This article, published in Christianity Today 1.5 years ago, reflects many of my observations and questions and admirations about the Emergent movement. It's worth reading.
Most importantly, this article highlights for me the issue of culture - Emergent is culturally self-conscious in a major way. Many Emergent churches embrace a youth-oriented, techo-savvy culture. On websites of Emergent congregations, you see pictures of multiple projection screens, musicians using Apple iBooks to crank out electronic tunes, and lots of cool people who seem to be very style conscious. It's like these people were ripped from the pages of some alternative music magazine or something (these folks don't listen to Hillary Duff, I think).
But here's my question. Is there a place in the Emergent church for me? I ask this because:
- I don't download music from the web.
- I don't own an iPod.
- I don't have an Apple iBook.
- I don't have cool hair.
- I am not particularly fashionable.
- I stopped trying to stay on top of good, new, alternative music some time between Lollapalooza and the Lillith Fair.
- I mainly listen to NPR, BBC and '80s New Wave (thank God for XM Satellite Radio!)
So is there a place for me in Emergent? Maybe there is, and maybe there isn't. And maybe this isn't the kind of church I want. I don't know.
But the thing is this - I really resonate with the project Emergent has begun, which is a bold reimagining of the relationship of culture, tradition, certainty, mystery, faith, and divine promise (perhaps this is an overly simplistic summation of the Emergent cause?). And because of my admiration of the Emergent project, my second question is this - Can Emergent do this bold reimagination of church without being so culturally narrow in its approach?
I hear that Brian McLaren's church in Maryland is not particularly techno-oriented, and perhaps a visit there would give me a broader perspective on diversity of the Emergent movement. Of course, the movement is not monolithic, and some wonder if it is even a movement at all (but it did just name a national coordinator . . .). Whatever it is, Emergent has become a force for renewal in the church and it is asking questions and doing things that many of us wish we've been asking and doing for a long time.
