Who needs enemies?

With managing editors like Andrew Faiz, who needs enemies? I'm not entirely clear about the point, if any, of Faiz's article. It does seem clear that Faiz is as enamored of the word “zeitgeist” as he is of the parenthesis keys on his computer. If his point is that the traditional denominations in North America representing “religion” face a prevailing culture that is skeptical of their compassion and sincerity, then that is worth discussing. If his point is also that this perception is created exclusively by influential writers, then that also is worth discussing.
Where I have considerable problems is with his ill-informed and grossly unfair characterization of the ministry and writings of Bruxy Cavey. Lumping Bruxy Cavey's views in with a rank heretic such as Bishop Spong or an antagonist to Christian faith such as Christopher Hitchens amounts to little better than a drive-by shooting at the reputation of one of Christianity's most effective communicators in Canada today.
The Meeting House is not non-denominational, but rather a Brethren in Christ congregation. If one were to read Cavey's book The End of Religion, one would find that Cavey takes considerable pains to be clear what he means when employing the term “religion.” Cavey's critique of “religion” contains virtually the same warnings as St. Paul provides in II Timothy 3:5 to avoid those “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Or the same model as James 1:27 (quoted in the book), “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” I can also confirm from personal experience that the Jesus presented in Cavey's preaching is not some dumbed-down “Jesus good” as implied in Faiz's title, but a highly orthodox and high view of Christ as Lord and Saviour. Finally, I can also confirm that the ministry at The Meeting House emphasizes a rigorousdiscipleship that would be a credit to any church in our own denomination and might well be the best antidote to the “zeitgeist” Faiz appears to be concerned with.
If we are truly concerned about the credibility in our society of our Christian witness, maybe our examination should be focused inward. Maybe we should be challenging ourselves in terms of whether what we do in our congregations truly reflects Christ to the communities around us. If Faiz wishes to continue to look for “enemies,” maybe he should consider the wisdom of Walt Kelly's Pogo: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”