3.1 …..live with open-eyed optimism.
3.2 …..are wholly developed.
3.3 …..see themselves as God’s co-conspirators/co-collaborators.
3.4 …..live as useful religious people for the benefit of the world–moving beyond viewing Christianity as a “relationship with God.”
3.5 …..take the call of the gospel to live beyond the American dream.
3.6 …..listen to the outsides with the same dignity and anticipation as the insider.
3.7 …..seek to “stop binary, reductionistic thinking now!”
3.8 …..live like life in the Body matters.
3.9 …..are about the Kingdom of God and not a far away heaven.
3.10 …do not see their lives as a distraction from God.
[list quoted from Practitioners: Voices Within the Emerging Church, edited by Greg Russinger and Alex Field]
I’d have to look further into the movement, but I couldn’t help but notice the “progressive” word quite a bit. And, aren’t liberals now trying to use “progressive” instead of “liberal”.
There is legitimate criticism of everything, but I’m wondering if this movement is taking a large cross section of liberalism’s premises and repackaging? Reading the accusations, I’m getting a feeling of smugness from the statements. For trying to portray a very new protestantism, it seems to be doing an old school Lutheran approach of thesis.
Strong stuff, Kevin!
I would only change one thing.
To me, optimism is like luck. It’s not based on anything real or eternal.
Instead of optimism, I’d substitute “hope.”
Hope is God, God is hope, hope is real and eternal.
hello kev long time no hear from? Is your phone turned off?
Hey Jim, long time no see! I finally gave up the Dallas number for a B’Ham one. E-mail me and I’ll get it to you!