Phyllis Tickle. Emergence Christianity: What it is, Where it is Going,
and Why it Matters. (Baker Books, 2012; available for Kindle.)
Phyllis Tickle’s earlier book, The Great Emergence, was an important
conversation starter all around our Presbyterian Church. This conversation was
encouraged when Tickle was the keynote speaker for the theological reflection
seminars offered by our Office of the General Assembly along side of the 2010
meeting of the General Assembly. The thesis of the Great Emergence is now well
known. The Christian Church has cycled through a series of huge transformations
every five hundred years. The last one, the 1500s, was, of course, the
Protestant Reformation. Now we are in the midst of a new Great Emergence which
is shaking the foundations of the established church and ushering in a very new
expression of church in our culture.
In her new book, Tickle picks up again her historical theme but this
time focuses specifically on American
Church
Here is, in my opinion, her thesis statement about the characteristics of this new
Emergence Christianity. She unpacks each of these characteristics in a full and
clear way:
“Of the several general characteristics that the Great Emergence and Emergence
Christianity hold in common, these of deinstitutionalization; nonhierarchal
organization; a comfortable and informed interface with physical science;
dialogical and contextual habits of thoughts; almost universal technological
savvy; triple citizenship with its triple loyalties and obligations; a deeply
embedded commitment to social justice with an accompanying, though largely
unpremeditated, assumption of all forms of human diversity as the norm; and a
vocation toward greenness – these undoubtedly are among the most
characterizing.”
There is something new happening in the church. What is it?
What is the relationship between the new, emerging thing and our established
church? In what ways can the emerging church and the established church touch
and support one another? In what ways can they learn from one another? For
those of us immersed in and committed to the established church I believe this is
an important conversation. Tickle’s overview of the new thing that is happening
in our midst is informative and helpful. There is a deep tone of courage and
hopefulness in her writing. There is nothing to be afraid of; God is doing a
new thing in our midst.
I will cherish the opportunity to have more conversation
around Tickle’s new book with other church leaders.
