Basically, from what I can tell so far, the "Emerging Church" is about "walking the walk" (faith), not just "talking the talk"... it's about getting rid of the hypocrisy, the masks, and the legalism that are so rampant in churches today, and being more "real".
That's how I see it, anyway...
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Interesting take, mizbooks. I don't necessarily disagree with that comment. Clearly, as with some of the articles you've referenced, there are theological truths that some emerging congregations seem to ignore - but I don't think that's true of all of them.
I need to read the rest of the stuff you posted...I have read Rob Bell's book - but it's been a year.
I was wondering, Andy, what your take is on all the EC stuff, since you quote books by Donald Miller (and he's supposedly connected, in whatever way, to all of this). :o)
I think Miller is associated with the movement because of his emphasis on the relationship with Christ, which is certainly a key component of the EC movement.
I will admit that I'm not all that well-versed in the movement either, although I have read Bell, I've read McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy, and frankly, I need to go back and re-read that stuff.
There are certainly dangers in an overreaction to legalism in any church, and my concern with the EC movement is whether they've gone too far the opposite direction. It certainly seems that way with some of those in EC, but I don't necessarily get that from Miller, who I think tries to walk that fine line between legalism and the EC.
I think Miller's too much of an independent thinker to be easily cornered in whether he's "emergent" or not.
I'm back in reading some Yancey right now, some Piper (who's not a fan of the EC movement) and St. Augustine - so I've got plenty of good blogging material going forward...
Andy - I've not really yet read Donald Miller's stuff (though I'm currently reading part of "Searching for God Knows What" via the chapter-a-day emails --available through Books-a-Million)
I've got a new blog for my faith ramblings: The Relevant Element :o)
(I needed another blog like I need a whole in the head, but hey... ) LOL
McLaren's "A Generous Orthodoxy" is really under fire in the forums I've been reading. He's one of the big-shots in the EC movement... the one most often quoted. What did YOU think of that book? Was it really "anti-evangelical"?
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