Why Progressives and Emergents Embrace Agnosticism

Yale philosopher Keith DeRose illogically claims:

• That neither theists nor atheists know whether God exists. And here I don’t just mean that they don’t know for certain, but that they don’t know at all.

Against logic? Absolutely! While he denies that anyone can "know whether God exists,” DeRose claims that he absolutely knows enough about this very subject of God’s existence that he can be sure that no one can know!

Just try telling that to the Apostle Thomas who doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead. However, after Jesus had appeared to him, he confidently confessed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

And Thomas is not alone. Many others can similarly affirm the existence of God. However, Emergents and Progressive Christians seem to have a great problem with this. Emergent professor, Tony Jones, affirms DeRose’s stance:

• People can reasonably believe in God or disbelieve in God, but they cannot reasonably claim to know that there is a God or is not a God. We’re all agnostics.

This is quite an extravagant claim for someone who teaches at a “Christian” seminary. If “we’re all agnostics,” of what can our conversation or teaching consist? Speculation! A fun time discussing various ideas that the “narrow-minded” take very seriously!

It is therefore not surprising that Emergents are hesitant about pushing theological matters. Jones admits:

• I’m reluctant to bring up theological matters when I’m having a beer with one of these friends, or over a night of poker. I don’t want to impose. I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable.

However, Emergents can be as dogmatic as Bill Ayers when it comes to climate change. Why then are they so agnostic about God? I had been! I required that God conform to me and my worldview. As a Jew, I had found the idea of Christ repugnant. No wonder God wasn’t about to reveal Himself to me!

Many Progressives and Emergents protest that they cannot believe in a God of judgment or a God that requires a particular set of beliefs. In essence, they are requiring, as I had, that God conform to their worldview, and He won’t! Instead, we have to seek Him without our set of requirements but with a willingness to listen to His!