Francis Macnab. Photo: John Woudstra
Posing for photographs in front of a 19th century church organ, Francis Mcnab proclaimed a new faith for the 21st century.
Apparently a new faith was necessary because the old faith (orthodox Christianity) no longer works.
Out goes Abraham—a concoction. Out goes Moses—a mass murderer. Out goes the 10 Commandments—one of the most negative documents ever written. Jesus can stay, but not as God incarnate.
In fact, there is no “God”, in the sense of a God who intervenes in human affairs. God has become a presence we strive for both within and beyond us.
God was not available to promote this new faith, so Mcnab has hired a media expert. He has a budget of $120,000 for an advertising campaign, involving newspaper and radio advertising, the internet, banners and billboards.
Macnab is a minister for life at St Michael’s Uniting Church in Melbourne. He has been there since 1971.
There is nothing “new” about this “faith”. It’s a rehash of the 1960s theological liberalism. Which was a rehash of 19th century liberalism. Which was a rehash of the old the promise, “You shall become like gods.”
Far from the emergence of a new faith for the 21st century, this is a case study of a religious tradition in the terminal phase of its existence.
3 Comments
My my my.
What DOES a man have to do these days to get defrocked???
Sadly, as you rightly say, this is the proof — if we ever needed it — that the UCA is dead.
I sincerely have to say that for orthodox Christians, the UCA is a mission field… just like a soccer club, a workplace or anywhere else. We might as well look at it as a place where (potentially) God-fearing heathens gather.
Regrettably it’s a whole lot easier to do mission in the pub or soccer field, though… far fewer pretentious and self-righteous people there that in a dead liberal church.
I grew up in the UCA, and it was dead at “uniting”. Every time I go into a UCA church there is a familiar “feeling” — I don’t know how else to describe it — a “niceness” with absolutely no spine, and it makes me ill.
Lord have mercy. Really.
-Alister
Great blog.
Thanks.
There’s life in Naracoorte Uniting Church (South Australia)…not because we are a Uniting Church, but because we have been transformed in our hearts by the grace of Jesus and the presence of his Holy Spirit. We believe in the faith of the first apostles, and do our best to follow in the way of Christ. We wish we were perfect, but recognise that we aren’t, and trust in the redeeming work of Jesus.
We want the world to know that our ‘niceness’ (and we actually don’t think that being nice to others is all that far from Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbours as ourselves!) is not because of who we are, but because of the work of Christ in us transforming us little by little into his likeness.
Also, we know that we need more and more of this transformational grace.
So yes, Alister, we pray, Lord have mercy. Really.
-Ian
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[...] last time I heard Macnab preach, it really sounded more like the death throes of the old religion, rather than anything new. An elderly congregation sang ancient hymns and performed ancient rituals [...]
[...] An update on the sad story of Francis Macnab and St Michael’s Uniting Church. [...]