Answers from Ethan Magness
Does the Restoration Movement Matter? Answers from EthanMagness.
Ethan Magness is spiritual formation pastor at Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland.
Do you feel as strongly about being a part of the Restoration Movement today as you did fifteen years ago? What, if anything, has changed?
My interest in and commitment to the Restoration movement has steadily grown. Fifteen years ago I definitely took the Restoration movement for granted. Having been raised inside the movement, I saw its flaws more clearly than its strengths. I have come to be more and more committed that the Restoration movement is a particularly vital and relevant voice for this moment in history. Our blend of independence and interdependence is precisely what is needed in this post-denominational age.
One reality that I have worked hard to accept is that more churches around us are embracing our distinctives without embracing our “brand.” This conflicts with my pride a bit but I think it is probably exactly the kind of thing that would have thrilled the signers of the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery. The goal of our movement has never been more “Christian Churches” and it has always been about more Christian churches. Consequently I think that our plea is more relevant than ever and I am more committed to it than I have ever been. At the same time I applaud the kinds of partnerships that are starting all over the country(ie. The National New Church Conference) that are transcending familial lines and are allowing Restoration Movement principles to infuse churches that will never adopt our label.
Is your commitment to the Restoration Movement primarily doctrinal or familial, or both?
I would not want to underestimate the power of my familial ties to the Restoration Movement. It is my spiritual home and in many ways my biological one. I certainly am predisposed out of love and gratitude to overlook our weaknesses and overestimate our strengths, but I know that my commitment is more than nostalgia. Our commitment to scripture and fellowship without hierarchy or creeds can occasionally get messy, (there is a wide spectrum of faith and practice) but it is also our greatest protection against error and the source of our enduring vitality as a movement.
If you moved into a new town and there was a strong and growing Evangelical church, and a weak and declining Christian church, which would you likely attend?
I confess that this question is totally hypothetical. I have never had to make this choice and there are so many particulars that could effect this decision. In the context of that ambiguity, I can certainly imagine that a particular Christian church might be so unhealthy that I could not worship and serve there, but before I assumed that was the case, I would first work to cultivate health in the Restoration church and serve the body. I would certainly encourage relationships with the Evangelical church (as well as any other churches with whom partnership made sense). I am glad for the ways that the Restoration Plea is being embraced in many churches, but I am also very committed to the value that our churches bring to the church at large when we maintain our distinction (not distinct from the church at large but rather within the church at large). There is a delicate balance to be struck as we share our values with the whole church and cultivate our values in distinctive fellowships. I hope to always serve on the delicate edge of that balance.
Do you believe the Restoration Movement is just as valid in a postmodern environment as it was in the environment of the modern age? Why or why not?
It is no overstatement to say that our roots are deeply embedded in modernism. The Common Sense philosophy that influenced Campbell and his peers certainly assumed a modern mindset. However I think that in many ways it is the rise of the post-modernism that has created a period of remarkable relevance for the Restoration Movement. Post-Moderns value truth that is discovered through dialogue and exploration rather than that which is imposed by councils or creeds. Likewise they value organizations that are bound by relationships rather than regulations. On both of these issues, we were years ahead of the curve when compared with most other fellowships.
In addition I think that the Restoration movement is particularly well-suited to respond to the post-foundationalism of post-modern culture. This tendency to question all authority and resist any proposed foundation is certainly a challenge to all churches, but in our case we have really only one foundation: the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture. So at least when we find our foundations challenged, we are not wasting time arguing over 25 point statements of faith but are discussing the heart of the matter. By abandoning all false foundations years ago, our movement is uniquely ready to engage this age of post-foundationalism.
How important are the ordinances of baptism and the Lord”s supper? Do you think your view on these two issues is more conservative than your parents (and/or your children), less conservative, or about the same?
I think that in general our views are very similar. I am committed to the practices of immersion and the Lord”s Supper. I am convinced that weekly Communion is a vital discipline of Christian worship for two key reasons. Weekly communion protects us from a worship that is disconnected from both Christ and the cross. Additionally, weekly communion forms us as a people centered on Christ, not on good advice, or exciting music, but centered and anchored the crucified Son of God.
Our commitment to baptism is a consequence of our commitment to scripture. Surprisingly, it also cultivates a people that live in submission to scripture. The first point is perhaps obvious, we teach and practice immersion because we believe that scripture teaches it and records its practice. The second point is less obvious. When we help people understand why we practice immersion, we often get our first and best chance to teach them how to study and follow scripture. They get to see us as we embody our slogan, “No Creed but Christ, no book but the Bible.”
To you, what is the most compelling element of the Restoration Movement?
I still believe that we are a movement. Even after all these years, I see our churches serving God”s kingdom by helping others move toward basic Christianity. Our movement is growing on its own right but more importantly we are sharing our vision, our strength and our distinctives with any who will listen. Fifteen years ago I often told other that we were a denomination but just couldn”t bring ourselves to admit it. Today I look back and think that I was wrong. We are a movement, bound relationally, with no foundation but the hard work of reading scripture, trusting the Holy Spirit and doing our best to follow faithfully. Our movement is moving and I am grateful to be along for the ride.
0 Comments