Radio Orthodoxy...

I'd say this needs to be amended to read "Blogosphere Orthodoxy", but it still hits home...
From Out of Ur:

Sola gratia, sola fide, sola scriptura,…sola radio? The following conversation is based on true events.

Church member: “Pastor, I’m very disturbed by something you said in your sermon yesterday.”

Pastor: “I’m glad you came to talk with me about it. What’s bothering you?”

Church member: “In the sermon you mentioned Erwin McManus.”

Pastor: “That’s right. I quoted something he said about church membership.”

Church member: “Well, I’m very disturbed that you would reference someone like him in a sermon? McManus is part of the emerging church, and I have serious problems with their theology based on what I’ve heard on the radio.”

Pastor: “You do know Erwin McManus is a Southern Baptist and I’m pretty sure his theology is quite orthodox. In fact, our denomination invited him to speak at our convention two years ago.”

Church member: “Yes, I know they did and I’m very bothered by that as well. McManus is part of the emerging church, and the emerging church is involved in all kinds of heresy.”

Pastor: “The label ‘emerging church’ is used to describe a lot of different things, and I know some emerging church leaders are pushing the envelope with their theology, but I don’t think Erwin McManus is one of them. To tell you the truth, I’ve never really considered McManus part of that movement. I think his books are just packaged and marketed to that crowd. I don’t think you have to worry about his theology. Have you ever read one of his books?”

Church member: “No, but I don’t have to. I listen to Chuck Colson on the radio and he says the emerging church is very, very dangerous. It’s not something we should be messing around with, and the fact that you’d quote an emerging church pastor in your sermon is very alarming.”

Pastor: Well, I’d encourage you to read up on what McManus teaches and believes, and if you find something problematic let me know. I’d be happy to talk with you about it.

Church member: “I don’t think you heard me. Colson said on the radio that the emerging church is full of heresy. It’s dangerous. Why would I read one of those books?”

Pastor: “I haven’t listened to Chuck Colson’s program, but I can assure you in my study I’ve found nothing wrong with Erwin McManus, and neither have the leaders of our denomination.”

Church member: “Yes, but Chuck Colson is on the radio. I’m just letting you know it really bothered me yesterday. I hope this isn’t the start of a trend. I don’t know what I would do if this church started becoming emerging.”

I’ve recapped this conversation for you because it jives with something Brian McLaren wrote a few years ago. He said:

Sometimes I think that the most powerful and popular denomination in America is a stealth one. It’s not the Baptists or the Catholics or the Methodists or the Assemblies of God. It’s "radio-orthodoxy"—the set of beliefs promoted by religious broadcasting. Do you doubt the power of radio-orthodoxy? Just try contradicting it.

Comments

[Heather Fischer]

Here, here!

[Rick]

Excellent point Bub! One particular team blog has had over a million hits (that doesn't count feed readers and references). One of those writer's personal blog has had over 300 thousand hits (again, not count feed readers and references). These bloggers have taken strong stands against the beliefs and practices of other groups. I accept that, but then they make generalization or curt comments and wonder why people would react. It demonstrates a huge amount of ignorance and is the pinnacle of self-pride. Very sad.

[Rachel]

Bob, I was raised in Radio Orthodoxy. If James Dobson or John MacArthur said it, I believed it and that settled it. And of course, I can't forget Thru the Bible Radio with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.