Professors at Columbia Theological Seminary have the chance to write and dialogue on an online journal geared toward “theological investigations in church & culture.” The online journal is called @ this point, and their newest online version is a collection of essays based around the theme, “A New Church For a New Century.” Included in this issue are the following articles:
- “The Shaping of Things to Come?” by Associate Professor of Evangelism & Church Growth, Dr. Steve Hayner.
- “Is a Prophetic Movement Emerging?” by Assistant Professor of Theology, Dr. Martha Moore-Keish
- “Individual Consumers versus Sacrificial Community” by Associate Professor of Christian Education, Dr. Rodger Nishioka
- “Being Different For the Sake of Not Being Traditional?” by Professor of Christian Ethics, Dr. Marcia Riggs
@ this point is geared toward PC(USA) church members and all content from the journal can be downloaded and reproduced without charge. I’m hoping to get a chance to interact with some of these articles, as I had both Rodger and Steve for classes this semester, and I know Martha mainly through my wife when I helped Sarah babysit her daughters. I really like the authors, and look forward to what their thoughts are on Emergent. At any rate, please check out the journal and enjoy the conversations hosted there.
About Adam Walker Cleaveland
Interesting discussions! Thanks for pointing them out to us!
I love that CTS is addressing these issues, especially when many of our other seminaries do not seem to be addressing them at all.
Thanks, Adam, for the link.
This century is no different from any other, but we want it to be. Check out the revivals that happened as the centuries turned over.
The seminaries are not training our pastors for todays church today – they are too interested in a hypothetical, trendy tomorrow which never comes.
I am constantly reminded of the fable about the tortoise and the hare. Emergents are running so fast that they will weary and tire…sounds like a good dose of Isaiah 40:30,31 is needed here.
I’m not sure which seminaries you’re talking about, Dubuque certainly wasn’t training me for a hypothetical, trendy tomorrow…
…Nor was Austin, where I trained.
Stushie, there are more and more people who have been waiting for the Lord in traditional congregations throughout our denomination (as well as in other denominations), but the congregations’ attitudes and behavior show little or no interest in God’s renewing strength. So if emergents have to leave the traditional church structure in order to be faithful disciples, I say, “Run, don’t walk, to your nearest exit and emerge in the vibrant community to which God calls you!”
In Christ,
Mark
Is “being emergent” primarily about openness to new forms? A traditionally structured congregation can be a vibrant and living entity. I think it’s more a question of maintaining an openness to the manifold ways that God can work in the church. In that, coursework in creative ways to engage people with Christ might help, but I sometimes wonder if the calling to that form of ministry is a trainable skill set.
Thanks Adam for these great links – it’s good to be “in the know”.
The more that I am have become involved in this whole “emergent” conversation the more I believe the following: “Emergent” is a new movement that is still open to different creative interpretations/ definitions/ possibilities. In other words, there is no clearly definable “emergent” movement that we can react against pro/con. Rather, the “emergent” movement is living in a realm of hopefilled possibilities.
Let the conversation(s) continue…