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.
What it means for pastors of every denomination though, including United Methodists, is there are God-seeking individuals foregoing the traditional church experience in search of something else.
“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.
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.
