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Tony Jones on Mark Driscoll: What came first, the thug or the theology?
This drawing is inspired by the Ouroboros Snake... of the snake eating its own tail.
What came first? The chicken or the egg? What came first? The thug or the theology? I read Tony Jones' thoughts on Mark Driscoll.
Jones has always admired Driscoll, maybe envies him a little, wants the best for him, believes he can be redeemed, and suggests that things can be restored.
What I found most interesting though is that Jones believes the problem with Driscoll is theological.
- He titles his post is "Thoughts about Mark Driscoll"
- He talks about the "heady" days of publishing and speaking.
- He dismisses his disturbing personality traits by his use of the word "sure".
- He says it isn't a moral issue (evil) but that he is passionate.
- He says more than once that Driscoll is "extremely smart" or "brilliant".
- He suggests that he will "see" (as in "think"?) his way out of this.
- He writes that Driscoll has just embraced a toxic version of theology.
- He hopes that Driscoll will turn away from this toxic theology.
- He concludes therefore that Driscoll is not the problem, but his theology.
But my question is‚ What came first? The thug or the theology?
That is, did Driscoll become the focus of concern because of his theology? Or was it because of his behavior?
I'm concerned that Jones' post reflects the refusal of the church to understand spiritual abuse. It neglects the pathology of its abusive leaders. I don't think this is being fair to the victims or the perpetrators of spiritual abuse. People are victims of not just a bad theology, but a pathological cruelty.
I don't think Driscoll's theology made this happen. Driscoll "embraced" his toxic version of theology because it aligned with his moral compass. It fit his personality. It worked for him to achieve his goals. Then it manifested the worst in him. Then he continued to develop his toxic theology in order to make more room for his pathological behavior. Mars Hill Church too.
Jones' sentence, "It could have happened to any of us." is true, because I believe we all participate in this dynamic. Theology is our creation. It is a reflection of our drives and desires.
Then, not satisfied to only be the product of our drives and desires, it also becomes the producer of them. Theology is a vicious cycle of our desperate need to understand and control our universe.
Step into this cycle at any point and you can see that we are both the root and fruit of our theology and pathology.
And yes, it spins out of control by manifesting itself in toxic, controlling, and abusive behavior. Nothing can be done about bad theology because of free thought and speech.
But we can do something when this manifests itself in bad behavior. Cruel theology is a nuisance. Cruel behavior is unacceptable.
When Driscoll thinks bully to his people, we can say please stop. But when he actually bullies people, we can step in and say you will stop now!
I don't think this is a theological issue. I think it is a pathological one. Not just for Driscoll and Jones, but for the entire church.
If we would be healed, our theology would take care of itself.
1079 comments
wrt other significant blogs picking this up and discussing it, I know of a few who have not posted specifically because they didn’t want to draw the conversation away from this thread. What’s happening here is actually a rare but productive form of discussion. Somebody mentioned chaotic conversation threads on HuffPo et al, but can anyone point out a more civil and more productive online comment thread that runs 600 comments? This is a special thing going on here.
Was “significant wire story” a threat by Mike? Bring it. I have only the truth which sets me free.
This is eery and accurate as God is my witness. I am many things….but a liar is not one of them. Strict Catholic rearing I suppose. It is the one thing I am NOT. Right before the RV rolled out for the summer long book promotion tour by Jossey Bass as the funding publisher, with Mark Scandrette and Doug Pagitt, the Church Basement Roadshow to promote the new book Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier, I was sat down to sign some insurance documents. I smelled a rat and so I asked what is this? I was told that well, I thought since you had mild post partum depression after the birth of Lily that your mental health coverage in our plan should be changed. I SWEAR to God! This thing was carefully orchestrated for months. How diabolical! I said lots of people get post partum depression and that does not mean they have mental illness. It was a very clear and calculated gas lighting moment. This is all verifiable with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. June 2008 was the plan and coverage changed to increase mental health coverage? Yep. I also am remembering now another gas light moment. He was speaking to Brian McLaren on the phone and then when he got off he said, “I was talking to Brian and I think you are bipolar. He has a close family member that is and so he knows and I was describing to him about you.” The confusion is that an empathetic person with a healthy full range of emotions including righteous anger to adultery in their distorted minds is “bipolar.” Again, the true hypocrisy is this is coming from a person with an actual diagnosis. How messed up is that? The pattern of discarded and dismissing woman as “crazy” is prevalent in this misogynistic culture. Around this time also he asked for all credit cards because he just wanted to “consolidate” them and it is not good to have them dangling out there dormant. Canceled every last one. The stay at home mom had no means to provide. Is THAT the stellar Pastoral care Brain McLaren speaks of?! Where then? Where and what exactly were your examples of wonderful Pastoral care given to me and my children by Brian McLaren, Brad Cecil, Mark Scandrette, Doug Pagitt, Danielle Shroyer, or Mike King? Stonewalling with silence is not a technique I think they teach in seminary.
Oddly enough, a number of us have been thinking of purchasing our own “significant wire story”, too. Great minds, eh.
@ Mike
Oh yes, and by the way, interesting to note that you refer to the actions of many here (which includes the calling of names) as “Spiritual McCarthyism” (a bunch of Joe McCarthys they are, eh Mike? Nice use of invective), but when you call people names behind their backs, come on, it’s not that big of a deal, it was related to your own mental health problems, it was a looong time ago, it was just a name (as if calling someone “batsh— crazy” behind their backs as part of a whisper campaign when you should’ve know fully bloody well that such things could have long legs and potential custody implications and implications for someone’s very freedom could somehow be equated with calling someone a name such as an a-hole or something like that to their face).
Right, Mike.