The McLaren Files

Frankly, many of us don't know what we should think about homosexuality. We've heard all sides but no position has yet won our confidence so that we can say "it seems good to the Holy Spirit and us." That alienates us from both the liberals and conservatives who seem to know exactly what we should think. Even if we are convinced that all homosexual behavior is always sinful, we still want to treat gay and lesbian people with more dignity, gentleness, and respect than our colleagues do. If we think that there may actually be a legitimate context for some homosexual relationships, we know that the biblical arguments are nuanced and multilayered, and the pastoral ramifications are staggeringly complex. We aren't sure if or where lines are to be drawn, nor do we know how to enforce with fairness whatever lines are drawn.

Perhaps we need a five-year moratorium on making pronouncements. In the meantime, we'll practice prayerful Christian dialogue, listening respectfully, disagreeing agreeably. When decisions need to be made, they'll be admittedly provisional. We'll keep our ears attuned to scholars in biblical studies, theology, ethics, psychology, genetics, sociology, and related fields. Then in five years, if we have clarity, we'll speak; if not, we'll set another five years for ongoing reflection. After all, many important issues in church history took centuries to figure out. Maybe this moratorium would help us resist the "winds of doctrine" blowing furiously from the left and right, so we can patiently wait for the wind of the Spirit to set our course.

--Brian McLaren

Some of you may have run accross this beauty from self proclaimed grand pubah of all things Emerging Brian McLaren on Christianity Astray, err Christianity Today. In case I get called out for taking this quote out of context, please go here to read the entire article.

This piece has stirred quite a hornets nest among the emergers lately. McLaren has even drawn the ire of fellow emerging leader Mark Driscoll. If you follow the trail on Christianity Today's site, there are lots of fiery comments and a few rebuttals from McLaren himself.

Nobody blurs the lines of clear truth by twisting language quite like McLaren. I swear if he worked for Clinton he would still be president.

Volumes and volumes have been written on the web and in the blogosphere about this article, so I won't bother to add more. All biblical proof aside, McLaren ignores 2,000 years of clear and unanimous historical church teaching because he suddenly was faced with a "pastoral dilemma".

I just want my readers to be aware of the kind of thinking currently swelling in popularity among the young, white, middle-upper class, cool emerging church. There needs to be a moratorium on pastors who blatantly oppose clear biblical teaching in favor of loving, accepting, and tolerating. Is his message really any different than the garden-variety politically correct mumbo jumbo easily found on the nightly news each night?