By: Jeremy Rein

1May 2005 Wandering Orthodoxy: Review of Brian McLaren's Generous Orthodoxy

The title of Brian McLaren's book, Generous Orthodoxy, is engaging and provides promise. The title seems to be something that all Christians would want - to provide the truth of the gospel, orthodoxy, in a generous manner. However, one must also question the title. Just how "generous" and open can the true orthodoxy be? What sort of "orthodoxy" is McLaren presenting?

McLaren is the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church and a leading proponent of the self-titled "emergent movement." This movement attempts to bring postmodernism to Christianity by removing and redefining traditional patterns of theology while opening new discussions and pathways of thought. In Generous Orthodoxy, McLaren presents a sketch of what the emergent movement should become by combining liberal and conservative, contemplative and charismatic, and the systematic and mystical to form a Christianity which will "embrace the good in many traditions and historic streams of Christian faith and integrate them." (1) While McLaren defines orthodoxy as "right thinking," he makes it clear that this orthodoxy should "not be about nauseating arguments about which forms of theology methodology or tradition are necessarily "right". (2)

McLaren admits that he has no theological training and seems to be proud of the fact that he has a different perspective than many other theologians. McLaren presents his willingness to openly dialogue, develop an honest narrative, and doubts about the faith as positive aspects to which all Christians should be able to relate. McLaren consistently critiques systematic theology for attempting to get everything right and, in the process, trapping people in formulaic ways of thinking. Ironically, in his own way McLaren presents a postmodern systematic theology - a theology that redefines Christianity and the gospel, blurs the essential distinctions between Christianity and other religions, and encourages the adoption of a theological pluralistic perspective.

McLaren's purpose throughout the book is clear. He replaces the orthodox view of salvation through Christ alone by faith alone with an eccentric mix of theological elements pieced together from main denominations and even many different religions.. McLaren declares that his gospel is one "where Christianity and the cause of Christ might not necessarily go together." (3)The "Christianity" promoted by McLaren may, in the end, have little to do with Christ - or at least with the Christ of Scripture. Indeed, the author seems to be proud of that fact that he is distancing himself from traditional Christianity and presenting "a generous third way beyond the conservative and liberal versions of Christianity so dominant in the Western world." (4)

Incredibly, McLaren asserts that truthfulness about doctrine and even the gospel is no longer certain. He asserts that the traditional desire for truth is only a holdover from "modern-Western-moderately-educated desires." In this postmodern jumble, McLaren pushes the church toward adopting a pluralistic platform of truth and acceptance. With this platform, it is true that the church can overcome any doctrinal conflict or impasse. However, this comes at the cost of certainty, truth, and the traditional gospel message. What gospel is McLaren presenting? He states that the gospel he presents is for "spiritual seekers who are attracted to Jesus." (5) This is a far cry from the gospel Christ presented when he said he was the way, not just an attractive option.

How can one come to faith in Jesus if one does not know who He is, who He claimed to be, and the work He accomplished? McLaren's position becomes clear as he expounds on the positions of different religions in relation to Christianity. McLaren suggests that we should embrace the existence of different faiths, "willingly, not begrudgingly" (6) for the "incarnation [of Christ] links his followers to all people-including people of other religions." (7) What does this mean for Christianity? McLaren admits that it necessitates a transition of missions from conversion to understanding and learning from other religions. (8) McLaren emphasizes that the proclamation about Christ is an important part of missions, but his "Christ" has little to do with orthodox Christianity. He writes:

I must add, though, that I don't believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts. This will be hard, you say, and I agree. But frankly, it's not at all easy to be a follower of Jesus in many 'Christian' religious contexts, either. (9)

McLaren continues to promote a relativistic position toward other religions when he states, "[W]e don't seek to root up all the bad weeds in the world's religions (including our own), but rather seek to encourage the growth of good wheat in all religions including our own, leaving it for God to sort it all out as only God can do." (10) In adopting this position McLaren leaves the door wide open for the possibility of salvation outside of Christianity and apart from faith alone in Jesus Christ.

In addition to a transition from traditional theology about the gospel, McLaren adopts a similar view of scripture. The Bible, McLaren argues is for the purpose of equipping Christians for good works. However, McLaren rejects such words as authority, inerrancy, and infallibility, as distracting and complicating. Instead, he believes that Christianity has moved beyond "foundationalist"' principles - the views of knowledge and certainty - to a narrative view of scripture. This narrative view suggests that the traditional view of scripture is limited and distorted and that, instead the church should adopt a developing view of revelation and truth.

The emergent movement, the view presented by Brian McLaren in Generous Orthodoxy, represents a significant departure from traditional biblical Christianity. McLaren correctly points out many flaws in the church and offers some sound criticism. However, in trying to distance himself from traditional Christianity, McLaren provides no clear answers and no clear framework for the future. Truth and answers are essential in today's confused society. As McLaren apologizes for traditional Christianity - whose negative aspects he sees embodied in a masculine view of Christ, the crusades, patriarchy, Christian colonialism, and the divides they have cause - he adopts a postmodern worldview. This postmodern worldview denies the possibility or even the need for certain and propositional truth. As Albert Mohler argues in his excellent review of McLaren's book, this postmodernism,

affords the movement an opportunity to hop, skip and jump throughout the Bible and the history of Christian thought in order to take whatever pieces they want from one theology and attach them, like doctrinal post-it notes, to whatever picture they would want to draw. (11)

McLaren does not want to support the essential doctrines of the gospel or to answer the hard questions that they bring up. When it comes to truths such as the exclusivity of the gospel, the person and work of Christ, the authority of scripture, the traditional roles of men and women, and the issue of homosexuality. The emergent movement has no answers. McLaren attributes this position to humility. "A generous orthodoxy," he explains, "in contrast to the tense, narrow, controlling, or critical orthodoxies of so much of Christian history, doesn't take itself too seriously. It is humble; it doesn't claim too much; it admits it walks with a limp."

This position is an answer in itself. Rather than responding to the questions of our age, McLaren responds with a soft ecumenicalism and a shrug of the shoulders. Christians need to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, (12) rather than just offering helpful suggestions. The Bible is clear on issues such as the authority of scripture, the exclusivity of the gospel and the person of Christ. The Church is doing itself, others, and, Christ a disservice by presenting a soft and mushy gospel. "Embracing the worldview of the postmodern age, [McLaren] embraces relativism at the cost of clarity in matters of truth and intends to redefine Christianity for this new age, largely in terms of an eccentric mixture of elements he would take from virtually every theological position and variant." (13) Issues such as homosexuality either will or will not be embraced as normative. The Church either will or will not accept a radical revisioning of the missionary task. Christians may see those who have not come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as persons to whom we should extend a clear gospel message and a call for decision. If we do not do this, and simply come alongside them to tell our story as they tell their own - the gospel has lost its power.

One should not be afraid to criticize and address problems. It is a danger to the Church when people such as McLaren try to adopt every position. In so doing McLaren fails to provide answers to a young and emerging culture that has many serious and pressing questions. Ecumenical postmodernism does not provide answers to those questions; it is a dangerous foundation upon which to establish the next generations of Christians. Scripture tells Christians to be prepared with an answer, not to conduct an open discussion or to try to commiserate with those who oppose the Gospel. Christianity is not about affirming false teachings or leading opinion polls; it is about the Truth. While we should enter discussions with humility, understanding, and wisdom, we need to know what we believe, how to interact intelligently with Christian and non-Christian culture, and how to give an answer for the hope that is within us.

(1) McLaren, Brian a Generous Orthodoxy. Zondervan 2004. p 18
(2) Ibid. 19
(3) Ibid. 21
(4) Ibid. 24.
(5) Ibid. 39
(6) Ibid. 256
(7) Ibid. 249
(8) Ibid. 255
(9) Ibid. 260
(10) Ibid. 255
(11) R. Albert Mohler, Jr., "A Generous Orthodoxy"--Is It Orthodox? Crosswalk.com accessed April 15, 2005.
(12) 2 Pet 3:15
(13) Mohler.