Believe it or not, Frank Pastore really argues that Al Qaeda supports the Emergent Church. His basic argument is this. If the American church were vibrant and healthy, then America as a nation would have the resolve required to defeat terrorists. Since the Emergent movement weakens the church, the nation’s resolve to defeat terrorists is weakened too. Therefore, Al Qaeda supports the Emergent church.
Kind of a stretch, huh? While I’m no fan of Emergent, I do think Pastore’s piece is a bit heavy on the Constantinian triumphalism (of which I am not a fan either). The article has lots of other problems, but here’s the whole thing anyway:
“Why Al Qaeda Supports the Emergent Church” – by Frank Pastore (Townhall.com)
(HT: Tom Ascol)
So what he is saying is that he is against radical nationalistic fundamentalism of religion found in Islam and he thinks the only solution is the radical nationalistic fundamentalism of religion found in our country in the form of Americanized conservative Christianity.
The logic and paradigms he himself is using is far more similar to that of Radical Islam than the emergent church. It is scary.
Peace,
James