Eavesdropping on a Radical Emergent Unitarian Conversation
Go on, try to parse the musings of this self-identified and self-proclaimed “Radical, Emergent, Unitarian” conversation about Jesus Christ.
What is an Emergent Unitarian Universalist Church!?!
This is the sort of thing that makes it very hard for me not to be very particular about the friends I keep: An Emergent Liberal Church. I deeply appreciate the open conversation to which the Emergent wing of the Emerging Church is dedicated, but seriously … a Unitarian Universalist Emergent Church?!? I journeyed pretty far behind that particular curtain, and what I discovered was and still is not pretty. Honestly, it is not. The flirtation between Unitarian Universalism and the Emergent wing of the Emerging Conversation is nearly enough for me to join the growing multitude and discount Emergent validity completely. Emergent isn’t Emerging, after all; said differently, the Emergent Village is only one expression of the larger Emerging Conversation. Read More »
Circumvent Relational Morph into Cheap Syncretism
When do honest attempts at incarnational relationships morph into cheap religious pluralism and/or spiritual syncretism (both are very different from deep inter-faith conversation, which is something I support with all of my being)? Read More »
Emergent’s Spirit Depot: Full of Crazy White People?
The Holy Observer publishes a piece of classic satirical genius re: the Emerging Church: Frightened Black Family Flees Emergent Church. So, I must ask, is the Emerging Church mostly full of crazy white people?
The Church as Picnic and So Much More
Shults on Proffering an Emergent Doctrinal Statement
LeRon Shults, on Emergent: “Emergent aims to facilitate a conversation among persons committed to living out faithfully the call to participate in the reconciling mission of the biblical God. Whether it appears in the by-laws of a congregation or in the catalog of an educational institution, a “statement of faith” tends to stop conversation. Such statements can also easily become tools for manipulating or excluding people from the community. Too often they create an environment in which real conversation is avoided out of fear that critical reflection on one or more of the sacred propositions will lead to excommunication from the community. Emergent seeks to provide a milieu in which others are welcomed to join in the pursuit of life “in” the One who is true (1 John 5:20). Giving into the pressure to petrify the conversation in a “statement” would make Emergent easier to control; its critics could dissect it and then place it in a theological museum alongside other dead conceptual specimens the curators find opprobrious. But living, moving things do not belong in museums. Whatever else Emergent may be, it is a movement committed to encouraging the lively pursuit of God and to inviting others into a delightfully terrifying conversation along the way.” Read More »
Essential Differences Between Emerging and Emergent
I just read a great article at Resurgence regarding the sharp differences between Emerging and Emergent. It is titled Essential Concerns Regarding the Emerging Church. (Tip: Jonathan Herron)
There seems to be a sharp and growing theological gulf developing between the Emerging Church Movement (Emerging Conversation) and one of its most visible, vocal and distinct streams - i.e., Emergent, aka Emergent Village. Are Emerging and Emergent two different conversations? Read More »
Pagitt’s Three Categories of Emerging Ministry
Christianity Today recently published an article written by Scot McKnight titled The Five Streams of the Emerging Church: Key Elements of the Most Controversial and Misunderstood Movement in the Church Today. It is actually a pretty good read. It seems to me to be a very solid attempt at ecclesial systematics. It seems as much in spite of the Emerging movement’s claim to be “Post-systematic” in theology and/or practice (ecclesiology - even brand new forms of eccesiology - is still parked under the umbrella of theology, right?). I do think the Emerging Conversation is in dire need of a bit of coherent systemization. McKnight obviously does too, or he wouldn’t be blatantly outlining its different expressions in a fashion which seems to contradict all that the Emerging movement normally represents, or wears, at least in more casual situations. Read More »
