A new blog I’ve found recently is from Bob Robinson at Vanguard Church. Bob recently was able to have lunch with Josh McDowell at a conference in Ohio. The thing that stood out to me as Bob was recounting McDowell’s discussions at the table is how McDowell talks about truth. He says:
McDowell then explained “how we got here,” with a quick review of history, from the Enlightenment to the Industrial Revolution to Darwinism, explaining that instead of God being the source of truth, nature and science had taken God’s place as that source. “Hmm,” I thought, “He’s pretty tough on Modernism. That’s good.”
He never said the word “Post-modernism,” preferring instead the phrase, “The Cosmic Shift.” He explained that we have experienced a shift in our epistemology. This shift is characterized by how the new generation processes truth. The older generation saw truth as something to discover, but the younger generation sees truth as something to create. The older generation said, “If it is true, it will work”; the younger generation says, “If it works, it is true.” In other words, the younger generation bases their idea of the true based on experience; they don’t believe in things that have, in their minds, proven not to produce good results.
He then goes on to describe McDowell as saying (emphasis mine):
McDowell pleaded with these Christian leaders that ministry to the young generation needs to bring together “unfailing love” and “truth.” He insisted that it’s not just about being sure of the truth, it’s also about lovingly showing it to people.
And then he said, “I’m sick of McLaren and Bell putting me in the modernist camp. I am anything but a modernist.”
He proclaimed that he was advocating a “Relational Apologetics” and that “all truth is through relationships.”
I was amazed. At first I thought McDowell would advocate a mere reasoned apologetics and a fight for the concept of propositional truth. Instead, he was arguing for churches to create opportunities for young people to have genuine relationships with Christians so that they can experience what its like to live out their Christian convictions in real-life situations.
He was arguing for incarnational apologetics (what I’ve called “Emmanuel Apologetics”)!
All I can say is WOW! McDowell appears to be arguing for truth as relationship, not proposition. Now I’ve got more in common with McDowell than I knew as well!
Perhaps I haven’t read far enough into your book, Kept, but I have just been reading the part on intellectualism, anti-intellectualism, and not losing your “mind.” I haven’t even finished that chapter, so it may end differently than it has appeared to begin.
And, I am trying not to advocate anti-intellectualism, but my struggle with appearing to advocate intellectualism is that the gospel is simple and necessarily so, to be something that even the most frail of minds can grasp. Yes, we must love the Lord our God with all our minds, but some have a more adept mind than others. Isn’t the most important thing that we love God with all that we are, knowing Him experientially, and not, as you note here, in a propositional sort of way?
I love your term “Emmanuel apologetics.” May His Kingdom come.
I saw/heard Josh in person at a church last summer or early fall that was intended as a warm-up to a later all day presentation aimed at young church goers. On this day, Josh was speaking to pastors trying to explain what was going on ‘out there’ and why they needed to make sure their ‘kids’ came to the next meeting.
Bob Robinson’s recall of what Josh said is very similar to what I heard him say, but I was struck by the anger boiling behind Josh’s words. It was clear to me that Josh considered postmodern influences as evil, and that the emerging church and those associated with it (yes, he named names) were generally leading people away from rather than towards God. Josh’s anger toward, and general condemnation of all things pomo/emerging were palpable. He did advocate that active interaction and relationship were the keys to “saving” those tempted to follow McLaren and Bell, and others.
Although Josh denies he is a modern, I left the 2 hour meeting wondering how he could expect us to think that he wasn’t modern. He thrashed postmodernism, condemned the emerging conversation/movement, and advocated a return to ‘real’ truth. Sounds modern to me.
Exciting to hear that one of the more well known advocates of apologetics sees the importance of relationships. Too often apologetics tends to move towards debating with seekers.
Jesus prayed for those of us who follow Christ. He prayed that our love would prove He is God.
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:23
Love is the most effective apologetic!