How (Not) to Speak of God: Marks of the Emerging Church

by Peter Rollins

It is generally assumed by religious people today that God’s revelation can be understood via anonymity and adequacy. As an example of the former, the existence and nature of the universe can be said to offer anonymous revelation, for by employing versions of the teleological and cosmological arguments, it is said by some that we can make certain basic claims about the source of the universe. The believer will generally point out that this general revelation, while important, is ultimately insufficient and must be superseded by the latter type of revelation whereby God is manifest more substantially through the prophets, Jesus or some kind of personal encounter. In this way God is no longer unknown because of some lack of information, but made known through a sufficient revelation.