The title of McLaren’s book, A Generous Orthodoxy, comes from a phrase coined by Hans Frei. And while there are serious objections to what Frei argues for elsewhere, he certainly has a firm grasp on the nature of pre-critical Christian thought. As he puts it, “In the earlier Protestant interpretive tradition, we have noted, the …
Inerrancy Too Weak
In the past I have criticized the inerrantist position (as popularly conceived) as being too weak. And in dealing with the assumption that theological conservatives somehow want the Bible to be their foundation for certainty about universals, thus making me a “foundationalist,” which I hotly deny, I find that I still have to explain how …
Christ the Foundation
I suppose that if believing in Jesus Christ as the cornerstone makes one a foundationalist, then I am a foundationalist. But otherwise not. Andrew Sandlin wants to describe an aspect of the contemporary conflict this way. “Today’s battle between us Christian postmodernists on the one hand and some Christian foundationalists on the other is at …
Ten Reasons For Not Taking Postmodernism Seriously
1. Postmodernists take themselves seriously enough already. 2. It might make some sense to speak of the “post-colonial” era if a hundred years or two have gone by since the era in question has assumed room temperature. But until then, you can’t really see it, and ought not pretend as though you can. For all …
Cloaks, Capernaum, and Coffee Tables
It is quite true that I have an MA in philosophy, I confess it. But that was many years ago, and I was young and foolish. I am very sorry. Won’t let it happen again. Let’s move on. Let the healing begin! But seriously, to return to my view that “the coffee table is there” …
Andrew and Me
In his response to my response, Andrew Sandlin made a few comments that I need to address fairly quickly. For the rest I am happy to wait for his book on postmodernity. Andrew says the following, which is intially quite heartening. “In my own case, for benefit of friend and foe alike, let me state …
More on Saloon Brawling
Of course, one of the qualifications for an elder, according to the apostle Paul, is that he not be a “striker” or “brawler.” So for those who are a bit squeamish about taverns to begin with, let alone preachers fighting in them, whether metaphorical or not, let me change the image while retaining all the …
Too Generous
Those who don’t see the problem coming are not usually prevailed upon to see the problem even after it has arrived. Those who do not see the problems with the emerging church will usually defend the problems even after they emerged. A “generous orthodoxy” ought not to mean giving that orthodoxy away. But here is …
Dualism Is Bad
What is the difference between everyday abstractions, propositions, and definitions and then the same things in the hands of the philosophers? The answer is that philosophers tend to fall, somehow, someway, into the error of reification. That is, they try to answer the question of whether “thus and such” exists through some kind of metaphysical …
Living Simply
Much philosophical endeavor is occupied with trying to answer questions that ought never to have been asked. I am reminded of Bill Cosby’s old joke about it. Philosophy majors want to ask questions like “why is there air?” when the PE majors knew the answer already. Air is for blowing up volleyballs. The world is …