Response to Harvey Schultz’s
Methodology in “What is the Emerging Church Movement?”
Note: The tone of this essay is quite strong -- be advised in reading it that both authors are trying to critically engage a set of terms and ideas in an effort to advance teachings and understandings of these very important topics.
Generally, one is excited to come across a
hardcore, realistic engagement by a church leader of a leading, if not
controversial, theological or philosophical issue. All to often, we are spoon fed “talking
points”, cozy “3-point Homilies”, and slickly packaged ethical and theological
truths along with the supporting bumper sticker moralizing. One of the great differences between
Anabaptism and American-style Evangelicalism is the implied accountability the
Anabaptist retains as a member of the congregation. We do not achieve Salvation through the
Church so we cannot blame the Church for our success or failure. We are responsible to explore the scriptures
and participate in the Spirit of Fellowship so as to be able to discern and
recognize Truth and right doctrine. We
are to come forth in our true conscience and to participate in the consensual
congregational fellowship of the believer found in the correct relationship to
God, our fellow humankind, the Church, and God’s Creation. The “Nuremberg Defence” is simply not
available to the Anabaptist -- we cannot say that we believe this or that
because we were told to, because that is what we have been taught, or that “it”
made as good sense as anything. Simply
put, as Anabaptists, we have been called individually and congregationally to
engage the Scriptures and the world in a Spiritually tuned manner.
