By RJ Walters, Editor
By Phyllis Tickle’s estimation,” Emergent Christianity” is more than just a popular catchphrase that describes a temporary fad of contemporary churchgoers.In fact Tickle believes anyone who doesn’t understand the term “Emergent Christian” is in severe danger of ignoring important ramifications of a shift in the institutionalization of Christian churches — including United Methodist congregations.
As one of the keynote speakers for the Michigan Area School for Pastoral Ministry in Lansing Aug. 17-19, Tickle, once called “the Walter Cronkite of religious publishing,” urged UMC pastors to wake up and acknowledge the “300-pound gorilla in the room” that is Emergent Christianity.
Pinning down an exact definition of Emergent Christianity is almost as difficult as catering to it, but Tickle said it is everything from evangelical to Anabaptist to liberal and/or conservative to neo-this and post-that. At its core Emergent Christianity focuses on horizontal, communal organizational (church) structures as opposed to hierarchical ones — or simply community and unity over individuality, through dialogue and exploration, as Tickle says in her latest book The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why.
“I have breaking news for you: We are in tumultuous times. If you hadn’t come here you would have never known it,” Tickle said shrewdly.
She argues that there is inevitable social-religious upheaval every 500 years — such as the Great Reformation of the 1500s, the East-West Schism that started in the 11th Century, the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and the transformation of Biblical times — and the Great Emergence is coming full force.
She believes scripture is still the central point of this new movement, but the “emergents” desire room for interpretation and discussion that includes their own experiences. Tickle also believes Emergent Christianity is “no good at the rules” and it doesn’t always do a good job of upholding traditional power structures.
She said many Emergent Christians look for guidance from Micah 6:8.
“Does thy Lord require the particular adherence to specific scripture or as Micah 6:8 states, “to be full of love, care and justice”? That is what these people are asking themselves and they are seeing if a church is the place to fulfill their needs,” she said.
Tickle classifies Emergent Christians as Christians who like to openly debate long-held interpretations of scripture, while exploring ways their own worldliness might teach them something beyond the text of the Bible.
“A good Emergent Christian, if pushed, will (likely) say ‘You tell me that an omniscient, omnipotent God couldn’t find a better way to atone for our sins than killing his only kid?’” she said. “I promise that at least 10 percent of your congregation is playing with (Emergent Christianity) inside their heads.”
Fellow keynote speaker Maxie Dunnam, President Emeritus of Asbury Theological Seminary, said it may be unsettling to think about any chinks in the armor of traditional churches, but pastors and leaders can learn a lot from viewing their congregation more as a community instead of a collection of individuals.
“You might find this odd for a president of a seminary…but you as an ordained pastor can’t be the person who can nail down all these emergent groups in your church. So you better find lay people in your congregation to facilitate these types of things,” he said. “We can’t pay enough ordained pastors to go the place the lay people, the homeless, etc. can go.”
Tickle said Rob Bell’s nationally recognized Mars Hill Church is a good example of Emergent Christians spreading and sharing the Gospel as a large body, but often times they stick to smaller groups.
“I was part of a pub theology and doctors, lawyers, homeless — people of all types were there. And there wasn’t a single Bible opened, but people quoted the Bible by exact chapter and verse,” Tickle said. “I bet that doesn’t happen with most people in your congregations.”
She said mission trips of the 21st century could be to bars, the local Starbucks or even yoga classes.
“If I was a professional clergy right now…I would be earnestly looking at my 21-30 year-olds. I don’t know what you do, except day-by-day look to the needs of your most important demographics,” she said. “We are here to serve the Kingdom of God, and sometimes there is a new change among us.”
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