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Alan Creech
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aaron klinefelter
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July 18, 2005
> 10:20 AM
not one of those Once again a good amount of talk about the "emerging church" lately in the blogosphere. It might actually be mostly talk about Emergent (the organization) - seems to be. Even PBS has gotten hold of it. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. The mainstream will gravitate toward an up-front organized entity. I suppose it's "natural." Problem is, and I assume even they know this, they can't possibly represent the whole of the so-called emerging phenomenon. I've talked about this before, along with others - that this whole "thing" is not one "thing" with one set of values or one theology. Can I say that again - not one homogeneous thing. I'm not sure we need a "senate" either - elected representatives. Not sure what that accomplishes. Anyway, my post title refers to the phrase a community like ours might use - "oh, well, we're not one of THOSE emerging churches." What I mean by that is, and we've talked a little about this lately among ourselves, is that we aren't a faith community who has gotten rid of everything that has gone before us. We are not a church who has jettisoned the concept of absolute Truth. We're not about being cool in order to attract the young people. We're not using liturgy as a fishing lure. We consider ourselves a part of the continuing catholic church - the one that has always been. Sure, I spout some very revolutionary rhetoric, and I mean it - I'm not backing down off that. I'm saying, I suppose, that what that's getting to is not to throw away the real, good stuff. It's to get back down to it. "not one of those" - yeah, we would agree, to just go nuts and give up the farm of Truth and Christian identity is not good. But there you go, what IS that? It would not be necessarily what we've been told in come circles. So, to question is good, but to cast off with no thought, not so good. We are certainly, in some ways, pretty radical, but in others, very Traditional (capital T intended). I'm sure there are many more such little apparently insignificant "emerging" churches out there - more every day. Can there be a central core of the proverbial building that you leave intact while tearing the hell out of the outside layers that you've found dangerously constructed? I think that's it - that's what we've done. The deconstruction that I've always espoused was only for the purpose of cleaning barnacles off the hull, not destroying the ship. Even in "our own context" there is a constant process of cleaning and repainting and brass polishing. I think I want to go sailing or something. Anyway, hopefully that's clear enough. Peace to you. 0 Comments:| permalink | e-mail me | 
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