am
Reblogged this on Orthodox Ruminations.
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