somehow I think using a lower cap for the word “emergent” is doing me much good 
And now I shall link away!
John Franke: Theology as Mission: Envisioning Christian Faith in a Pluralistic Culture
My experience is similar to Franke on this … I was in touch and interacting with Mclaren in 2000 before the word “Emergent” has become a buzz for friend or critic today. During that time, I was also in touch with the Gospel in our culture network material and ideas which gave me some theoretical and theological “transitional” framework for me which freed me from a lot of the more popular & pragmatic driven ministry mindsets I drank (or choked) deeply from. Of course, there’s more to the story I find myself in during these years of interaction with those who are willing to interact with me on the issues in which we converge in.
“Franke was in emergent before it was “emergent.” He has been friends with McLaren since 1988. Emergent is not perfect, but it is the conversation for our times, especially for the church in North America. Not that emergent ideas are all right, but they are that important. In 1998 there were mainline people who were concerned about the cultural transformation who started Gospel in our Culture network and started talking missional. At about the same time emergent, mostly people out of conservative evangelicalism, had similar concerns: formed Young Leaders network, terranova, and now Emergent Village. The conversations are coming together. Emergent Village defines emergent as “a generative friendship among missional Christians.” New things are always messy. There are no neat stories, including the protestant revolution. Plenty of good came out, but at the time it was very chaotic. It took time to sort out. We need to see emergent conversation in similar way. Also some things to be careful about, such as our commitment to scripture, doctrine of trinity, etc.”
Scot McKnight: An Ecclesial Theory of Atonement
The last one month, the subject of “Penal Substitution” has arisen here and there in some conversations I had with others … “Critics associate penal substitution with hellfire and brimstone, “little boy, your mom won’t be in heaven.” It locks us into a misleading rhetoric. Penal substitution makes all of atonement about God who is wrathful at sinners and pours out his wrath on the Son, and thereby releases his wrath so we don’t experience it. The atonement is more than that. To be sure wrath is involved. But it is more than expulsion and absorption of wrath within the trinity. Different ages have expressed atonement in different ways; we miss the wisdom of God’s spirit in history of the church by narrowing to one aspect.”
Five Streams of the Emerging Church: Key elements of the most controversial and misunderstood movement in the church today.
This article has been making some waves in the blogging circle I’m in touch with … for a more juicy and meaty original manuscript (pdf) grab a cup of coffee and slowly enjoy it.
Three links is enough for now.
A lot to chew on .. but also a lot of good background information. Thanks
Bob, I think especially in our Malaysian context where it’s tempting to discard or embrace ideas simply because a “so and so” (usually an authoritative figure) said so, it’s important for us to learn how to humbly engage the subject matter ourselves. And yet keeping in mind, though we can think for ourselves we do not do so in isolation from others.
an emergent breakfast? What on the menu? Missional egg on a flat, brown, slightly burnt, wholemeal, purely organic, no cholesterol bread? *smile* and someone said i do not have a sense of humour.
I like you said about the Malaysian context. The father figure and deference to ‘authority’ has restrictive our creative thinking in many ways. Not necessary bad. Not necessary good either.
need more coffee
Alex, I think Humor is a good thing, I see it as a very important ingredient for our “Humanity” and ongoing training in “Holiness”.
I believe we need space for “creative” thinking, but not in isolation … thus being in “conversation” reflectively is so crucial .. which involves in the process some level of “self-critical” or mutual “critical” engagement.
Of course, as we do so we cannot and must not ignore the “canonical” dimensions of our faith (which includes Scripture, the Creeds, and the ongoing work of the Spirit in the Christian community old and new). This also includes a “proper confidence” in an era where we might shy away from “confessing” the Gospel with honesty and humility.
I agree with you, Sivin, totally.
We need what Parker Palmer calls “sacred spaces”… room in our faith communities where we are free to explore, to make mistakes, for reflect and to connect with one another without fear of being condemned or being judged.
Dear Alex, wow Parker Palmer? We are reading some same material … at least along the same line of thinking
Gosh, I will love to have a peek at your library.
once I stop procrastinating and shelve the books properly .. I will take a picture .. for you