Radical Individualism and the Christian

A great conversation/debate with some brothers in Christ about accountability, individualism and relativism in Christianity has caused me to think and rethink some views about the EmergingMissionalRelationalHouse Church movement that I have been moving toward, and explains some of my hesitancy in jumping in with both feet. I am going to try to be objective and look at these issues from a distance in an attempt to sort them out for myself.

I want to preface everything that I say here by saying that I am still working through these issues in my own mind. I may cause as many questions as I ask, but I believe these issues are vitally important for the Body of Christ. I believe that our relationship to each other and our understanding of truth and reality is of utmost importance. I hope we can give each other grace as we discuss and not get into semantics. Some of us will take offense to certain terms that may be used as the best way to express an idea in our limited vocabulary.

There are strains of the Emerging Church movement (Please give me some grace on the term used here. If you know a better word to describe, I’ll use it!) that appears to be based on anti-intellectual, radical individualism. I define individualism as an excessive or exclusive regard to one's personal interest. In other words, the self becomes primary in our decision making, worldview, interpretation, and belief system giving little or no thought to the community. Personal autonomy is exalted as the ideal source for interpretation and understanding.

Emerging churches seem to be formed when an individual decides either decides that their needs are not getting met at the institutional church, or that the institutional church’s priorities have become convoluted and no longer represent God’s kingdom. There seems to be a third reason that people are leaving the institutional church that I am just becoming familiar with, namely, to escape any vestige of authority or tradition so that one may focus on “only Jesus.” I’m sure there are other reasons that Emerging Churches start, but these seem to be common themes. Additionally, I am not saying that Emerging Church movement as a whole, nor that every Emerging Church is individualistic. I find it ironic that some have left the institutional church due issues caused by individualism only to further entrench themselves in deeper levels of individualism

The third reason for leaving the institutional church is most disturbing. Some of the comments, specifically or implied, that seem typical from people in this strain of the movement things like: “Two or three people gathering together make a church.” “I am not accountable to any man, only Jesus.” “I am the sole judge of what is right and wrong in my spiritual life.” I don’t believe I have any obligations to anyone other than Jesus.” “My heart, being confirmed by the Spirit is the ultimate judge of correct Biblical interpretation.”

I am not judging anybody here, but I am trying to be discerning about the underlying beliefs, and the ramifications of the comments that were made.

The issues brought up by these statements are many and varied and certainly cannot be dealt with in one blog entry (Individualism and Collectivism, Interpretation of Scripture, How we know truth, Obligation of the Christian etc.). But, it appears to me, at the heart of these statements is a kind of radical individualism that seems to be the ultimate extreme in the Emerging Church movement. The underlying motivation for leaving the institutional church is not to reestablish a proper Kingdom focus, or get needs met, but to interpret Scripture in an unaccountable, anti-intellectual way in the guise of following “Jesus only.” I could be wrong about the motivation, but the end result is the same.

So, here is my first question on this topic. Is there anyway among individualist Christians, in an individualist culture, that we can be accountable for our beliefs, teachings, interpretations and practices?

Some will say that is the concept of “mutual submission.” We are told to submit to each other, that is a given. Mutual submission is part of the “check and balance” for us as individuals. But, the issue is, that when that command is put into the context of radical individualism there is no real accountability. If I teach a view that is contrary to tradition and reason, and those that I willingly submit to challenge my interpretation, I can “pick up my toys and play with somebody else.” In fact, I would argue that the only real option for the Christian individualist is to find those that agree with his point of view and create an enclave of likeminded individuals.

We’ve seen it hundreds of times in the formation of new denominations, church splits, and now the Emerging Church. Denominationalism has its problems, but it did provide some sort of accountability for pastors/preachers/teachers.

Isolation is the ultimate result of individualism. We surround ourselves with a few likeminded individuals, and because they agree with us on our beliefs/interpretation/practice we feel that we are justified. I am not suggesting that every Emerging Church is doing this, but you have to admit that it is possible. Judging from some of the conversations in Blogdom I would say that it is definitely happening.

How are we dealing with this issue? Is there an answer? Is there another option other than the individualistic point of view? Is there any objectivity in the Church, or is everything subjective? Is there a difference between our concept of community and a lifestyle enclave? Is there a balance to be found between individualism and collectivism? How are these issues worked out practically?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject....There’s a lot more to be discussed about these issues....