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Hybelspongism

Following is an excerpt from a Mason Beecroft's "Wayfarer in the Desert" blog about the cancellation of Issues Etc. If you are at all concerned or interested in this huge problem in the LCMS please read the whole article here.

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I would argue that there is a prevailing ideology influencing Western Christendom in our day. My neologism for this ideology is “Hybelspongism.” The ideology proclaims that the church must change or it will die. In its liberal forms, this requires widespread acceptance of the cultural and social norms of the day, including tolerance of sexual deviancy, inclusion of all religions while denying the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and embarrassment for Christian faith. Instead, this ideology reduces the church to social activism (inclined toward the Democrats) and bows to pluralism. Spong is a representative figure of this wing. In its conservative forms, Hybelspongism rejects the historic liturgy of the church, direct and consistent proclamation of Christ crucified and resurrected for salvation, and an aversion to catholic and orthodox faith and practice. Rather, conservative Hybelspongism preaches relevance to a world bent on destruction, pandering to prevailing ideologies for the sake of attraction (consumerism, entertainment, democracy, therapy, etc.), and places its hope in the charisma of its leaders and their ability to program in a way that will numb the masses. Hybels, of course, is a figurehead for the conservative branch. Other figures include Osteen and Warren.

If anyone in these branches of Hybelspongism dares to speak against the ideology of their church, then they are immediately dismissed and even destroyed. Consider the current state of orthodox pastors and congregations in the ELCA, Episcopal Church USA, PCUSA, etc. Those who do not get with the program are marginalized, a term I borrowed from the more sensitive bureaucrats in these bodies. In the conservative wing of Hybelspongism, those who do not change the church to get with the times are tagged as fundamentalists and accused of not being missional, concerned or emergent.

Full text here.

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