All,

The Emergent Village has finally responded to the survey they conducted last summer.

The letter is very wonderful as a statement of emerging values and future directions.

I suggest you read it and comment.

http://tinyurl.com/5pzwgt

Bob

So we will be meeting at O’kanes (back part of McMenamins) at 7:00pm tonight for our monthly catch up and conversation. Should be a really good conversation as there is lots going on with each of us and it’ll be good to be able to support each other in all this.

The question for the evening (thanks to Bob) is the following:

Phyllis Tickle’s new book, The Great Emergence, raises the question of where authority lies in the new emerging transition we are now in.

The protestant Reformation set Scripture as the final authority, and that has been the case for the last few hundred years.

(remember before that it was the Pope, not scripture, that had the final authority on earth for ALL Christians.)

So, the topic I would like to tee up is:  where does authority lie if we are open to interpreting the scripture in a post modern perspective,

and thus may have many differing understandings of just what Scripture is telling us?

(for example, the role of women as teaching Pastors in the church.  Some think this is natural and how Jesus lived it, and some think that The Bible says it is not ok.)

Hope to see you there,
Nate

Here is a blog post from a pastor that I respect (Carol Howard Merritt) from her website TribalChurch.org

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Blessings,

Greg

I’m banging my way through this book, ever concerned about the deadline that’s looming, close on the horizon. I’m writing about cultural shifts, and how they affect our spiritual communities in a new generation.

MaryAnn McKibben Dana, who is in my writing group and is helping me with the project a great deal, asked me, “It’s like emerging church for the mainline?”

“Hmmm… well… yes… sort of … I guess….”

I am, as many of you know, in a constant struggle with realizing that paramount shifts to postmodernism have occurred, knowing that I am postmodern, and accepting that people label me emerging. I am a part of presbymergent and have great hope for the creative energy that flows there, but not entirely comfortable with all things emerging. Yet, as Shawn Coons and Jim Bonewald have reminded me on occasion, there are different emerging church movements, not just one. That’s comforting.

One of the main things that I have difficulty with within the emerging church movements (even the denominational-mergents) is the quick assumption that those who are emerging from an evangelical tradition are somehow more in touch with culture than us—the stuffy, old, hierarchical mainliners.

We are far from perfect. We have important questions to ask ourselves, significant changes that will be made. And many of those questions are being asked in emerging church circles.

If I’m honest, I’ll tell you that I’m not only emerging from the mainline church, but also from the evangelical church in which I grew up. I was educated in both. They both reside uncomfortably within me. With that perspective, the thought that evangelicalism is more in tune with postmodern culture than mainline denominations is really, really odd.

Evangelicalism is, on the surface, much more culturally flexible. Many evangelical congregations will change their worship style if they know that it will attract more members. They may not like it, but they’ll do it. Since the focus is outward, they easily alter their traditions to the surrounding culture. Their main goal is evangelizing, so they adapt to different advertising techniques, image makeovers, and technological advances. Evangelicals quickly grasp on to trends.

And, most importantly, they plant new churches. They have a deep sense that the best way to reach out to a “different people group” is to start a new congregation.

In comparison, when we talk about planting churches in Presbyterian circles, we instantly point out the failure rate, and argue that it’s a bad investment (as if closing churches, hoarding money, and turning away new leadership is a really great business plan…). Our cultural standards and advertising almost always favor the tastes and preferences of the elderly, and in an established church, any deviation is rare and difficult to pull off. There can be a sense that new generations need to develop an appreciation for our practices, while we have little patience for any adaptation of our traditions.

Yet, I have to say, beyond that surface level, when you scratch just a little bit, the mainline church makes a lot more sense than the evangelical tradition in a postmodern era. That’s why I converted and that’s why I stay.

We have embraced scientific thought, not expecting the newest discoveries to bow and bend to a six-day creation story. We have wrestled with biblical literalism, and taken postmodern insights in hermeneutics seriously. We have questioned theories of atonement for decades. We have upheld the inherent value and equality of women in our homes, workplaces, political arenas, and congregations. We have been engaging in social justice issues, caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, responding to disasters, and helping the homeless. We do not do these things only for Christians or as a manipulative evangelistic tool. But we have also been doing it in the public sphere, working for change in peoples’ lives, because we believe in the inherent dignity and worth of humans, of “the Other.”

Communities that are emerging from the evangelical tradition are beginning to wrestle with many of these things, but they have a lot of work ahead of them before they catch up with the mainlines.

Where does that leave us now? We have a cadre of congregations that have been formed in the mold, tastes, and expectations of fifty years ago. Will we, the mainline church, be able to open ourselves up a bit, and welcome a culture of people who do not long for the 50s or even 60s? Will we be able to welcome the reforming of our sacred traditions in a new culture? Or, will we allow our fears to overwhelm us?

I guess what I’m asking is this: Will we allow our congregational cultures to be as vigorous and engaging as our great academic and theological traditions have been? Will we begin to wrestle with the important questions of planting churches? And will we allow our congregations to be reformed and always reforming?

the photo’s by Diana Pappas

Alright so here we go…a little while ago I reposted a post from the PC (USA)’s Swords into Plowshares blog about the spiritual practice of fasting in response to the Global Food Crisis. The post was followed by a story from the Presbyterian News Service with resources for fasting, focused meditation, and a place to sign up.

Last night at our meeting of the Fold, I asked the youth if they would be interested in doing this, there was some positive response. We talked about concerns of growing bodies and minds, we even talked about other things that you could “fast” from other than food.

Which is where this story is going…

Heidi and I have decided to take on this spiritual practice for this year starting this week. Heidi will be giving up food and I will giving up my cell phone, twitter, blogs, facebook, and the overall internet. (I am not fasting from food because I am a Type 1 diabetic.) Actually, it irritates the fire out of me that I can’t do something (or shouldn’t) because of my diabetes. I don’t like when I feel like my body is failing me. That, however, is way off the subject…or at least the original intent of this post.

I know of at least one youth who will giving up XBox for one weekend a month. I feel like these are baby steps, but important ones that could lead to some serious discernment about actually needs for me and some of my youth.

We also agreed that on the weeks of communion (first Sunday of the month for us) that we would come to the early service (9 Am for us) take communion together and then during our Sunday School time (10:45 AM for us) we would share a meal together and talk about our experience. I am looking forward to these discussions and to see where they lead us.

I know that we aren’t really supposed to talk about fasting when we do it, but I would love to be able to share my thoughts and get others thoughts about experiences, discernment, and clarity.

I look forward to this experience…So this weekend Oct. 3-5, I will not be “on the grid”. If I don’t respond to your email, it is because I am intentionally staying away. If I don’t comment on your comment on Facebook it is because I haven’t seen it. If I don’t answer your text it is because my Blackberry is off.

This should be fun…or at least educational and maybe even spiritual.

Join me, join us, let’s see if we can hear God calling us into a transformative way of life.

Blessings,

Greg

Ok, so this may be entirely confusing to most who watch. But here is Doug Pagitt, who I greatly admire, and who pastors Solomon’s Porch, where I used to go in Minneapolis.

I appreciate that he notes that he and many emergents never necessarily intended to start emerging churches. He notes that Emergent and Emergence are bigger than the emerging church. Enjoy!

Here is Tony Jones’ two cents… also some good things. I appreciate that these guys are not tied to the terminology and are willing to say something much bigger is taking place.

Probably has something to do with Phyllis Tickle’s new book, The Great Emergence.

When: Tuesday – September 16^th

Where: Paulina Springs Books – Redmond, OR

Time: 6-8:00PM

Becky Garrison is Senior Contributing Writer for The Wittenburg Door the nation’s oldest, largest, and only print religious satire magazine. She also regularly contributes to the God’s Politics blog. Identified by Publishers Weekly as one of “Four Evangelicals with Fresh Views.”
 

Recent writing credits include work for The Ooze, Bibal Press, Christian Retailing, Charisma, Stackpole Books and Prism. When she’s not hanging out in a coffee shop or a New York City park working on her laptop, Becky can often be found kayaking, sailing, flyfishing or hiking.

September 2008 Becky Garrison will be featured in the upcoming documentary “The Ordinary Radicals” directed by Jamie Moffett, co-founder of The Simple Way.

Author of:

This book contains 30+ interviews with lay and clergy worship leaders discussing how to reach those for whom church is not in their vocabulary.Subjects interviewed included: Brian McLaren, Diana Butler Bass, Phyllis Tickle, Shane Claiborne, Jonny Baker, Kester Brewin, Peter Rollins, and N.T. Wright, as well as some new voices offering fresh expressions of faith.

Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church: Eyewitness Accounts of How American Churches are Hijacking Jesus, Bagging the Beatitudes, and Worshipping the Almighty Dollar (Publishers Weekly starred review) In her singular, smart-alecky tone, religious satirist Becky Garrison takes aim at the battles between the warring political factions in America’s churches and illuminates both the plank in the Religious Right’s eye as well as the speck that blinds the Progressive Left.   

A challenge has been issued on matters of faith and Becky Garrison meets it head on in this witty yet poignant answer to the Anti-God gurus Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett.
       Becky Garrison, religious satirist, is taking a stand. Where most Christians assume the character of the Cowardly Lion chanting, “I do believe, I do believe, I do believe,” Garrison refuses to simply just thrust tracts at these self-proclaimed infidels.
       Instead, Garrison steels her pen and takes on the ungodly program of the New Atheists, skewering each argument with her sharp satiric wit. Garrison turns aside the atheists’ assault without ignoring its real criticisms, namely, the church’s inadequate response to war, evolution, medical ethics, social justice, and other important issues in the post-9/11 world.

Garrison was born in Hartsville, South Carolina, where her father, the late Rev. Dr. Karl Claudius Garrison, Jr., a civil rights activist, Episcopal priest and college professor was serving as rector of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Harstsville, SC. Her mother, Nancy Little Garrison was a direct descendant of Roger Williams, founder of the state of Rhode Island and John Howland, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, three passengers aboard The Mayflower.

She is author of The New Atheist Crusaders and Their Unholy Grail (Thomas Nelson, January 2008), Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church (Seabury Books, 2007), and Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church (Jossey Bass, 2006). Currently, is the Senior Contributing Write for The Wittenburg Door. Also, she blogs on the God’s Politics blog and The Ooze, as well as freelancing for other publications.

The Becky Garrison Official Forum was set up by the Internet Book Database in October 2006. Garrison has spoken at Greenbelt [1] and Soularize[2], and will be featured in the upcoming documentary “The Ordinary Radicals [3].”

Upcoming books: You’ll have to come to Paulina Springs Books in Redmond and ask Becky about them.

Some of us having lots of fun with this article:
______________________________________________

Religion: American evangelicals, once considered monolithic, are fragmenting

Evangelicals are neither as numerous nor as uniform in their beliefs as once thought. And they are not immune from the shifting of American culture.

By CHRISTINE WICKER

Special to the Star-Telegram

That loud crack heard throughout the evangelical world when national research showed that more than half of American evangelicals believe people of other religions can go to heaven wasn’t thunder from an angry God.

This crack came from the rock upon which the modern American evangelical movement sits. It was splitting right down the middle.

There is both rejoicing and lamentation.

I am among those rejoicing.

The universalist/evangelical finding, which came from the Pew Forum’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, was one more sign that American Christianity is entering the most exciting era in our lifetime. Some people believe a new awakening is at hand. Others believe a reformation is in the making. No one knows how long it will take or how far it will go.

What’s clear is that people in the pews are taking back their faith, wresting it from leaders who helped sell the idea that only the most fundamentalist brands of Christian belief could succeed and that their words alone represented that belief.

As an evangelical from Corsicana wrote recently about a powerful evangelical leader, “I found myself not wanting to be this ventriloquist’s dummy anymore.”

Southern Baptist Convention leaders were among those lamenting. So they did their own study, which showed that only 20 percent of evangelicals think people of other religions will get a go-to-Heaven pass.

That would be good news for them, except Southern Baptist researchers didn’t use the same criteria in picking their evangelicals that the Pew study used. The Pew study counted anyone who called themselves an evangelical or some variation thereof. That standard reliably returns 25 percent of Americans.

The Southern Baptist researchers used only those believers who espoused a set of beliefs that have traditionally defined fundamentalist evangelicals. This definition is based on one by pollster George Barna that shows only 8 percent, not 25 percent, of the American population is evangelical.

Why would Southern Baptist researchers use a definition of evangelical that would disqualify 17 percent of the American population? Perhaps because every good study of those 25 percent of Americans shows that they don’t believe as evangelicals are expected to believe and they don’t act as evangelicals are expected to act.

That 25 percent is giving evangelicals a bad name. Or a good name depending on whom you’re talking to. I think they’re one of the big reasons to be optimistic about Christian faith in the United States. Unlike fundamentalist evangelicals who grab the headlines, these Christians aren’t using their Bibles to hit each other and everyone else they can reach.

They’re admitting what their own studies show — that evangelicals almost never convert a native-born American who wasn’t raised in a church. That most evangelical growth comes from stealing the sheep from other denominations. And that they’ve stolen about all they can.

They’re also admitting that most evangelicals won’t evangelize. And if they did, it wouldn’t get them anywhere because the usual methods don’t work. They don’t work first because they usually rest on the idea that Christians are the only ones saved. In today’s religiously equalitarian culture, that assertion causes evangelicals to seem distastefully holier-than-thou.

Conversion tactics also focus on telling people the Good News as though no one else knows it. But most everyone has heard it. Again and again. The trouble is that they aren’t convinced. They aren’t scared of hell. They aren’t hoping for heaven. And Christians haven’t been good at giving anyone better reasons than that for following Jesus.

They have reasons. They just aren’t telling them. They need to.

From outward appearances, Christian faith doesn’t change behavior for the better.

Evangelicals divorce, do drugs, drink alcohol, have sex outside marriage, have abortions — you name it, they do it, at the same rates as everyone else. At the same time, they are well known for espousing political policies that favor the rich over the poor, would deny equal rights to gay people and support war.

Whether these position are right or wrong, the culture at large judges them to be un-Christian. So the evangelical witness sinks even further.

But that’s not the worst of it. Stories of great evangelical faith don’t convert people either.

I learned that when I wrote a book laced with such stories, and every single commentator ignored them. Astonished, I asked why. I was told that such stories discourage typical Christians and don’t impress nonbelievers. Both see such faith as odd and unreachable.

Evangelicals need to do something fast.

One response says the movement must tighten up. Evangelicals need to hew even more closely to the most conservative and literalist standards of the Bible. They need to stop making nice to attract seekers. They need to unload the slackers.

This contingent, often composed of Calvinists, caused the Southern Baptist Convention, which claims 16 million members, to declare in June that its 43,000 churches should clean their rolls of deadwood. Hardliners suggested striking 6 million members who don’t live in the same towns as the churches to which they belong.

At the other end of the spectrum is a group sometimes called the emerging church.

They don’t always know exactly what they are. They’re emerging. Part of that can mean reaching out to unbelievers in ways that more fundamentalist evangelicals never could. For former megachurch minister Spencer Burke it meant writing a book called The Heretic’s Guide to Eternity that says everyone is going to heaven unless they opt out.

For Seattle Christian Jim Henderson it meant rejecting what he calls “beliefism,” in favor of the idea that behavior matters more than belief. His organization, Off the Map, bid for the “soul” of an atheist a few years ago and won it for $500. Instead of trying to convert the atheist, Henderson took him to megachurches and asked him for critiques. A book ensued.

Brian McLaren, named one of Time magazine’s most influential evangelicals, suggests that people might be followers of Jesus even if they aren’t born-again Christians.

That sort of idea is being taken up by many young people who eschew the title evangelical or even Christian. For them, doing the work Jesus advocated is more important than doctrine. They favor small groups that often have no statement of faith at all. Their faith is about serving the poor, often internationally.

Raised by traditionally evangelical parents, these kids have traveled all over the world on mission trips. They’ve witnessed the plight of the poor. Ideas that appealed to their parents — that saving souls is more important than saving lives, that giving to a church building fund matters more than feeding a child, that supporting war while opposing abortion is coherent theology — don’t work for them.

In between the new Calvinists and the emergent churches are mainline Christians, traditional Southern Baptists such as those in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and other moderate evangelicals. This is a big crowd.

Some of them believe that instead of calling their reading of the Bible “the truth,” they need to admit that their doctrines are merely their understanding. They need to be humble before God and humanity. They need to stop selling Christianity and engage nonbelievers in open, non-dogmatic and respectful friendships that don’t have scalp-collecting agendas.

Some of their pastors are adopting universalist ideas even from the pulpit.

Last year, when a Dallas pastor told his Baptist congregation that Jesus’ death redeemed everyone because it was a gift to the world and as a gift didn’t require anything from anybody, not one person protested. In fact, one of the church’s longtime leaders told him, “That’s what I’ve always believed.”

Marv Knox, editor of the Texas Baptist news journal The Baptist Standard, responded to the Pew finding with an editorial saying the high number of universalist evangelicals could be correct.

Baptist faith has always been stronger on relationship than on theology, he wrote.

As communities have become more multicultural “Baptists have formed friendships with people from all over the world, whose faiths are different, but whose values are similar,” the editorial said. “And following the historical pattern, Baptist relationships may have overwhelmed Baptist theology.”

That pattern is the hope of American Christianity. Let’s hope it is getting stronger.

Thought I’d share this little comic.

I had lunch with a friend from another church in town today in the Costco dining area. We were catching up on all that has been going on in our lives and communities. We talked about some of the most recent conversations I have had with those who agree and disagree with where I’m coming from… and where emergents are coming from.

As we were talking the lady and her husband, who were sitting next to us, spoke up saying that they were really interested in what we were talking about… that being faith, theology, the bible, etc. They went on to say that they were from a different church here in Bend. We introduced ourselves as being part of a couple different local churches in town. It was interesting that they automatically jumped to some of the controversy that has been circulating about our churches. In their words, “We have heard that you all have been rethinking some things…”

Well I was so impressed with how my friend explained all that is going on there as people are adjusting to the leadership changes, how they are trying to figure out how to study the bible and follow Jesus, and how they are seeking to be non-denominational. He explained that he has friends who are catholic, baptist, presbyterian, emergent, and so many more… but he doesn’t have to agree with all that they believe and he does agree with some things. I think he was respectfully avoiding certain hot-button things.

The two folks sitting next to us were very happy that this church wasn’t turning Emergent or becoming an emerging church. I was amazed that these two words were so scary and poisonous to them. Little did they know that if they were really afraid of Emergent ideas coming to Bend, the guy they were sitting next to (that would be me) was probably the one to be afraid of.

We all left very glad to have talked to each other. I perhaps wish that I would have been a bit more forward about defending emergent or at least helped to dispel some of their misconceptions. It was interesting that they admitted that Christianity itself has been changing and growing since the beginning as God reveals himself to humanity… even that so many people have a hard time grasping this. And yet, it was only one step further to say these people who are growing and moving forward are the emergents. Hm…