Responding to last Friday's Faith and Reason about "The Emerging Church", Peter Sara asks what truths are central to the genuine membership of the body of Christ.
Philip Clayton advocates the Emerging Church as the answer to religious refugees - those seeking to be better people outside of traditional religious organisations and even beliefs.
The distinctiveness of this movement involves those for whom the person and teachings of Jesus are central and worked out in community engagement.
No problem with these ideas, which aren't new at all, nor are they emerging, except to the degree that Christianity has always been and is still emerging, consistent with its organic nature. In no definitive sense can any generation claim to have Christianity neatly boxed up, although history tells us that many have asserted otherwise.
The movement which Mr Clayton presses for may be a legitimate growth spurt for Christianity - it may be truly Christian despite different forms and practices - but how far can this go?
At what point, if any, is there a parting of the ways so that the emergent body is really not Christian at all despite being called as such?
Are there fundamentals of faith, or doctrine, which cannot be discarded along the pathway of discovering new modes of belonging and participation in religious life?
What truths are central to the genuine membership of the body of Christ?
I think there are clear markers to assist in the process of determining what is a development of a variant of Christianity which is like the denominations which corporately make up the Church as we know it today; and what is essentially a cult or counterfeit.
These markers are derived from the direct teachings of Jesus and are offered as being authoritative on that account alone. If the authority of Christ is not the lodestone of doctrine, then the Emerging Church can do what it likes, but it should not claim Christian membership or identity.
So what are these markers?
Chief among them is the teaching which defines membership itself: a Christian is one who is in Christ. Not just someone who admires Jesus and tries to live by his teachings to be a "good person" and do good to others; not just a person who adheres to Christian values; and not just those who seek to transform their communities through loving actions. Jesus was blunt and to the point on this issue. He said to Nicodemus, a sincere truth seeker: "I tell you the truth: only someone who experiences birth for a second time can hope to see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) He goes on to explain that he is not referring to a physical process, but rebirth by the Holy Spirit. No-one was exempt, even Nicodemus, who was a God-fearing and well-educated Jewish leader.
There is a certain irony that for some who profess to be Christians, the term "born again" is one of disdain and even contempt.
The qualification for this spiritual rebirth was and is disarmingly simple, not monumentally difficult. No religious instruction or examination is required. What is required is the coming to the end of ourselves (which is called humility) and asking for spiritual rescue (which is called salvation) from the only one able to effect the rescue (who is the Saviour). That is Christ alone.
Next, the reborn person is to abide (take up residence) in Christ, who will abide in them.
The Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence as the Helper, nurturing the newborn and bringing about spiritual growth and maturity (sanctification).
The outworking of this radical makeover is loving others. The impetus for selflessness is the power of God working through the believer, not self-wrought.
The other marker is the singularity of Christ as Lord.
For the Christian, there is no other. Thus plurality has absolutely no place within the Christian faith. This fact is a big disappointment for those whose interfaith leanings desire to embrace those of Judaic or Islamic faith as fellow believers.
It would be nice to say there are many ways to God and all are legitimate, but the teachings of Jesus simply do not permit these to be part of his membership requirements.
A non-marker for orthodoxy is where Christians meet apart from traditional venues such as church buildings.
The meeting places of pubs, parks or living rooms are not to be feared. These were where early Christians met at the very beginning of the great adventure.
Neither is active engagement with non-believers (or perhaps "not yet" believers). The organic aspect of loving others always had in view the motif of God yeast working through the dough of communities. The God yeast is the Body of Christ, also known as the Church.
There is much to be admired in the Emerging Church. No-one could quibble with aims of social justice and compassion, nor working groups for the arts education and outreach. These are not new enterprises or areas of activity for the church, but perhaps have some aspect of freshness and excitement because they engage a wider group of participants.
Watch the markers, though. And keep the faith.
• Peter Sara is an elder at the Elim Christian Centre.
