ninasju (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Of course the world would try to discredit him. But quoting Scripture in answer to what you believe is not the same as "firing". Scripture says the world would hate us because they hated Him first. It also says preach the Word in and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2&3) and that it wouldn't return void (Isaiah 55:11). The world says, "Don't throw Bible verses around, don't offend!" - but God says always be ready to give a defense for the hope that you have (1 Peter3:15)

MOPmember (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

P R E T E N T I O U S

jobyharris (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Here you go Foxtrader- "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

jobyharris (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Here you go Foxtrader-- "...now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

Joeboxer78 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Jesus gave us His glory. We are created in God's image (Gen 1). The reason we have this worth is because He has placed it inside of us. I didn't know Erwin or Mosaic was so controversial, but Jesus was controversial too. =)

Joeboxer78 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:...John 17

Rosanna7 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Erwin is so cool. Our faith in Christ needs to transform who we are, and being at Mosaic has taught me that. I guess Erwin and Mosaic, per se, really value being relevant to culture. And I guess they're ok with upsetting some Christians (well, he still hurts through it all), if they are affecting the lives of people that don't know God. I don't know why we get mad at Erwin...there are so many other things to get mad about...like Mugabe or the genocide in Darfur, or all the orphans...

acaval3 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

i think you need to understand the context in which he is talking. he's not talking to a bunch of regular church go-er's. he's talking to intellectuals. what do you think the first thing they would've said if he came out firing scripture? - he would've been discredited immediately (because ppl discredit scripture as authoritative on the whole).

samsaphone (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I don't trust legislators/lawyers who can't appeal back to the Constitution or Supreme Court decisions . So it makes sense that I don't trust pastors who aren't willing to back up their words with Scripture. There are plenty of stories he could have used to show his point about the value system. He didn't, and so he was a public intellectual, NOT a pastor. I have no problem with public intellectuals, as they do important work, but a pastor has higher responsibilities, which he failed to do here.

samsaphone (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I don't attend Mosaic. And I'll admit that I'm a little leery about Mr. McManus's pitch as a religion major, a would-be Christian, and as a writer. He complains about "Christianese"-the theological and cultural language of Christianity becoming unintelligible to others.I'm concerned with the fact that he talks like Tim Robbins. Some of what he says sounds legit...but as a pastor, he has a responsibility for using Scripture, at Mosaic OR at Columbia.