Emergent Jews?

For years now, Emergents have been discussing (or rather having a conversation) and promoting what they call Interreligious Dialogue. Essentially, this is the breaking of barriers and finding common ground between various religions in order to solve social evils and bring unity. One of the primary places to find the argument is Brian McLaren's "A Generous Orthodoxy," but McLaren is not alone. What follows is a video regarding Emergent reaching Jews in forming the same conversations and asking the same questions as Emergent "Christians" have been having.

What I find most interesting in the following video is how many times (when the "Christians" show up) keep saying, "same." The Jewish community are asking the "same" questions, having the "same" conversations, etc. It implies that the Jewish and Christianity community aren't really that different.

Such nonsense should become apparent immediately. They are not the same. Jews reject Jesus Christ as the Messiah. That is a very serious charge. Matthew wrote his entire Gospel as an apologetic work primarily to Jews (which is why he quotes the OT so much). If Judaism and Christianity were essentially the same, then we should throw Matthew out of our Bibles because he is clearly trying to proselytize them.

There is a further discussion on friendship. The idea is that by engaging in a conversation as a community of equals will lead to friendship that will break down barriers. Religions of the world unite. The danger of such a concept is very dangerous. This does not mean that we should not befriend persons of other believers, but to do so at the cost of the gospel is extremely dangerous. Did Paul, Peter, John and Jude warn against this? Friendship at the cost of faithfulness to the gospel and the Great Commission is dangerous.



The most incredible quote comes from Dr. Dwight Frieson:

"Increasingly in our church community . . . our interest isn't so much around orthodoxy (getting it right) or orthopraxy (doing it right) but in orthoparadox (living in the tensions) so that as we encounter one another and as we come together that you bring the fullness of you and your community brings the fullness of your community to mine community and vice-versa. And together we live together in this divine tension."

Doctrines that separate are out the door. What divides should be cast aside in favor of unity and love. Jesus brought a sword, not a dove. At the same time, it is the sword that brings about the dove. How about that for orthoparadox?