The Future of Evangelicalism: A Twenty-Something’s Perspective

With the recent craziness with Rob Bell’s new book “Love Wins,” I have found some fresh perspectives on the future of Christianity. One of those perspectives I really have enjoyed hearing is from Rachel Held Evans.  She just recently had a post about her take on the “Future of Evangelicalism.” She is very articulate and I enjoyed her perspective.

Some of my favorite quotes from her post/essay are:

Piper wasn’t simply bidding “farewell” to Rob Bell, he was bidding “farewell” to any of us who agree with Rob Bell, or ask the same questions as Rob Bell, or at the very least wish to stay in fellowship with Rob Bell. It is no longer enough that we too want to love and follow Jesus Christ, or that we too can affirm the creeds of historic Christianity. We’ve also got to ascribe to 16the century doctrines and 16th century interpretations of Scripture…or else be cast out.

But the problem is that after ten years, I’m getting tired of trying to convince fellow Christians that I am, in fact, a Christian, even though I may vote a little differently than they vote, interpret the Bible differently than  they interpret it, engage with science a little differently than they engage with it, and understand sovereignty and choice a little differently than they understand those things.

I haven’t lost hope in the future of evangelicalism, but I’ve lost the desire to fight for my place in it. I’m tired of trying to convince other Christians that I am a Christian.  As Dan and I enter that stage of life when we will likely start a family, we want to raise our kids in a community of Christ-followers where diversity is celebrated, questions are welcomed, and differences are handled with love and respect…not flippant “farewells.”

We want to get busy, get our hands dirty, start serving and growing and changing the world. This may very well lead us to the mainline, or perhaps to something associated with the Anabaptist tradition, or perhaps to something very similar to evangelicalism….but without the label.

This all reminds me of when I was in seminary at Southwestern. We were still “full on” with all of the fighting over power and control of the SBC in those days (have we finished fighting over power and control in the SBC?–I digress.) One of my professors in my first year, while I was attending extension classes at OBU in Shawnee, OK made a comment that really stuck with me and I believe applies to this “discussion.”

He was asked if both “sides” in the fight would ever be able to get along to advance the Gospel. He said something like, “I really do believe that the tent is large enough for us all to live underneath its cover.” It was a statement from a man that had been “in the middle of the fray” for many years, yet wasn’t giving up hope for unity of the faith. I really appreciated that spirit of cooperation that is often missed in this current fight over “evangelicalism.” I am hopeful that we can join together and agree on the fundamentals of the faith and agree to disagree on what Paul calls “disputable matters.”(Romans 14:1-3)

I am actually thankful for the current “controversy” over the book as it has forced me to study again what I believe about such issues…that can’t be a bad thing at all.

Rachel Held Evans | The Future of Evangelicalism: A Twenty-Something’s Perspective.