Reflecting on the "Emergent Thing" - part 1

For a couple years, I've been reading up on the Emergent conversation. Started when I read, New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren. Continued when I heard Tony Jones at a Youth Specialties Conference, read some more books by McLaren, Jones, Dave Tomlinson's Post Evangelical, met a couple pastors who considered themselves emergent, and next thing I knew, I was on emergentvillage.org, listening to podcasts, attending cohorts, and whatever else. You should know that I am still saved.

I've been reluctant to really say much on this subject partially because there are so many great sources and so many bad sources of information, I don't want to be among the latter. So, I will tread delicately.

Coming from a conservative tradition, I can understand a little why some are hesitant to appreciate the conversation but what has surprised me has been the attack on this conversation. "IF I could say one thing to 'those who consider themselves conservative' world, it would be" - It's not liberalism repackaged!

Granted, some in this conversation consider themselves to be liberal, some identify themselves as conservative and some are somewhere in the middle. If you are wondering what I consider myself, you'll be waiting a while for a response and even then, it won't be one of the three. And don't label me! (I'm so pomo ... but I'm not).

I think that's my first pet peeve. Too many consider this emerging church thing either to be liberal or even more insulting ... trendy. I have two theories of why this is:

1. It is typical of those who consider themselves to be conservative to break fellowship with one they perceive to be liberal. So, by process of elimination, the professing liberals end up being the makeup and impression of the "room".

2. We from conservative backgrounds have been taught that the philosophy of postmodernism is a poor philosophy anchored in relativism and humanism. It's fruit tends to be atheism or agnosticism, and among it's tools is deconstructionism, and materialism (to name a couple.) People who profess this are great minds like Ravi Zacharias and Chuck Colson. People that I completely respect. (If you know me, you may have heard me say that when I die, I want to be reincarnated as Ravi Zacharias. Unfortunately, if reincarnation is true, I'm probably coming back as Jesse Jackson or worse - Joel Osteen. I know I'm not bad enough to return as Pat Robertson but I digress).

The issue is that post-modernism (from the conservative camp) is usually defined as a philosophy, which it is - but that's not all it is. Postmodernism also refers to an age of time. So, as the conversation goes, there was the pre-modern time (the ancient time, the period before the age of enlightenment), the modern time (beginning around the enlightenment and scientific age) and now we find ourselves in the midst of another transition - the postmodern. And it hopes to combine the mystery of the pre-moderns and the science of the modern. So much more to say about this, but you can begin to see some of the confusion between the term referring to exclusively a philosophy versus also referring to an age.

Anyway, if you do find yourself reading this and have been crossed paths with this emergent, emerging church, postmodern, whatever you call this thing - I encourage you to consider the discussion.

My initial interest was about hearing how to reach out to the culture. I came away with so much more. The culture is thinking differently, it is undergoing a paradigm shift of thinking. I have not only read that but am experiencing this first hand. The Church is also changing. These are not necessarily bad and evil things. Some change is good, some isn't. Would it not be wise to join in and help?

"U2-charist": Bono moves in mysterious ways

Mon Jan 29, 9:18 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - For Anglicans who still haven't found what they're looking for, the Church of England is staging its first "U2-charist" communion service -- replacing hymns with hit songs by the Irish supergroup.
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"Rock music can be a vehicle of immense spirituality," said Bishop of Grantham Timothy Ellis, announcing plans for the unique service in the central English town of Lincoln in May.

A live band is to play U2 classics like "Beautiful Day" and "Mysterious Ways" with special singalong lyrics displayed on a giant screen. Seating for the 500-strong congregation is to be re-arranged so everyone can dance and wave their hands.

The service is to focus on the Millennium development goals -- U2's lead singer Bono is a leading promoter of the targets to alleviate world poverty. (original article linked to title)


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* Now I love U2, I love Bono, I'm a fan.
Though I believe that we can touched by God listening to music, (as I have been by U2 and many others), I am not sure this church has to go so far with this. I'm saying this more from a preferece thing. Why not include U2 songs in addition to the thousands of other works our faith has produced. As a church, we tend to go from one extreme to another.
But what do I know. I'm still signing up on their newsletter list so I will be notified for Gun's Roses Sunday. I would love to see Slash play November Rain inside the church again.

British Airways allows employees' religious wear

British Airways allows employees' religious wear
Check-in worker Nadia Eweida can now wear her cross.

This is part of a longer story that started last fall when Nadia was sent home for wearing her crucifix. (British Airlines Sends Employee Home for Wearing Crucifix).
"November 20, 2006

A Christian employee of British Airways (BA) has lost her suit against the airline for telling her she cannot wear her crucifix, while allowing Muslim and Sikh employees to don their religious scarves and turbans.

Nadia Ewedia, a check-in worker at London's Heathrow Airport, claims she was told in a letter from the company that her cross breached its uniform rules. "British Airways permits Muslims to wear a headscarf, Sikhs to wear a turban, and other faiths [to wear] religious apparel," said Ewedia, a seven-year employee of the airline. "Only Christians are forbidden to express their faith."

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Nice job British Airways, thanks for being consistent.

Five Streams of the Emerging Church by Scot McKnight

Key elements of the most controversial and misunderstood movement in the church today.

"It is said that emerging Christians confess their faith like mainliners—meaning they say things publicly they don't really believe. They drink like Southern Baptists—meaning, to adapt some words from Mark Twain, they are teetotalers when it is judicious. They talk like Catholics—meaning they cuss and use naughty words. They evangelize and theologize like the Reformed—meaning they rarely evangelize, yet theologize all the time. They worship like charismatics—meaning with their whole bodies, some parts tattooed. They vote like Episcopalians—meaning they eat, drink, and sleep on their left side. And, they deny the truth—meaning they've got a latte-soaked copy of Derrida in their smoke- and beer-stained backpacks.

Along with unfair stereotypes of other traditions, such are the urban legends surrounding the emerging church—one of the most controversial and misunderstood movements today. As a theologian, I have studied the movement and interacted with its key leaders for years—even more, I happily consider myself part of this movement or "conversation." As an evangelical, I've had my concerns, but overall I think what emerging Christians bring to the table is vital for the overall health of the church.

In this article, I want to undermine the urban legends and provide a more accurate description of the emerging movement. Though the movement has an international dimension, I will focus on the North American scene." (Full article linked to title).
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Excellent article by Scot McKnight

"I believe in the culture war. And you know what? If I have to take a side in the culture war I'll take [the conservative Christian] side. Because if you give me the choice of Paris Hilton or Jesus, I'll take Jesus."

—Alexandra Pelosi, creator of the new HBO documentary "Friends of God" and daughter of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. She was quoted by The New York Times.


- Yes, if only the culture war was that simple.

A Visual Apologetic for Life: In the Womb

by Mark Early
January 22, 2007


"When Michelangelo carved the beauty of the human form in marble, he knew that true art is "but a shadow of the divine perfection." As true art shadows God, so too, the beauty and complexity of the human form is an unrivaled masterpiece that proclaims its Creator. A new DVD and accompanying book from National Geographic called In the Womb highlight this masterpiece of life in its earliest stages. Despite National Geographic's evolutionary language, these images are one of the best visual apologetics for the Creator and for choosing life that we have seen in a long time.

Today, thirty-four years after Roe v. Wade, we can see into the womb with detail that was unimaginable in 1973. Now, 3-D and 4-D scans—scans that literally piece together images to show a baby in motion in the womb—have brought the miracle of life into new focus. In the Womb author, Peter Tallack, calls this new technology the medical equivalent of the Hubble Space Telescope. And the images it zooms in on during the odyssey of pregnancy may change the minds of women contemplating abortion and ordinary men and women who have not reflected deeply on abortion's horrors.

Statistics tell us that 88 percent of clinical abortions happen before the twelfth week of pregnancy. In the Womb shows us a heart cell jolting to life on day twenty-two, arm buds developing in week four, glassy eyes forming in week six, taste buds, purposeful movement, and separate digits on hands and feet by week eight."

(Full article linked to title)

Watch the preview here

To my friends who have missed me,
Thanks for the encouraging words. I do intend on blogging more regularly. It's been a resolution.

Know that things are well and I appreciate your thoughts.

* Special thanks to CarolAnn. Appreciate your prayers.