I'm working on a new book that deals with the top 10 theological or ecclesiological issues that the church is going to face in the next 10-20 years. These are issues that currently hang in the balance. I'd be interested to hear from you about what you think that some of these issues are.
Here are a couple of the issues that I see:
1) Soteriology - I am so concerned as I read more and more people who would self identify as Christians who are saying that Jesus is not the only way to salvation. In a world that has become increasingly diverse, we are seeing more and more people, perhaps because they are afraid of offending, perhaps because they want to create God in their own image, who say that all religions essentially lead to the same place.
2) The Embrace of Open Theism - So many of the college students and young adults that I work with have bought into this doctrine, which among other things, teaches that God does not know the future. They would teach that God knows all of the possible futures, but not a specific future. This has a major impact on how we view the omniscience of God, what we believe about prayer, etc.
3) Homosexuality - How does the church respond to the homosexual community? How do you teach biblical principles regarding homosexuality and still love homosexuals?
4) Ecclesiology - House church? Emerging church? Traditional? Contemporary? Multi-ethnic? Homogeneous? Seeker sensitive? Seeker driven? Gather for edification, scatter for evangelism? Mega-church, bad? Mega-church, good?
5) The Bible - Absolute truth? Inerrant? Infallible? I belive it is with all of my heart. I'm in the minority.
6) Social Justice, Global Warming, etc. - Creation care has caused quite a stir in recent months. Younger Evangelicals are passionate about social justice. Jesus was passionate about social justice. What would Jesus do?
7) Red Letter Christians - Are Jesus' words the most important in all of Scripture? Do we pay as much attention to the teaching of Paul, Peter, John, etc.? What about the Old Testament?
8) Infighting in the Church - Satan is having a heyday here. When does God want us to go to the mat with other Christians? Emerging church vs. Traditional Church? Prayer styles? Worship styles? Theological issues? Urban vs. Suburban?
9) Jesus Junk - The consumerization of the American church. When is enough, enough? What is too much?
10) Friend or Foe? - Is the Gospel a friend to culture or a foe to culture?
Some of these issues will make it into my book, many won't. I have several more, but wanted to get the discussion rolling. Tell me what you think. What are your top 10 issues?
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Ok My Brother Brian - you hit several raw nerves in me with this one. I am experiencing deep trauma in several areas of your list; the American Church is truly in trouble.
I would ask that you sharpen the question a little. What specifically are you wondering? Are you asking a "true or false" question about whether we are headed down a poor path? Or are you looking for recommendations to address some of these challenges? I'm ready either way.
Chris,
I'm asking for more insight into what the most crucial areas facing the church in the next 10 years are. There are so many cardinal doctrines that the modern church is throwing away. These are some issues that I see as huge, but I know there are more. I'd like to get a wide range of people, from different ethnic, denominational, and church backgrounds to share what they see as the most crucial areas that the church is going to have to come to some kind of agreement on in the next several years.
Well, for me there are so many "majors" that I am not sure where to even begin. I blogged about this today myself.
christopherbennett.blogspot.com
The Open Theism perspective is quite a stretch - I have had some very up close and personal experience with it, as you know. To think that God doesn't know...WHAT???
Traditional Ecclesiology and Biblical Authority are under fire for sure, but to be balanced I have to submit that the Church has not done a great job of keeping the message fresh as times have changed. Same message, different address. We blew it in many ways.
The issue that has me most concerned is the "Infighting" issue. I would call it disunity in the BODY. I understand that certain "doctrines" create foxholed camps - this has always been the case. Tongues, no tongues. Immersion, sprinkling. Weekly communion, non-weekly communion. Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Bishops, Ministers, Prophets...the list goes on and on.
How do we prioritize these? Do we?
Some more issues that are being raised theologically (rather than ecclesiologically) but have severe implications for both include:
1. The doctrine of hell (whether it is literal or figurative)
2. The doctrine of the cross (whether Jesus' death on the cross was for the atonement of sins or whether it was to set an example of how to suffer peacefully, with humility and submission). Yes, this is actually a postmodern argument, sickening as it is.
3. Regeneration (whether salvation is for those who respond in faith to the gospel, or universal to all, regardless of their belief system). This is probably the heaviest and most common issue.
The above issues, among others on your original list, are articulated by Mark Driscoll in "A Pastoral Perspective on the Emergent Church." I've really come to respect Driscoll. He has a strong biblical theology, yet contextualizes the gospel (in a pure, unadulterated sense) to a postmodern culture. I'm actually writing my Masters thesis on this very topic! Check out Driscoll's article at http://criswell.files.wordpress.com/2006/03/3,2%20APastoralPerspectiveontheEmergentChurch%5BDriscoll%5D.PDF.
Brian,
I think you're right on the money as to which issues are key. Clearly you have keen insight.
I guess a question I have is this: Is there a single underlying cause for all this mess? Would it be oversimplifying the issue to even suggest such a question?
I really don't have an answer, but I do suspect that most of the tainted water is coming from the same well.
I'm absolutely staggered by what I see in the church (or might I even say the "church") these days. And I'm certainly including Evangelicals, conservatives, and Fundamentalists along with the easier targets of Liberals, Open Theists, etc.
As I think of more, I'll shoot you my ideas.
I would like you to consider one other church challenge: The Personification of God. This means making God into an image you can live with and understand. How often do you hear "I think God could never..." or "My idea of God is..." People mold God into whatever suits their own theology, and reject the God of the Bible. This is getting worse as people feel empowered and are told to be their own boss, take charge of their lives, and be strong. They become god, and no longer "need" the God of our fathers.
David,
Great point! We have a church culture and a pagan culture that want to create God in our own image. I think all of us are guilty of this at times. Karen Armstrong, a former nun who has become an Atheist begins her book The History of God with a quote that goes something like, "In the beginning man created God in his own image."
It's the tragic start to her book on how God is not only irrelevant, but that religion is divisive. Oh, that we would get back to understanding and honoring God for who He is.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Jenny,
Have I told you lately, how much smarter my little sister is than me! Great thoughts. Now, go tell more people about Christ, my wonderful reformed sis, because, yes, hell is a literal place!
Love ya!
By the way, that Jenny is a theologian from Wheaton Grad school. I never did get into that school!
We should also add "Pastors who preach against addictions while drinking massive amounts of coffee themselves."
Actually, that would never make the list, would it?
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