Spencer Burke is a prominent figure in the Emergent Church movement and is best known as the founder of TheOoze, a website and online community that provided a platform for discussions on faith, spirituality, and church culture. Burke has served as a pastor, author, and speaker, and his work emphasizes exploring new expressions of faith and challenging traditional evangelical beliefs. His theology significantly diverges from confessional Christianity in several key areas.
Key Beliefs and How They Differ from Confessional Christianity
1. Beliefs about Jesus:
- Spencer Burke's View: Burke views Jesus primarily as a moral teacher and guide, often emphasizing His role as a model for social justice, compassion, and inclusivity rather than focusing on His divine nature or unique role as Savior. In his book A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity, Burke presents a Jesus who is more concerned with promoting love and acceptance than with calling people to repentance or acknowledging His atoning work.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the second person of the Trinity, and the only mediator between God and humanity (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection are central to the Christian faith, and His role is not merely that of a moral teacher but as the Savior who reconciles sinners to God.
2. The Atonement and Salvation:
- Spencer Burke's View: Burke challenges traditional understandings of the atonement, particularly penal substitutionary atonement. He suggests that the idea of Jesus’ death as a payment for sin is outdated and prefers to view salvation as a process of self-discovery, personal transformation, and living out the love of God. In A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity, Burke leans toward a more universalist approach, arguing that God’s grace is inclusive and available to all, regardless of faith in Christ.
- Confessional Christianity: The Westminster Confession of Faith and Reformed theology teach that Jesus’ atoning death was a substitutionary sacrifice for sin, necessary to satisfy God's justice (Romans 3:25-26; Isaiah 53:4-6). Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), and repentance and faith in Jesus are essential for receiving God’s grace.
3. View of the Bible and Authority:
- Spencer Burke's View: Burke often questions the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, suggesting that the Bible should be seen as one source of truth among many. He encourages a more subjective and experiential approach to spirituality, where personal experiences and insights take precedence over doctrinal teachings. In his work, Burke promotes the idea that truth is fluid, evolving, and not limited to the pages of Scripture.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Scripture is seen as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice, and believers are called to interpret it in a way that honors its historical and grammatical context, recognizing it as the ultimate revelation of God’s will.
4. The Nature of Truth and Theology:
- Spencer Burke's View: In line with Emergent Church thought, Burke promotes a postmodern approach to truth, arguing that absolute truth is elusive and that spiritual journeys are subjective. He suggests that theology should be open, fluid, and adaptable to personal experiences, rather than adhering to rigid doctrines. Burke often favors questions over answers and encourages exploring faith in a way that is inclusive of diverse beliefs and practices.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity affirms that truth is absolute, objective, and knowable, grounded in the revelation of God through Scripture. The Westminster Confession emphasizes that God has revealed Himself clearly in the Bible, providing a reliable foundation for theology and practice (Psalm 19:7-9; John 17:17). Faith is not merely a subjective journey but is rooted in the objective truth of God’s Word.
5. Inclusivity and Pluralism:
- Spencer Burke's View: Burke is known for advocating for a highly inclusive approach to faith, suggesting that people from different religious traditions can have authentic encounters with God. He often downplays the exclusivity of Christianity, emphasizing the importance of embracing diversity and learning from other faiths. This inclusivity aligns with his broader understanding of God’s grace as being universally accessible.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity maintains that salvation is found exclusively in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). While believers are called to love and respect people of all backgrounds, Christianity affirms the uniqueness and exclusivity of the gospel message. True faith involves repentance, belief in the atoning work of Christ, and submission to Him as Lord and Savior.
Summary of Differences
Spencer Burke's theology is characteristic of the Emergent Church movement, which often questions traditional doctrines, promotes inclusivity, and embraces a fluid understanding of truth. His emphasis on experience, inclusivity, and a more relativistic approach to faith contrasts sharply with confessional Christianity, which upholds the authority of Scripture, the uniqueness of Christ, the necessity of faith in Him for salvation, and the absolute nature of biblical truth.
While Burke’s approach appeals to those seeking a more open and less dogmatic expression of faith, his teaching is clearly heretical, as it significantly departs from the foundational teachings of Reformed theology and confessional Christianity. It lacks the doctrinal clarity and biblical grounding that are central to historic Christian orthodoxy.