I have agreed to do a book review for a webring I participate in with Biblical Ministries Worldwide. The book is The Futures of Evangelicalism: Issues and Prospects (Kregel, 2003) ed. by Craig Bartholomew, Robin Parry, and Andrew West. I will break the review into posts on individual chapters as they are topical and distinct from one another. The first entry in this series is here. The second chapter is Evangelicalism and the Church by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Since the chapter is long (60 pages) and the blog lends itself to shorter entries, I will break this one up a bit.
As he introduces the topic of Evangelicalism and the Church, Vanhoozer borrows a phrase and notes this is the best of times and the worst of times for Evangelicalism. Some might regard these as years of plenty because of increased political influence, gains in academia, credible confrontation of threats to the faith (biblical criticism, secular humanism, and scientific naturalism), apparent growth of evangelical churches, a seat at the ecumenical table, and cultural engagement. On the other hand, Vanhoozer regards these as lean years because of a serious lack of biblical and theological substance especially regarding the doctrine of the church (poor reflection). Not only is evangelical ecclesiology at a "near poverty level," but there is also a breakdown between what is confessed and how life is conducted (poor practice). Finally, the lack of careful thought and practice shows up most conspicuously in "dumbed down" public gatherings (poor worship).
Poor reflection: Ecclesiology is the most neglected pillar in the theological foundation of Evangelicalism. The para-church nature of the evangelical movement along with the emphasis on the salvation of the individual are cited as possible causes. Vanhoozer notes that studies on ecclesiology are rare or absent, and that the phrase, "I believe in the holy catholic church, the communion of saints," from the Apostle's Creed seems non-existent in evangelical life.
Poor practice: Vanhoozer laments that evangelical success seems to have come at the expense of unique evangelical identity; the world has set the agenda for the church. Evangelical theologians look and sound like their liberal counterparts; evangelical congregants seem remarkably similar in their lifestyle to non-evangelicals. He asks, "What kind of character is being formed in evangelical churches?" and then paraphrasing Robert Gundry, "...Evangelicals have lost their fundamentalist edge...they are no longer opposed to worldliness but in bed with it." Maybe a good dose of Johannine sectarianism would put the church in good stead. Vanhoozer notes the insights of David Wells diagnosing this condition, "Evangelical churches are increasingly inclined to adapt to culture rather than sustain an intellectual and spiritual antagonism towards it. The irony, says Wells, is that in order to be relevant, the church has to be different, otherwise it has nothing significant to offer."
Poor worship: Vanhoozer is critical of the success syndrome that has crept into the church and created a "poverty of its worship." User-friendly styles, seeker-centered services, marketing strategies, and gospel packaging (music, entertainment, therapy, and food) have created a product that is soon boring because it is offered elsewhere. What is not available elsewhere is Word, sacrament, and theology. What kind of disciples are being formed over the long haul? How can we best worship God and avoid the idolatries of our culture that make man the measure of all things? "The failure of the Church's worship stems not from offering people too much or something too deep, but from offering too little or something too shallow....Christian variations upon a secular theme."
Vanhoozer concludes this introduction by stating that in reality this is the most urgent of times. The contrasting viewpoints of contemporary Evangelicalism (is it boom or bust?) point to the need of the hour. Regardless of one's perspective, long-term Evangelical "success" is not to be found in the continued privatization of religion. So Vanhoozer proposes this thesis: "the best of times for evangelicalism must be church times, and the best church times must be evangelical times."
In the next section he will propose a mere ecclesiology.
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