This is a big deal for those like me who find themselves, as the Internet Monk used to say, “wandering about in the Evangelical wilderness in search of a more Jesus-shaped Christianity.” I think Scot McKnight is spot on in his analysis of the recent Albert Mohler cover story in Christianity Today and I stand with him on the side of a more Generous Evangelicalism.
What do you think?
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Jeremy L. Berg 
Yeah, I’m with you on this one, bro.
Personally, I think it is a backward step for evangelicalism to be overrun by fundamentalism – and the legalism and closemindedness that so often accompanies Calvinism is not the answer, for me at least, to reaching more people for Christ in our contemporary, post-modern, consumerist culture.
I thought the contrast between the talks given by Al Mohler and Francis Chan at the 2010 Desiring God conference was quite revealing. Mohler focussed on the need for Christians to think more and gain more knowledge – Chan focussed on the need for Christians to obey Jesus, love others and live out the gospel as salt and light. I know which one I think is closer to Jesus’ heart and mind…….
Yes, BUT let us not slip into the either-or….but strive to be united in that mission of Jesus with our Calvinist brothers united around the gospel essentials (rather than culture-war issues, etc.). Unfortunately, the fundamentalist mindset wants to draw the boundaries too tightly and exclude even more moderate Evangelicals from the fold – which was McKnight’s main point.
I’ll have to listen to Chan and Mohler’s messages. Good stuff, Martin. Peace.
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/national-conference-media-and-summary
awesome. thanks!
Thanks again for all of your organization with last night’s event. And also for McKnight’s commentary here. I’m torn as I read it. My theology is Mohler’s (more or less). But my outlook on Evangelicalism is McKnight’s (and yours!). Maybe Mohler shouldn’t be made to speak for Evangelicalism. I’m sure he doesn’t claim to. Perhaps a better vantage point is that of Doug Sweeny in his book “The American Evangelical Story” (Baker Academic, ’05 I think). Have you seen it? It’s very, very good. He gets what McKnight is saying. Keep up the great posts, my friend.
One more thing I’ve been thinking about. In the post, McKnight calls Mohler a fundamentalist. Though he’s clear to say he doesn’t mean it pejoritively, but rather constructively, I think he’s mistaken with the term. I can’t think of a fundamentalist around today who’d own Albert Mohler as their own. His level of engagement and critical analysis of contemporary culture unfits him for that label. Perhaps he shouldn’t be speaking for Evangelicalism, but he’s really not a fundamentalist. Anyway…it was on my mind. Still love the McKnight approach, though. Big tent all the way, my friend.