An Evangelical Manifesto

So they rolled out the final draft today.  A committee of Evangelical leaders including the likes of Timothy George and Dallas Willard released their draft of An Evangelical Manifesto.

A couple brief initial reactions as I just finished reading it and am about to head to work:

• My overall reaction positive.  It seems to me that the Manifesto communicates well a desirable reconsideration of Evangelicalism.  I would also say that most people who think of themselves as Evangelicals would have little to say in disagreement with the committee's definitions.  The Manifesto astutely recognizes a few of the major problems within Evangelicalism and its developing trends.  Distancing myself from the label of "Evangelical" for precisely these reasons, I found a smile curling up under my nose as I read the following:
  

  All too often we have trumpeted the gospel of Jesus, but we have replaced biblical truths with therapeutic techniques, worship with entertainment, discipleship with growth in human potential, church growth with business entrepreneurialism, concern for the church and for the local congregation with expressions of the faith that are churchless and little better than a vapid spirituality, meeting real needs with pandering to felt needs, and mission principles with marketing precepts. In the process we have become known for commercial, diluted, and feel-good gospels of health, wealth, human potential, and religious happy talk, each of which is indistinguishable from the passing fashions of the surrounding world. 
  

• It ain't gonna be easy. I can appreciate the goals set forth in the Manifesto, as I'm sure many others can also. The problem is that the Evangelicalism that the Manifesto is confronting is the Evangelicalism that in large part is taught and modeled in most churches – at least in my part of the country. If we are going to have any hope to correct our course, not only will this common form of Evangelicalism have to be confronted at the local level, but people will also have to be taught, at the local level, how to embrace and pursue these goals set forth. We don't know how to do what we haven't been taught. This brings a great deal of responsibility to the local congregations and their pastors. However, it will be worth it. I long for the day when this will be the voice of the majority of Evangelicals:
  

  Unlike some other religious believers, we do not see insults and attacks on our faith as "offensive" and "blasphemous" in a manner to be defended by law, but as part of the cost of our discipleship that we are to bear without complaint or victim-playing.
  

 

Evangelicals have too long been the "martyrs" of American Civil Religion. It's time we suck it up and share in the fellowship of Christ's sufferings along with our brothers and sisters around the world.

 

That last point may be a bit overstated but it's something that jumped out at me as I was reading the document. I'll maybe have more comments as I look through the accompanying study guide – yes, a study guide.