Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Emergents in Their Own Words.

Recently events have thrust me into places where the influence of the Emergent Church Movement (ECM) have a lot of sway. Unto that end, I've decided to start collecting interviews and products of respective ECM "leaders." Lest anyone truly believe I am a mere "fundamentalist," which is surely the word you will be called at some point when you criticise the trends, theology, or teaching of a lot of these individuals, let me say at the outset that I am not happy with the "status quo" of North American "christianity." I'm not. There is a lot wrong, and if you cannot say that much, at least, then I question your powers of observation and perhaps your credibility.

So, the ECM, upon the whole, asks several good questions. But questions are not enough, and it is perhaps in that statement that I deviate heavily from many "emergents." The truth is, that it is in the answers to those questions that the entire matter is resolved. It is in the answers to those questions that our churches are revitilized and made relevant. It is in the truth that men are made free, not in the mere reveling in doubts, deconstructions, and dissolutions of core doctrines.

So let's begin with what I am starting to refer to as the "hall of fame." I love these, because they are in a format that one cannot claim that I have removed context. I'm not going to comment on them at this time. Just let them speak in their own words.

First, Doug Pagitt.
Part 1.

Part 2


Next, Brian McLaren. A lot comes out of this guy, so this certainly isn't exhaustive. But in his own words, do you buy what he's sellin'?


A snippit of Rob Bell's NOOMA Videos (Dust), critiqued pretty adequately.