musings on the emerging church

I think one of the tensions about the 'emerging' stuff all around the world is how much is actually 'new' or is it the case that we are just doing what everyone has done for pretty much the last 2000 years - and that is making the gospel fit the culture.

ie is it a new gospel or is it the old gospel in new wineskin?

i think the evangelicals among us and maybe others would say it is the gospel in new wineskins but i want to push them and say it really is a new word from the Lord (so to speak) and that the gospel is different.

just been reading a lecture given by david tacey (melbourne lecturer and writer. u should read his book 'reenchantment' fantastic. anyway - just found the following summary useful

"the task of religion, i believe, is to re-position itself as a vital resource for spirituality. it can no longer compete with spirituality, which is today by far the bigger force. instead of competing, it has to re-fashion itself as an aid, a support, and a contributor to the spiritual jouney. this is the only way forward, in my estimation: reliion needs to translate its language, and transform itself. it must make itself more accessible, unwrap spirit from dogma, and make it freely available to the people. to do this, it would have to translate its theology into a new language that people can understand..."

i wonder whether this translation job that tacey mentions actually changes the message?

just wondering...

i have been impressed with the 'living room' established by karen and co (COTA)in seattle. (see it at www.livingroomseattle.org )

it makes me think and ask the question:is this the new church

ie provide an all round space which the new church is but one part of, or even sponsers the space. it seems that it creates an interest among people; creates a neutral space inwhich people feel comfortable with out feeling that the 'church' is trying to grab them or convert them or even sell them 'religion'

too many of the cafes and coffeeshops set up by the evangelicals seem to do just that - entice or bait and swap.

however, in england i dont see this development happening - it still seems to be mother church providing space for emerging church to form under its wings (once mother hated her young now she seems to be wanting them back in the nest!!) there doesnt appear to be any other space established apart from the 'come and experience' the numinous!

what do others think?

here in Aus we dont have that many to make the distinction but i think we are more the UK rather than US model!?

cheers

karen @ kangaroo and kiwi pub in seattle
karen ward @ kangaroo and kiwi pub, seattle

while recently away i managed to take about 5 hours of video of the places where i visited. (including a really good interview with karen ward) i have started to edit this stuff and was wondering whether anybody knew how to get a video on to a web page or blog.? i need help!

have arrived back home after a whirlwind three weeks around the world.all up i was able to experience 'church of the apostles' and 'quest' in seattle; 'st bartholomew's episcopal church' in new york; and 'st luke's west holloway', 'grace' and 'moot' while in london.

i suppose there are many insights concerning the emerging church and i will endeaver to ponder them here over the next month or so. it does seem the main point to reflect upon is the question of 'mission' for 'alt worship groups'. this was on the agenda at 'grace' where they grilled the bishop (bishop pete) last sunday. after a brief chat about the report on mission from the CofE, pete asked 'grace' about how it was missional. as i have posted elsewhere this is the question (is it a first order or second order question?)

also, it seemed from the point of view of the report and the bishop that the CofE wanted to reclaim 'emerging church' and legitmise it as an option along side 'solid church!

others would claim that 'emerging church' is really showing the 'modern church' what it needs to do and change in order to be culturally relevant.

it seems 'moot' are on about this rather than just being a place for disaffected postmods to find a place relevant for them.

i will have to spend some time doing the translation for this into the australian context. more to come...

after a shocking flight from nyc i am here in london over the weekend til i fly back to australia on mon.

conference at st barts nyc was overall okay and in parts excellent. in terms of the five worships offered there is not anything a well versed alt.worship person would find interesting. standing around the altar, co-celebration very good.

what did make me think is the notion of 'radical eucharistic hospitality' all and i mean all are made to feel that the eucharist is for them on any given eucharist. so partake and then come to understand what it means for the community. interesting stuff when we got all those rules about having to be baptised and so on.

saturday i am off to see 'grace' and have a chat with jonny b and on sun at church at st luke's with dave tomlinson and then to see moot in the afternnon. should be a wild weekend.

catch u soon...

flew out of seattle on tuesday morning bound for nyc and arrived late at 10pm. after standing in line for about 45m for a taxi i finally arrived at the house of the redeemer on 95th street (upper east side) only to find it all closed up for the night. so i walked down madison a couple of blocks and found a bar open til 3.00am. I still had about 5 hours to kill so i was directed to an all night dinner on 86th and 2nd avn. stayed there for the next 6 hours drinking coffee and finishing off pete ward's 'liquid church'. as i have said before i really think this is a seminal piece of work. while i have some questions i would love to chat with pete about, the basic premise that church is now not about gatherings in congregations but rather about communication in networks is i think correct.

posting this in an internet cafe just off times square. gee ny is busy and never seems slow.

more later... (Geoff yes i did get your comment - i will email later)

went with karen to the kangaroo and kiwi pub sunday night to check it out. only in america would they be as rude as put the kiwis with kangaroos but who are they to know..(from a culture that can put george bush in the white house i suppose anything is possible!)

but it wasnt that bad..the place started to get busy around 10.30pm and there seemed to be a small expat community in seattle that calls this home. at least you can get a coopers pale ale and that covers a multitude of sins in my book!!

had more chats about the emerging church and caught on my trusty video karen's theology of belgium bear and the emerging church. in short - no two belgium beers are alike; they are a reflection of local custom and taste; there is no philosophy of consistancy or control; it a very fluid system - just like the pomo church (should be)

reading pete ward's liquid church at the moment - god this is a seminal work - essential reading - repeat essential reading. here's just a taste (buy the book yourself from amazon - follow the link)

" (p15) liquid church starts from the positive elements in the new, fluid environment and tries to work with these and make them part of the way forward for the church. we need to develop ways of being a church that doesn't float on water like a boat. to be liquid church means that we are able to combine with water to become fluid, changeable, flexible, and so on. we need to embrace and internalize the liquid nature of culture rather than learn to sail through it. only bt locating church within culture can we find ways to develop a distinctive christian expression within that culture."

unfortunately my time in seattle is fast running out. off to nyc tuesday and then to london before returning to perth, wa. once i have time to edit the video i'll post it on the blog...