Why I’m “Presbymergent”
February 20th, 2007 by Neal LockeI mentioned a new website awhile back, for which I am a contributing editor. As part of the ongoing conversation, several of us are posting stories of our theological journeys as an answer to the question, “Why am I Presbymergent?” (Presbyterian + Emergent = Presbymergent).
Anyhow, here’s my article. While you’re there, check out some of the conversations — it’s quickly becoming a very interesting and unique community of “loyal radicals.”
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February 20th, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Loved your article and am quite intimidated by all the computer whiz bang. Look forward to more.
February 20th, 2007 @ 1:08 pm
Thanks Jan — I think there’s an interesting parallel between all the “computer whiz bang” that intimidates non-computer geeks and church-lingo (phrases like “inerrancy of scripture” and “personal lord and savior”) that is equally intimidating to non-christians.
I guess we’re all geeks in some way or another, huh?
February 23rd, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
Dear God man, no more denominations. A good majority wants to take over the world for God (and by God, they mean themselves).
February 24th, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
Thanks for the input, Nazir (Dante), but I hope you don’t presume to speak for “a good majority” of the denominations out there. And besides, I thought YOU were working on the whole “taking over the world” thing!
Seriously though, most of those who label themselves as “emergent” (and there are all sorts of opinions as to what exactly that means) aren’t seeking yet another schism, split, or “new” denomination–or even non-denominationalism, for that matter. Most are seeking a renewal within their existing faith traditions, hence “presbymergent.”
It is my profound hope that conversations like the one going on at the presbymergent site can infuse mainline denominations (not just Presbyterianism, either) with a sense of purpose and direction that (in my opinion, at least) they have been lacking since the end of modernity and the rise of post-modernism.
February 26th, 2007 @ 9:58 am
Right, I may have jumped the gun a bit with the “most” comment. The very vocal ones are beginning to bug me very much like how man pokes a sleeping bear with a pointy stick. And I really have no desire to take over the world; I am not agreeable to babysitting the children.
Either way, moving to change what perceptions we have on God is very good, especially with the spirit of Christianity is lost to many believers. Then again, the challenge of the presbymergent movement is really retaining what makes “Christianity” Christian. Lose that, and you may create a bigger beast than the fundamentalist movement, one that I will probably have to clean up in the future.
In short, don’t make my life harder.
March 10th, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
Interesting site, but dense reading. I lik eyour writing style and wish you the best of luck on the seminary search.
Does this mean I’m losing Grady and Amy?