Emergent/Emerging Christianity Course description Rather than giving a thick description of the ecclesial phenomenon of Emergent Christianity, this class will engage with the most important theological issues that grab the attention of those participating in the emergent conversation. Most of the attention will be given to the more theologically sophisticated of the emergent thinkers, rather than to the more popular writers, pastors, activists. Although there are two directing philosophical influences that have shaped the conversation, respectively Anglo-American postmodernity and continental philosophy, I will be concentrating more on the former. My position will be that of a sympathetic critic. An atmosphere of friendly and generous, yet convictional and serious debate will be promoted. This will be a hands-on approach, based on actual engagement, rather than caricature. To this end students will be required to both attend an emergent church service, and participate at a Boston Emergent cohort meeting. Course objectives The student will have to become familiar with the formation and framing of a number of important theological issues in an emergent key. She will also be able to understand the rationale for the emergent reformulation of Christianity and critically relate to it. Evaluation - Final research paper: 3000 words; Topic must be suggested by the student and approved by the instructor. Weight: 40% - Anonymous worshipper report: Each student must attend at least one service at an emergent church in the vicinity. The student will write a report consisting of a theological reflection on his or her experience. Weight: 15% - Boston emergent cohort report: Each student must attend a meeting of the Boston emergent cohort, participate in the conversation and write a report about the experience, giving details about his or her contribution to the debate. Weight: 15%. http://bostoncohort.blogspot.com/ - Reading reports and discussion starters: The student must read the assigned texts prior to each class and submit the report at the beginning of the class. The report must contain at least 2 discussion starters two issues which the student thinks are important to be further discussed, with an attending explanation. Weight: 30% - All of the above are necessary requirements: each must be completed in order to obtain a grade. 1
Course outline Lecture 1 Introduction to the Conversation Belcher, 7-71 Jones Lecture 2 Speaking about God Rollins Grenz and Franke 3-57 Franke 1-43 Belcher 71-91 Lecture 3 The Missional God Franke 43-73 Grenz and Franke 169-203 Lecture 4 Scripture Franke 73-139 Grenz and Franke 57-93 Lecture 5 The Church Grenz and Franke 93-130; 203-239 Belcher 91-141 Lecture 6 Authority, Preaching, Governance excerpt from Doug Pagitt Belcher 141-161 Lecture 7 Culture Grenz and Franke 130-169 Belcher 181-209 Lecture 8 Pluralism excerpt from Gregory MacDonald The Evangelical Universalist Lecture 9 What is Evangelicalism? 2
Olson Lecture 10 Conclusion Office hours See on door. Required reading Books - Stanley Grenz and John Franke, Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context (WJK, 2001) - John R. Franke, Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Abingdon, 2009) - Tony Jones, The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emerging Frontier (Josey- Bass, 2008) - Jim Belcher, Deep Church (IVP, 2009) Articles//chapters (a Reader will be provided) - excerpt from Doug Pagitt, Preaching Re-imagined: The Role of the Sermon in Communities of Faith - excerpt from Peter Rollins, How (Not) to Speak of God - Roger Olson, Reformed and Always Reforming: The Postconservative Approach to Evangelical Theology - excerpt Gregory MacDonald, The Evangelical Universalist Bibliography Crouch, Andy. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. IVP Books, 2008. Driscoll, Mark, John Burke, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, and Karen Ward. Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives. Zondervan, 2007. Franke, John R. Character of Theology, The: An Introduction to Its Nature, Task, and Purpose. Baker Academic, 2005. Frost, Michael, and Alan Hirsch. The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church. Hendrickson Publishers, 2003. Gibbs, Eddie, and Ryan K. Bolger. Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures. Baker Academic, 2005. Grenz, Stanley J. A Primer on Postmodernism. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996. ---. Theology for the Community of God. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000. 3
Guder, Darrell L., and Lois Barrett. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998. Harvey, David. The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change. Wiley-Blackwell, 1991. Horton, Michael S. Covenant and Eschatology: The Divine Drama. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press, 2002. ---. People and Place: A Covenant Ecclesiology. Westminster John Knox Press, 2008. Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2003. ---. They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations. Zondervan, 2007. Lints, Richard. The Fabric of Theology: A Prolegomenon to Evangelical Theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993. McKnight, Scot. A Community Called Atonement. Abingdon Press, 2007. ---. The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible. Zondervan, 2008. McLaren, Brian D. A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2004. Murray, Stuart. Post-Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World. Paternoster, 2004. Pagitt, Doug. Preaching Re-Imagined: The Role of the Sermon in Communities of Faith. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2005. Pagitt, Doug, and Tony Jones. Emergent Manifesto of Hope, An. Baker Books, 2008. Raschke, Carl. GloboChrist: The Great Commission Takes a Postmodern Turn. Baker Academic, 2008. ---. Next Reformation, The: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity. Baker Academic, 2004. Rollins, Peter. How (Not) to Speak of God. Paraclete Press (MA), 2006. 4
Shults, F. LeRon. The Postfoundationalist Task of Theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999. Sire, James W. Naming the Elephant: Worldview As a Concept. InterVarsity Press, 2004. Smith, James K. A. Who's Afraid of Postmodernism?: Taking Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault to Church. Baker Academic, 2006. Sweet, Leonard. Post-Modern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century Church. B&H Publishing Group, 2000. Sweet, Leonard, Andy Crouch, Brian D. McLaren, Erwin Raphael McManus, and Michael Horton. Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2003. Tickle, Phyllis. Great Emergence, The: How Christianity Is Changing and Why. Baker Books, 2008. Vanhoozer, Kevin J. The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2003. ---. The Drama Of Doctrine: A Canonical-Linguistic Approach To Christian Theology. Westminster John Knox Press, 2005. Ward, Graham. Christ and Culture. Wiley-Blackwell, 2005. Ward, Pete. Liquid Church. Hendrickson Publishers, 2002. Wells, David F. The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008. 5