Thanks to iMonk: Your Mission: “Resacramentalize Evangelicalism” | internetmonk.com: "What are our evangelical sacraments? Where will evangelicals defend the idea that “God is dependably at work?”
-We have sacramentalized technology.
-We have sacramentalized the pastor and other leaders.
-We have sacramentalized music. (i.e. the songs themselves and the experience of singing.)
-We have sacramentalized leaders of musical worship.
-We have sacramentalized events. (God is here!)
-We have sacramentalized the various forms of the altar call.
-We have sacramentalized the creation of an emotional reaction.
We’ve done all of this, amazingly, while de-emphasizing and theologically gutting baptism. (I’m not buying everyone’s baptismal theology here. I’m simply saying the standard approach now is nothing more than could be accomplished by having someone jump through a hoop.)
We’ve done this while reducing the Lord’s Supper to a relatively meaningless, optional recollection. (And being deeply suspicious of anyone making it more than a glorified sermon illustration.)"
09 August 2009
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2 comments:
I think this is a great area for reflection, and it's a great original post. I hadn't come across internetmonk before, but I may dip in again.
I think evangelicalism, as a movement, is so blind to sacramental thought that they generally do not recognise their own sacraments and how they function (which, of course, leaves them open to using those sacraments in dysfunctonal and abusive ways). It's a little more close to the surface in independent evangelical charismatic churches, which seems to be the group primarily in IM's sights. I certainly recognise the whole 'God is currently at work in x church doing x' language. I think I'd want to nuance the list you've helpfully reproduced a little though.
I'm not sure there is much sacramentalism of technology per se. However, I think there is widespread confusion of emotional response, cool audio-visual presentations, and passionate speech with the presence of God. Thus things that seem to get us excited or emotional or passionate about things are experienced as sacramental. The thing that is particularly iniquitous about this from this perspective is the way in which these things have become bound up with consumerism. Increasingly, evangelical sacraments in the form of books, dvds, cds, conferences etc are bought and sold. To meet with God in sacrament you need to attend these events, read the writings of this leader, use the worship materials produced by this group. Now how does that sound with reformation ears?
You'll get no arguments from me Mark about those points. I think you're right about the technology thing.
The irony is, of course, that early evangelicals (if we put aside the conceit that evangelicalism is simple 'primitive Christianity) were very sacramental. In the CofE, we owe the traditional 8am communion on Sunday mornings to evangelicals. Wesley etc were very sacramental. I think the difference came when pan-Evangelical unity became the thing and that meant finding a way to sidestep disagreements about baptism, principally, which meant a unity around non-sacramental things: and you're left with the preaching, the moment of commitment and all that surrounds them; in time the meeting itself and its emotional freight. ...
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