Tony Jones and Al Mohler.

This is good stuff. In the first 5 seconds the guest host (Dr. Russell Moore) uses the word “fun-da-missional because he’s wearing jeans. If that doesn’t wet your appetite for listening to my main man Tony Jones dialogue with him about church, theology, and culture . . . then I don’t know what will. Tony is interviewed on the Albert Mohler radio show, where the normal host, Dr. Albert Mohler serves as president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

You may remember that I’ve both commended him (here) and questioned him at times (here and here) as far back as 2005. I again commend Mohler (although the guest host had Tony on) for allowing Tony the forum to share his thoughts. Although I still question whether or not he even understands what the “emerging church” is when he talks about how we believe in candles, incense, soul patches, and the denial of all truth. Again, I don’t know any “emerging church” people who believe that or practice that. And I’m still not sure what the “faith once for all delivered to the saint” actually means to more conservative people? There was also a quick little blurb where the host says we’re getting rid of 2000 years of American Christianity and filtering through the lens of post-modernism. 1) I’m not sure how we got 2000 years of American Christianity and 2) How is that any less of a “lens” than post-modernism. But again, these are the same arguments I’ve shared over and over again so I won’t rehash it now. Just listen and enjoy it for what it is.

It’s interesting and kudos to Tony for being grace-full. I can’t give Tony enough respect. Dude is super-smart and one of the preeminent theologians in practice today. His formulations and musings on “provisional theology” (which I’ll get into a little bit next week) have been borderline life-saving in a theological world that often feels suffocating. If you don’t know anything about Tony, this is an excellent introduction.

[tags]Tony Jones, Tony Jones + Albert Mohler, Al Mohler, Albert Mohler, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Russell Moore, Albert Mohler Radio Show[/tags]