In response to an article I read in The NY Times, which can be found here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/opinion/the-evangelical-rejection-of-reason.html
This was my response which I emailed to them and just might possibly be in the papers soon:
The Baby’s Bathwater
Last week I sat down with a friend who happens to be a Unitarian Universalist pastor. I shared with him my views of theology, eschatology, and how I am encouraged by the postmodern worldview that is taking place as well as my discouragement concerning the prevalent anti-intellectual attitude alive in the Church. Here it was a 27 year old radically engaged Christian pastor and an above 50 years of age reverend of a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, sharing salad and stories, hopeful of what the information age will bring to pass.
Since I shared my views of how my “thinking” and studying the Scriptures led me to be dismissed and ostracized by the “big church” in our location, I was delighted and inspired when he text messaged me concerning the NY Times article titled “The Evangelical Rejection of Reason”, that was in the opinions section on October 17, 2011.
After reading and re-reading the article a couple times, as well as getting feedback from many Facebook friends, I am responding to this article that brought me a breath of fresh air. Time and time again, especially in political and religious atmospheres, we hear the statement: “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”, yet it is about time that we recognize what exactly is the baby and what is the bathwater. Why? Because the bathwater is full of bacteria and its dirt is getting all over the baby and even to the extent of getting the filth all over those seeking to take the baby out of the bacteria-infested water. At this point one might realize I am speaking of the man-made doctrines in the Church that are accepted as Biblical, yet fail to stand against scrutiny and ultimately “spit in the face of Jesus”.
I seek not to be prideful, arrogant, or to throw stones at anyone- yet as the NY Times article rightly said: “But when the faith of so many Americans becomes an occasion to embrace discredited, ridiculous and even dangerous ideas, we must not be afraid to speak out, even if it means criticizing fellow Christians”. This is exactly the point! As I read this NY Times article I didn’t spend time dwelling on the “side issues” that were brought up to make clear the point of- the evangelical rejection of reason- rather I saw complete agreement, considering it is my reason and being “too intellectual” which has gotten me rejected by many.
As a missionally engaged Christian on the frontlines of radically spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, I can say I am grateful for the postmodern atmosphere of critiquing and questioning. As Mark A. Noll wrote in his book, “The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind”, “The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind”, and that is clearly demonstrated as the authors of the NY Times article explained through the fundamentalist slogan- “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it”. Oh, how us students of the Bible wish it was that easy, considering the vast disagreements in all areas of theology so alive in the Church. It is discernment, disagreement, and intellectual honesty that have led to the expanding reach of the Christian gospel, in Spirit and Truth.
The popular evangelical Christian doctrines set up various views that force its proponents to look at reason, study, and any form of knowledge outside there confines as arrogant, misled, and heretical. Many man-made doctrines that have been passed off as “Biblical” lead to excessive conspiracy theories in all fields concerning science, history, and the like. Authors Timothy P. Martin & Jeffrey L. Vaughn, explain, detail, and document this in their book, “Beyond Creation Science: New Covenant Creation From Genesis to Revelation” making bold statements such as “The real reason the influence of secular unbelief is so great in our day lies in the widespread failure of Christians to understand the Bible in its own context and to present a real Christianity to the world…Christians have lost influence in Western society precisely because Christians have not thought deeply or acted wisely in response to the cultural challenges modernity presents to the Christian faith”. Also, speaking of a growing group of conservative evangelicals the authors wrote, “They also wonder what it will take to bring about the demise of dispensational premillenialism in America which has retreated from reasoned biblical defense of the view”.
Yet, true to form I will always present the case of the good news. I was encouraged by the above mentioned NY Times article because I see something on the horizon (I myself am an example). The Age of Enlightenment came with a lot of criticism toward the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Emergent generation- X rebelled against the fundamentalist Christianity offered by their parents, and today the postmodern generation provides challenges yet inquiring Christian minds are seeking to provide answers, dare I say a resurrection of the gospel. This is something I like to call emerging profitable Christianity, which is pushing away the “simplistic theology, cultural isolationism, and stubborn anti-intellectualism” of pop-culture Christianity. Many, myself included, are seeking to be an example of a true Christian worldview that can take on whatever it is that the world seeks to offer, rationally and reasonably. We refuse to get caught up in the right and wrongs of gay marriage, the contrast of political parties, and seek to engage science and history with an open mind standing on our foundation in Christ- all in an effort to bring healing to the nations as ambassadors of the kingdom of God.
Admittedly, this is a long, hard, and sometimes lonely task. Yet we are continually encouraged through conversation with one another, an authentic way of living Christ-like, and the ever-reforming challenge to wash the dirty water off the Messiah-baby Jesus Christ through critical, loving, challenging and welcoming conversations.
It’s emerging…
Michael Miano is pastor of The Fellowship C.H.U.R.C.H. in Fort Myers, Florida. He is currently working on a seeking- to- be published autobiographical tale called Freaked-Out by the New Covenant: What Your Life Would, Could, or Should Be. Also, an avid You Tuber and blogger. Visit the church website at http://www.freakedoutfellowship.weebly.com
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