Post by Mark on Sept 23, 2009 4:24:24 GMT -8
The Internet and the Propulsion of Judaic Ecclesiology among Followers of Christ
I’ve heard several times over the past few years that the "Messianic Movement" is a modern branch of Christian theology. It is commonly asserted that, since the definition of what has come to be known as "Messianic Judaism" was not broadly known about until about 20 years ago, the concept must be a recent evolution in Christian ecclesiology.
Such is not represented by my own experiences, having made contact with folks drawn to
Observance and a Judaic appreciation of the Greek Scriptures from all over the world. Many have shared with me how this Jewish understanding of faith in Messiah Yeshua came from their parents and grandparents, quietly but passionately observing the festivals and obeying the commands as best the could with whatever limited understanding they had. Queries into denominational positions reveal over a hundred Sabbath keeping theological identities whose platform embraces a Hebraic emphasis upon including Saturday Baptists, Seventh Day Presbyterians, Assemblies of YHWH…. Some date back hundreds of years when these local congregations broke away from the antinomian direction that major denominations had been taking. By and large, these local congregations made little or no passionate effort to change or reform popular Christian direction. There is no sign that any significant effort was made to unify with other observant congregations. They didn’t know if there were others out there like them. They didn’t care. Their pursuit was not to build a denomination to compete with what they had broken from. Their pursuit was intimate fellowship with the Living God.
What has changed with the introduction of the Internet is that people are now able to establish networks around the world based upon any subject of interest. What this has established (for the positive) within the Messianic community is a sense of viability that cannot be as easily ignored by the Christian Church. Fifteen years ago I sat across from a council of elders who told me that I was the only person in the entire world who believed that the is God’s standard for sin and righteousness and the only reasonable course I should take is to humble myself in submission to their judgment. Now, I am able to communicate, to both share and learn from others who have been drawn by God into this pursuit of intimacy.
Conversely, the Internet has also had some negative impacts. No longer are we forced to choose between God and man; but we are able to seek out teachers and community support from others who believe similarly. What was once abandonment of all but walking in communion with God is now a structure of expectations and guidelines that constantly pressure us into molds established by others who may or may not be seeking the same intimacy with God. It is easy for us to get distracted from seeking to draw closer to God by the new opportunities we have to seek out others who are more like us.
The Internet allows us to solicit others who believe just as we do, ignoring, disdaining or condemning those who have differences without regard for them as viable members of the Body of Messiah. It allows us unique and individual control of our audience. If we don’t like what someone else is doing we are empowered by the Internet to start something of our own. The result is that we have no compunction to try to get along, to try to understand others’ perspectives or (least of all) to admit when we are wrong. In these short twenty some years that the Internet has made Messianic Judaism seem viable, it has fragmented us into hundreds of mini-denominations, refusing to acknowledge the value and vulnerability of others. The very freedom that has given Messianic believers a voice in the world may be smothering it in the babble of each one vying to be heard.
At www.ahavatelohim.com I’ve tried to break down some barriers and offer an opportunity for people from very different perspectives to see the common vision of the Messianic perspective of faith: that Yeshua the Messiah lived and died within a Jewish context, fully participating in that life experience in His example for us; that the entire Bible is for our benefit and teaches us how we ought to live, without abrogation, without exception, and without racial or ethnic distinction; and that our goal in fellowship is to draw closer to Him, not build for ourselves a theological structure of organization, not to combat the heresies and false doctrines that seem to run the world, but to draw close to Him, ourselves, and by our drawing closer, draw others to Him as well.
I’ve heard several times over the past few years that the "Messianic Movement" is a modern branch of Christian theology. It is commonly asserted that, since the definition of what has come to be known as "Messianic Judaism" was not broadly known about until about 20 years ago, the concept must be a recent evolution in Christian ecclesiology.
Such is not represented by my own experiences, having made contact with folks drawn to
Observance and a Judaic appreciation of the Greek Scriptures from all over the world. Many have shared with me how this Jewish understanding of faith in Messiah Yeshua came from their parents and grandparents, quietly but passionately observing the festivals and obeying the commands as best the could with whatever limited understanding they had. Queries into denominational positions reveal over a hundred Sabbath keeping theological identities whose platform embraces a Hebraic emphasis upon including Saturday Baptists, Seventh Day Presbyterians, Assemblies of YHWH…. Some date back hundreds of years when these local congregations broke away from the antinomian direction that major denominations had been taking. By and large, these local congregations made little or no passionate effort to change or reform popular Christian direction. There is no sign that any significant effort was made to unify with other observant congregations. They didn’t know if there were others out there like them. They didn’t care. Their pursuit was not to build a denomination to compete with what they had broken from. Their pursuit was intimate fellowship with the Living God.What has changed with the introduction of the Internet is that people are now able to establish networks around the world based upon any subject of interest. What this has established (for the positive) within the Messianic community is a sense of viability that cannot be as easily ignored by the Christian Church. Fifteen years ago I sat across from a council of elders who told me that I was the only person in the entire world who believed that the
is God’s standard for sin and righteousness and the only reasonable course I should take is to humble myself in submission to their judgment. Now, I am able to communicate, to both share and learn from others who have been drawn by God into this pursuit of intimacy. Conversely, the Internet has also had some negative impacts. No longer are we forced to choose between God and man; but we are able to seek out teachers and community support from others who believe similarly. What was once abandonment of all but walking in communion with God is now a structure of expectations and guidelines that constantly pressure us into molds established by others who may or may not be seeking the same intimacy with God. It is easy for us to get distracted from seeking to draw closer to God by the new opportunities we have to seek out others who are more like us.
The Internet allows us to solicit others who believe just as we do, ignoring, disdaining or condemning those who have differences without regard for them as viable members of the Body of Messiah. It allows us unique and individual control of our audience. If we don’t like what someone else is doing we are empowered by the Internet to start something of our own. The result is that we have no compunction to try to get along, to try to understand others’ perspectives or (least of all) to admit when we are wrong. In these short twenty some years that the Internet has made Messianic Judaism seem viable, it has fragmented us into hundreds of mini-denominations, refusing to acknowledge the value and vulnerability of others. The very freedom that has given Messianic believers a voice in the world may be smothering it in the babble of each one vying to be heard.
At www.ahavatelohim.com I’ve tried to break down some barriers and offer an opportunity for people from very different perspectives to see the common vision of the Messianic perspective of faith: that Yeshua the Messiah lived and died within a Jewish context, fully participating in that life experience in His example for us; that the entire Bible is for our benefit and teaches us how we ought to live, without abrogation, without exception, and without racial or ethnic distinction; and that our goal in fellowship is to draw closer to Him, not build for ourselves a theological structure of organization, not to combat the heresies and false doctrines that seem to run the world, but to draw close to Him, ourselves, and by our drawing closer, draw others to Him as well.
thing about phrasing a theology in absolute terms of being 100% accurate over several millennia, which God did set as His standard; then introducing man made errors into that theology, is someone who sees the lie has only two options- look for the truth or discard the whole thing as false. Unfortunately I, like most young men tend to do, chose option B.
