Understand The Times, International

Comment from UTT:

A major split occurred in the beginning of the 20th century within evangelical Christianity - those who promoted a social gospel and those who refused to accept the social gospel and continued to believe in the gospel according to the Scriptures - there is one way to heaven through Jesus Christ alone.

The exact same thing is underway now that we into the twenty-first century. Brian McLaren and others who promote the "emerging church" are leading the way and preparing the way for "evangelicals" to participate.

The world "is on a precipice" as it struggles to deal with the three "tremendously frightening crises" of climate change, poverty and war, says Brian McLaren, one of the foremost leaders of the emerging church movement.

"This is our home and it's fragile and it's beautiful but it's also really in danger," he says in a new short film for Hope08.

Turning his attention to the "crisis of poverty" and the "huge gap" between the rich and the poor, McLaren states in the video message, "It's an unsustainable system when you have a gap like that."

"A friend of mine says there are really only two tribes in this world: there are the haves and the have-nots," he says. "The hope that we are looking for in the world involves both of them. It involves the have-nots not giving up and it involves the haves learning to care."

Mclaren shares in the film his personal story of reaching out to his Muslim neighbors in the days following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York by sending a letter and making visits to local mosques to reassure them of his support.

Gareth Squire, director of the Christian Enquiry Agency, believes McLaren is an example of how the Christian faith can impact the world. Brian's wider work is very timely, and reminds us that genuine inward personal transformation inevitably leads to transformed decisions and actions, a profound concern for all people everywhere, and a commitment to being part of the solutions the world needs, not its problems," Squire said.