I apologise: I need to explore this site more before saying that people have kept quiet on the topic!

I wasn’t accusing you specifically of glossing over the matter, Andrew. I agree with your synopsis. I meant that more generally, most Emergent conversationalists seem to redefine evangelism without mentioning what they believe about individuals’ eternal destiny. They don’t go far enough back behind the issue of evangelism to touch on the cause of different beliefs about evangelism. Surely if ‘unsaved individual souls’ will burn forever in hell, then ‘saving’ them is still infinitely more important than caring for the environment, influencing politics, and even looking after the poor and oppressed?

So I think there is a lack of communication between Emergents and Evangelicals on the subject of evangelism, because of underlying issues that haven’t yet been discussed. It’s no wonder modern Evangelicals still place such a high importance on evangelism considering their beliefs about hell! And until we can explain what we believe about hell, there’s no point emphasising the importance of justice, ecology, poverty, etc. They will just turn round and say “I’m saving people from an eternity of torment and you’re bothering me about 70 years of poverty?”