in my context – in my little corner of the south – its the imperfections and one’s definition of an imperfection, that seem to cause a lot of the problems. and if anyone embraces and welcomes “certain” imperfections (as in allowing them to exist as they are) – well then – you’re either liberal, not a christian, unenlightened, a universalist, or maybe even a bastard child. again – this is just my neighborhood – where there’s a lot of energy put forth to protect one’s identity as baptist, methodist, presby, catholic, etc. an identity (for some around here) that is static, defined, solid, and only needs to be recieved – NOT explored, questioned, or changed.

so i’m not surprised to look around me and see people looking out from their structures and systems – desiring to understand emergent in the same way they understand themselves.

my hope is that emergent will always be open for criticism – and will be able to continue creating a place where all people can land safely – regardless of where the criticism, the discussion, the conversations takes them.

this is a most dificult task.
thanks josh and all – who continue to be creators of such places.

peace out
mj

I come from the far off waters of Northern Ireland – I enjoying following the emerging church conversation on the net.

As your posts and the subsequent comments are about the American scene I do not know the people involved personally but I take your point about the diversity within emergent and the living out of the gospel message – it is so easy to sterotype.

I have however been deeply involved in IKON which is postmodern community praised by Caputo in his book WWJD and made famous by its leader P Rollins in his book ‘How not to speak of God.’ This community has been cited by many in the blogoshere as an ideal way to do church.

My experience of Ikon is so different to what I have read that it makes me cringe. It has no collective social action program/ involvement in the community or pastoral work – it is essentially a theology debating club for middle class 20/30 something intellectuals who are mainly disillusioned evangelicals. There is also a superior elitist attitude in some Ikon members who are very dismissive of their evangelical contemporaries.

I appreciate these comments are only my limited experience in a very local context and I in no way wish to paint the entire movement in these terms. This only only my opinion from a tiny cultural backwater!

Rodney

Change and refinement is inevitable, and church history tends to suggest that this may be substantial and disruptive from time to time.