Milestones
killing and even hate are wrong. To suggest
that each morning we need “to learn anew
what is good” is to fail to do justice to the
abiding biblical norms that never change.
It is to worship the evangelical idols of
newness and relevance.
Paul taught us that love involves
keeping God’s law (Romans 13: 10). Jesus
very explicitly said that he did not come
to abolish the law and the prophets and
that “whoever breaks one of the least of
these commandments and teaches others
to do the same will be called least in the
kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5: 17-20).
And this Jesus “is the same yesterday,
today and forever” (Hebrews. 13: 8). His
creation laws are eternal (Psalm 119).
ELMER J. THIESSEN
Waterloo, Ont.
Shack Opens Discussions
Re: Letters (Mar/Apr 2009)
I have read The Shack and consider its
popularity a good thing. It is good in the
same way the atheist bus ads should be
welcomed by Christians – as an opening
to talk with others about God and the
good news of Jesus Christ.
I hope evangelical Christian theologians, pastors and church members will
carefully highlight the teaching in this
book, revealing where it is in tune with
biblical revelation and where it is not.
BARBARA RICHARDSON
Toronto, Ont.
Resigned: George Durance as president Bible Society has supported the translation
of Ambrose University College effective work and will publish it after it is reviewed
June 2009. In 1997, Durance was ap- in Cree communities.
pointed president of Alliance University
Appointed: Reg Andrews as director of
College, which later merged with Naz-
school operations and ministry at Peoples
arene University College to form Ambrose
Christian Academy Inc., an independent
University College. Ambrose now has 600
Christian school in Toronto. Founded in
students and offers undergraduate degrees
1971, it became an independent legal en-
in arts and science. Last summer it moved
tity in 2007, and it plans to relocate its 470
across Calgary to a
students (K- 12) to Markham, Ont. in Sept.
new 40-acre campus in
2010. Andrews has served as a church
the city’s southwest.
planter, high school teacher, principal and,
most recently, as executive pastor of The
Appointed: Paula Cur-
Peoples Church and as director of ministry
tis as president and
mobilization with Every Home for Christ
CEO of Opportunity
Canada. Andrews remains involved with
International Canada.
EQUIP, the mission arm of John C. Max-
Previously she worked
paula Curtis
well's Injoy Ministries.
with The Navigators of
Canada. She succeeds Gary Walsh.
Appointed: David Marshall as executive
director of I.N. Network Canada, an orga-
Awarded: Stan Cuthand, an Anglican priest nization supporting evangelism and devel-from Little Pine First Nation, Sask., with a opment work in 38 countries. He succeeds
lifetime achievement award at the National John Denbok, who is now international
Aboriginal Achievement Awards. Cuthand, president of I.N. Network. Marshall is
95, spent more than20years translating the from Riverview, N.B., but is moving to
New Testament and about half of the Old Collingwood, Ont., where the organiza-Testament into Plains Cree. The Canadian tion has offices.
Practices Versus Doctrine
Re: Is Emergent Heretical? (Nov/Dec
2008)
Instead of dealing with the doctrinal issues many Evangelicals have with the
emergent movement (doesn’t “heretical”
refer to doctrinal error?), James Beverley
discusses their practices. The nine practices he lists as a description of the movement could be said of many Evangelicals,
even of past generations who have never
heard the word “emergent.”
Beverley also claims that emergent
is upsetting because it challenges certain
practices of traditional evangelicalism.
I agree evangelicalism has some adjusting to do in the three areas he mentions.
However, it is not these practices that are
causing some to ask about heresy.
Beverley alludes to “whatever legitimate concerns” some people have about
the emergent movement. But he fails to
address those concerns. That is where the
heretical teaching is found.
Instead, Beverley quotes Brian McLaren’s basic statement of his identity. That
statement tactfully avoids the doctrinal concerns many of us have with some people in
the movement, including Brian McLaren.
Wikipedia does a better job of warning Christians of the heretical aspects of the
movement. Its article “Emerging Church”
quotes Mark Driscoll: “But I eventually had
to distance myself from the Emergent stream
of the network because friends like Brian
McLaren and Doug Pagitt began pushing
a theological agenda that greatly troubled
me. Examples include referring to God as
a [woman], questioning God’s sovereignty
over and knowledge of the future, denial of
the substitutionary atonement at the Cross,
a low view of Scripture, and denial of hell,
which is one hell of a mistake.”
Certainly we cannot lump all persons
who use the word “emergent” together.
But if Brian McLaren is the spokesman
for emergent, then almost all Evangelicals
would have to agree it is heretical!
For further consideration, I recommend
the booklet The Emergent Church by Dr
William R. Goets, available from Canadian
Revival Fellowship in Regina, Sask.
ED TURNER
Camrose, Alta.
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