Modern Reformation #2: An Interview with Stanley Grenz

July 18, 2005 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
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About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009). Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (569)

The folks at Modern Reformation (MR) had the opportunity to
chat with theologian Stanley Grenz back in February, a few weeks before he died
of a brain aneurysm. This brief interview is the second feature of the latest
issue of MR and is also available on their website. So again, I will skip a
summary and reflect on a few quotes.

In response to a question about the nature of the Emergent
Church: “I think if one were to ask what’s the scarlet thread, I would say
these are folks who are taking seriously the context in which they find
themselves, which many of them would consider postmodern. They’re trying to
take seriously the transitions and changes that they see going on in North
American culture, and they want to embody the gospel in a manner in which
people in this changing climate can see it, understand it, and respond to it.”

I like the description of wanting to “embody the gospel.”
The presentation of the Gospel is not merely statements of facts; it is living
it out in thought, passion, and action. In regards to his overall description
of Emergent- this is for the most part what we should be doing as Christians,
regardless of the cultural context we are in. When I go to Thailand I learn
Thai, or at least enough to get by. Telling them the Gospel in English won’t
mean much, but living it in Thai will. As long as the Gospel message itself
remains the same, we need to translate it into the language and culture that
people will understand.

“What I find especially gratifying as a theologian is that
so many of the people in Emergent are interested in theology, whereas my
generation tended toward the attitude that, once we’ve been to seminary and had
our theology course and so forth, we no longer have to bother with theology
anymore…But what I find with the Emergent folks is that so many of them are
keenly interested in theological questions and bringing theological questions
back on the table, which is healthy, I believe.”

I’ve always said that emergent asks great questions. The
questions of, “What does it mean to be the church? What is God’s program? What
is our message?” that Dr. Grenz offered as examples are questions that need to
be asked. The concern over emergent isn’t that they ask questions, which should
be encouraged; it’s the answers that are sometimes given to the questions.

In response to a question about if emergent is a marketing
movement: “Wherever something is happening that is interesting and new and
fresh, the marketers will come along and try to market it. I’m not sure if that
is so much a critique of Emergent itself as much as it is a critique of the
consumerist evangelical establishment that would really like to market it.”

What he said about Evangelicalism is true; however, I think
the marketing/consumerist mentality is as much a part of emergent as it is of
Evangelicalism. This is appropriate to some degree, since we’re trying to reach
and convince people of something. But there’s a liability involved in the
mentality that can lead to thinking of the Gospel as merely a product being
pushed. Both movements often fall prey to this danger.

I haven’t had the chance yet to read any of Dr.
Grenz’s books. I can at least say, though, that he appeared to be a warm,
thoughtful, and careful thinker.

Related posts:

1. Modern Reformation #3: Settlers, Pilgrims, and Wanderers by Michael Horton
2. Modern Reformation #6: Conversation Partners- An Interview with Brian McLaren
3. Modern Reformation #1- The Emerging Church by D.A. Carson
4. Modern Reformation #4: Experiencing Emergent by Shane Rosenthal
5. Modern Reformation #5: Emergent Church Roundtable Discussion
6. Is the Reformation Over? (Part II)

Posted in Culture, Emerging / Emergent Church, Main Page, Roger's Posts, Theology