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Challenging the Critiques of Emergent: A Public Service Announcement on Friendship

Upfront Disclaimer: I do not speak for anyone on the board at Emergent Village, nor am I assuming the position of spokesperson. I speak from a position of proximity and friendship with emergent. And if you want to put a label on it (something I will hopefully make a point about), then by God, you can consider me emergent. I recognize up front and am fully aware that as with any group, the possibility for mistakes exist. So I am in no way in favor of giving Emergent “a get out of jail free card” from receiving criticism. I simply hope to push back against the criticism and remind everyone (myself?) of the spirit of emergent, instead of taking pot shots. I also will be careful of how exactly I capitalize e/Emergent, so please pay attention to my attempted nuance.

1 - An Introduction, 2 - A White Man’s World, 3 - Trend/Denomination

I think it’s important that we take a brief interlude from this deal. I didn’t post yesterday when I intended to do so because I was so exhausted putting out fires from some red-eyed commenters who were going off about my eternal security and some stuff about the bible. It’s all a blur and I can’t remember exactly what was written, but I just checked out. I don’t know how guys like Brian and Tony do what they do when they get so much shit thrown at them non-stop. I’m thinking about starting an army like Dumbledore’s Army if anyone wants in?

I’m all about non-violence when it comes to war but I’ve got way more violence in my heart than I thought when visions of me doing round house kicks into people’s neck meat became more and more frequent.

So sorry for not continuing yesterday like I had planned and promised. But I needed a break without looking at comments and getting pissed. I know I should just put on my big boy pants and let things go. But some people just suck the fun out of generous, engaging, fruitful conversation when they try to back you into a corner with their polemical bullying, and then throw some mashed up scripture verses on the end to make you feel guilty for being an ass.

Maybe it’s just my youthful nature, or the fact that I still suck at living into the way of Jesus, but sometimes being an ass is the best I can muster. So now that I got my “I’m a poor martyr, please feel sorry for me” speech out of the way . . . I’d like to rephrase my trend/denomination thoughts.

Friendship isn’t an ideal. Or a cliché. Or something that is just a cursory mention.

Friendship is all there is. If you take away friendship, Emergent doesn’t exist. There is nothing left.

It’s not a feel-good phrase. Or a cute little way of couching things. It is what gives everything in Emergent it’s flavor, it’s depth, and it’s life. You take it away and you have nothing but a bunch of insecure people on the outside looking in who are pissed that they feel that they aren’t cool and think they should have a book deal. A good majority of the criticism directed at Emergent comes from people who feel like they were the last ones picked for an elementary school kickball game. It comes from people who are envious that they didn’t get picked to sit at the cool table.

For example . . . this Tucker Carlson knock-off whose to scared to say shit (he says ’scatology’) and his 50 sermons on why he thinks Brian is evil. It sort of just comes off pathetic.

And so instead of giving some people the benefit of the doubt, and realizing that maybe . . . just maybe . . . they’re not the spawn of satan but rather absent-minded humans at time . . . instead of making an effort to get dirty in friendship (that should be the name of a christian rap song) . . . they check out, pick up a few rocks, grab a few nails and hammer, and go about the business of dehumanizing people.

I know I easily fall into this trap on a regular basis (especially when I’m baited into it). But I don’t want to live there. Others do.

I have a lot of people that I strongly and foundationaly disagree with. But bottom line . . . we’re friends. I’ve got friends who dig John Piper and who love reformed theology. I’ve got friends who think W is the greatest thing since sliced bread. And I’ve got guys who have made capitalism an idol. I’ve got friends who make a butt-load of money and I’ve got friends who have little. I’ve got friends who pray every freaking day for hours on end and I’ve got friends who still like to sing romantic love songs to Jesus. It kind of makes me want to throw up in my mouth a bit but they love it. Just as I’m sure my “limp-wristed” theology wants to make them toss a few cookies. But we are friends first. And we deal with other’s “baggage” not because we have to or because we’re “called” to, but because we’re friends. We don’t just tolerate each other. We know each other.

That’s why Julie, Helen, Tina, and Christy to name a few can push back, and push back hard against my thoughts . . . but can still be friends. Because they are generous, they are open, they are thoughtful, they are engaging. And somebody like Lisa can come in and be a robotic, disconnected nut job. Some are committed to friendship, learning, openness, and conversation. And some just want to be right.

And before you start pulling out a bunch of proof texting talking about loving your enemies and all that jazz . . . Jesus wasn’t so patient with the religious leaders of the day. He gave his real enemies . . . Pilot, Rome, and others a pass . . . they knew not what they did. But the religious leaders . . . I think it went something along the lines of BUZZ OFF.

Friendship is only possible when you’re open to the other. Most of us “emergents” are willing to meet you half way . . . but if you’re going to be closed off from the start . . . and jump right in with your ridiculous polemic . . . well then I’m not going to waste my time.

Emergent is friendship. Period. It started that way. It’ll end that way. The second it moves from that to something else . . . a trend, a denomination . . . it’ll disappear. And there are way too many people jumping on board who want some faux-liberal-I-want-to-feel-like-a-rebel-for-10-minutes feeling. But they aren’t willing to examine their foundations. They aren’t willing to open themselves up to the other. They aren’t willing to engage in deep friendship.

It’s no surprise then that some people just don’t “get it”.

Nothing is clearer than this than when a bunch of friends are having a nice, robust, formative conversation and then it gets hijacked by a bunch of fundies who troll the Emergent Village site (I got linked the other day) so they can pounce and flex their midget muscles.

Again, I’d like to reiterate this one thought . . . those who are committed to friendship don’t have a lot of complaints. And if they do, they are able to deal, process, and hold them within the tension of the friendship. Those who live on islands by themselves (or an island with only like-minded believers) are the ones who have the problems. So before I begin again (tomorrow?) with the rest of my reflections . . . just be forewarned . . . Pharisees aren’t allowed. So don’t bait me or you’ll end up in spam-aradise. Amen? And no more nasty personal emails while we’re at it.
Listening: Tinariwen by Aman Iman

© 2008 IAmJoshBrown.