Thursday, January 19, 2006
Detailed comments on "I like Emergents"
These are my comments on Mike's "Read this, then let me know what you think of it."
I just read Emergent delusion prior to reading Mike's link. It probably has biased my responses, but I hope you stick with me.
1. Agreed. Too many people, myself included, put on the "everything's OK" face when it comes to sins, public or private.
2. I guess I agree.
3. Actually I'm confused about what he means by 'missional.' I want to say he's referring to sending mission trips, yet the rest of his point doesn't relate to that at all.
4. I couldn't call Schindler's List or a U2 Concert spiritual. The light show at the Trans-Siberian Orchestra was awesome, but there wasn't anything spiritual about it. I could say that they have emotional impact. And that's me regarding 'spiritual' as from God, not as the author is likely meaning spiritual as affecting the soul.
5. It strikes me as such a contradiction. I probably have areas where I hold two opposing views simultaneously, but it is more of a problem of sin than 'courage' to do so. Very post-modern (culture, not the church in this case).
6. He starts to sound like a bitter liberal. Doesn't really matter, neither party is "Right."
7. So if I say "you suck" with the right "tone," it's OK? Is the 'means' by which it is done more important than the end result?
8. I guess I agree. Though there is the implication that big churches hinder people from getting to know one another well.
9. Something about this one bugs me, but I can't put my finger on it. I don't completely disagree with him, there's just too much emphasis on the journey.
10. Grace = Good. Grace, understanding, and acceptance of other religions, so as to put them on a pedestal with yourself = BAD.
A couple things bug me though. 1. There is a, intentional or not, a leaning to the liberal/left side of the political spectrum. 2. There is an assumption that the previous generation had it wrong, and that this new 'emergent' or 'emerging' generation can get it right.
I just read Emergent delusion prior to reading Mike's link. It probably has biased my responses, but I hope you stick with me.
1. Agreed. Too many people, myself included, put on the "everything's OK" face when it comes to sins, public or private.
2. I guess I agree.
3. Actually I'm confused about what he means by 'missional.' I want to say he's referring to sending mission trips, yet the rest of his point doesn't relate to that at all.
4. I couldn't call Schindler's List or a U2 Concert spiritual. The light show at the Trans-Siberian Orchestra was awesome, but there wasn't anything spiritual about it. I could say that they have emotional impact. And that's me regarding 'spiritual' as from God, not as the author is likely meaning spiritual as affecting the soul.
5. It strikes me as such a contradiction. I probably have areas where I hold two opposing views simultaneously, but it is more of a problem of sin than 'courage' to do so. Very post-modern (culture, not the church in this case).
6. He starts to sound like a bitter liberal. Doesn't really matter, neither party is "Right."
7. So if I say "you suck" with the right "tone," it's OK? Is the 'means' by which it is done more important than the end result?
8. I guess I agree. Though there is the implication that big churches hinder people from getting to know one another well.
9. Something about this one bugs me, but I can't put my finger on it. I don't completely disagree with him, there's just too much emphasis on the journey.
10. Grace = Good. Grace, understanding, and acceptance of other religions, so as to put them on a pedestal with yourself = BAD.
A couple things bug me though. 1. There is a, intentional or not, a leaning to the liberal/left side of the political spectrum. 2. There is an assumption that the previous generation had it wrong, and that this new 'emergent' or 'emerging' generation can get it right.
# posted by Jacob Bird @ 7:37 PM 
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I think the assumption made is more "you can get us closer to right" than actually getting it totally right"
I think leaning a little left on a boat that's been almost drowning from leaning right isn't a bad thing. But I agree more with the "i'm a registered Christian" idea.
I completely agree with his 2 points at the end "Keep Jesus" & "Keep the church" which I believe the "emergents" or "pomo's" that are getting it more right do keep, but I think the view from the "modern" or "conservative christian" side is that we, being the "emerging generation of christ followers" are not keeping those things.
I think things with church, and more than just our church in particular could get quite interesting over this next decade...
I think leaning a little left on a boat that's been almost drowning from leaning right isn't a bad thing. But I agree more with the "i'm a registered Christian" idea.
I completely agree with his 2 points at the end "Keep Jesus" & "Keep the church" which I believe the "emergents" or "pomo's" that are getting it more right do keep, but I think the view from the "modern" or "conservative christian" side is that we, being the "emerging generation of christ followers" are not keeping those things.
I think things with church, and more than just our church in particular could get quite interesting over this next decade...
It's funny that he should mention the "tone" of what an emergent person says as more important than the actual content. It's funny primarily because from what I've heard from Tony Jones, Pagitt, Campolo, McLaren and others is a sort of smug self-righteous piety that is passed off as "I'm okay you're okay". So as much as I might take issue with what they are saying in reality it's the "emergent" tone that bothers me even more. I think saying "I dunno I don't have all the answers" is ironically often a prideful thing to say—at least in the way the emergents carry themselves and this attitude.
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