The war in America between Emergents and Reformed is a depressing business. A recent piece by Greg Gilbert on the 9Marks blog (Not Just Important, Not Even Just VERY Important. “Of FIRST Importance.”) expresses satisfaction that defensive measures taken against the insurgents have ‘effectively cut the legs out from under “emergent” theology, considered as a system’. But the basis for this confidence seems rather flimsy. Carson’s Becoming Conversant, which I have read, and DeYoung and Kluck’s Why We’re Not Emergent, which I have read about, might knock down a straw man and frighten a number of people back into the arms of a modern orthodoxy, but I doubt that they will prove to be the ‘one-two knock-out punches’ that bring conclusive victory to the traditionalists. The effect is entrenchment, not resolution or even constructive dialogue.

Duncan’s post on the narrative of Revelation has sparked an interesting dispute about the relationship between an emerging theology and preterism. Since the conversation isn’t directly relevant to the post, I wonder if we might explore its implications separately. It’s an opportunity to think a bit about what we mean by an emerging theology and how we might negotiate the boundaries between different dogmatic traditions as well as between modern and postmodern ways of thinking.

Tim Leeson has initiated an interesting discussion about what the emerging church really stands for, which I think merits a stab at a more comprehensive and synthesizing response. The book Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger lists nine characteristics of emerging churches: identifying with Jesus, transforming secular space, living as community, welcoming the stranger, serving with generosity, participating as producers, creating as created beings, leading as a body, and merging ancient and contemporary spiritualities. These are mostly practical in their orientation - they have to do with how Christian communities function and express themselves in the world. I imagine that most people who feel that they are part of the emerging church would happily locate themselves within that nexus of practices.

I have been reading with some considerable frustration An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, edited by Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones. The book describes itself on the back cover as:

a coming together of divergent voices into a collection of writings that will bring you the latest thinking of the emerging church. You will have a front-row seat as both established leaders and up-and-comers in this influential international movement grapple with how to be faithful Christians in today’s ever-changing cultural context.

There’s an impressive set of views on the emerging church movement presented as a Pastors’ and Theologians’ Forum at www.9marks.org. The contributors were asked, ‘What do you hope will ultimately emerge from the emerging church conversation for evangelicals?’. They are not all quite singing from the same hymn sheet, and there is some recognition that the emerging church has at least a lopsided and temporary contribution to make to current theological debate and missional practice, but they are all broadly critical of the movement, some of them graciously so, some of them scathingly so.