I'm not sure if the title triggers any thoughts in your mind, but, if you have spent any time with researching, reading or immersing yourself with the "emergent church" then maybe it means something to you. Emergents are very concerned with the idea of conversation. Adding to the conversation, is one who often a part of it, Scot McKnight. The place: the newest issue of Christianity Today in the article, "Five Streams of the Emerging Church". I have gained a respect for Christianity Today as I subscribed on a whim, really. It sounds like such a bastion of evangelicals/fundies who elected Bush, or the people who leave social justice at the door while trying to harvest souls. Now, there is much more to be said about "these people" that I am stereotyping unjustly, I'm sure. However, I have not found CT to necessarily be a part of that demographic. Certainly, they are evangelical (Billy Graham founded the magazine) but more in the sense that World Relief is evangelical. Maybe it wasn't like this in the past...I don't know. What I do know is that I have been greatly refreshed.
And today was particularly encouraging. I won't go into the article in detail because it is a rather short read and a synopsis in itself. However, I think that it provided a good overview of the emerging church, identifying key elements and connections to classic Christianity as well as recent movements in the last few decades that have similarities (similarities that I have found myself when I talk to my parents about the charismatic movement in the 60's and 70's). Of course, this article would also not be scathing, because it is by an insider. Anthropoligically speaking, it is hard for an insider to describe their own culture, but I think that McKnight does it well. It is also difficult for an outsider to understand a culture, which I have found are the severe downfalls of critiques of the emerging church as written in Modern Reformation. Additionally, "outsiders" tend to focus on the celebrity of a movement, when this movement is somewhat anti-celebrity (or maybe everybody gets to be a celebrity with a blog). Or atleast, we like to think so...although who in the DC area has not visited Cedar Ridge Community Church or heard Jim Wallis speak? The emerging church is certainly messy; so was the first century church it seems, particularly with Paul and Peter quarrelling. But, the Holy Spirit worked there and He (She?) is working here, too.
All that being said, I think that I can affirm again that I resonate with the emerging church (and it so much easier than saying "post-evangelical"-a term coined by Dave Tomlinson, check out the book or I think there is an American version co-authored with Dallas Willard). I believe that there is such a strong connection between what we believe/say and do...and integrating our lives is a worthy journey to embark on.
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4 comments:
I really respond to your last sentence. "Connection between what we believe/say...integrating our lives..." We talked about dreams last night and the vehicle as identity. I had a car dream that is lingering in me, my car was missing. I came outside to leave for work and it wasn't there by the curb. I can't stop thinking of that missing identity...
But I find it very challenging, I keep wondering who am I? What is really me, and what have I adopted from my family and my culture and my friends? I never cease to ask the question what do I believe, because I feel like I have very little access to that part of me. And how can we have confidence in our beliefs? Have I borrowed my families beliefs, and if not, how do I gain confindence that they are mine, that my beliefs are real. (Meaning real to me.)
That's interesting that you brought up the concept of identity. Can it really be said that someone has "an identity"? Doesn't it all depend on perspective. The way one identifies oneself is most likely different than the way they are identified by any one else. Not only that, one can have many different identities depending on the situation/circumstance. I am sure we all present ourselves differently to our friends than we do to our employers, coworkers, or strangers on the street. And of course, as we have seen, people can have their identities be whatever they want, even if it is not anything like who they truly are.
So is it really necessary to have an identity that can be defined. Is it not enough to just be comfortable with who you are, no matter what that might mean. Beliefs are real because you believe them, regardless of their origin or validity to the outside observer.
I don't know if this is actually what you meant to convey as part of your post, but this response just came out.
Hmm...anonymous, what you are saying is interesting. But, I think that the goal is integration, not having all of these identities out there but really being able to know yourself and be known by other people (of course, in the appropriate manner). I create a different identity when I am afraid that other people will not accept who I am. Of course your point about being yourself is valid. I just don't understand how your two comments jive about different identities and being comfortable with yourself. Who are you?
And maybe Sarah is talking about what faith in our beliefs. I found that a lot of my faith in my beliefs shattered in my early 20's and started to actually have true faith.
Not sure...enlighten me?
Sarah is right, I was talking about faith in my beliefs. And I agree with her response to anonymous. Being a different person to different people is masks. Also we aren't defined by what other people see as being who we are, that is irrelavent. If there isn't a base self that we recognize how can we ever truly be comfortable, I find the uncertainty to be perpetaully unsettling. Being a changing person is also different from being one without an identity. I absolutely do not believe that my identity depends on perspective. Being whatever you want is a persona, it is creating a false self rather than being a real self. I believe that each person does have a true identity that they have rejected based on the attitudes of their family, friends, culture and themselves. After years of getting further and further away from the true self we lose any sense of who we really are, and getting back seems impossible. I believe there is a real me in there and my journey is to find her and embrace her. It's curious what you say "even if it is not anything like who they are" which presupposes they have a disinct identity that they are acting contrary to.
I appreciate your thoughtful response. :)
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