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knowledge and experience, now what? the finale

Ok, so I’ve talked a bit about my experiences with Emergent and the emerging church and my attempt at explaining how I think most of us look at faith and spirituality and why there exists such a rift between emergents and traditionalists.

Here is the series

Part 1
an aside
Part2
an aside 2
Part 3
an aside 3
Part 4
an aside 4

So now what? What does all of this mean?

In part 4 I talked about our choices - how we can deal with this chaos we are currently in as 2 eras (modern, post modern and even post post modern ) collide.

1. we can determine that we disagree with each other, draw the lines in the sand and fight to the death to prove we’re right, calling everyone who disagrees a heretic or an intolerant archaic antique.

2. we can go our separate ways but at least avoid bashing the other in the head on a daily basis and instead aim for the toes, growing our own communities and ignoring the fact that the other even exists.

3. we can acknowledge our differences, realizing that moderns and post moderns need to function fully in this age in what they do best, and co-exist nearby but still in our separate spheres, working to bring out the best in each other and working together in those things we have in common

4. we can try endlessly to work together in the same existing structure, trying not to offend, getting along at all costs and continue building the same empire we currently have in the Church.

Brian McLaren has used the phrase “above the line” to speak of solutions that are not on the existing spectrum but instead something altogether different. The main reason why I like this phrase is that balance often speaks to a watered down response, something that is neither hot nor cold.

I think our response needs to be above the line.

One of the frustrating things as a post modern is that we tend to be comfortable working with moderns but they tend to be very uncomfortable working with us. Trying to strike a balance means that we both have to give up convictions that make us who we are.

So the solution? I don’t think there is one right solution - - how’s that for an appropriately post modern finale? *smirk*

I personally think the solution is to keep moving forward. As I mentioned before, we have to work intentionally to not get quagmired in condemnation, judgment and analysis. If you need to start a new sub group in order to classify yourselves, then do it and do it well - just keep moving forward. If you need to use the Bible as a weapon because it’s your conviction to do so, then wield it well and keep moving forward. (I disagree with this approach for the record hehe).

God’s Kingdom advances - let’s find out where he is and join him. If that lands us smack in the middle of conservative card carrying republican evangelicals with fish stickers on their mini vans then we better be there and do it well. If it lands us in the middle of goth teenagers reading dark poetry and reveling in their nehilistic tendencies then we better be there and do it well.

I think the answer for our response is that we need to wrestle with what our response is.

Being told that I’m wrong because someone’s knowledge says so and my experience says something different is VERY FRUSTRATING. Moderns would do well to realize this and attempt to figure out how to approach it differently (there ya go traditionalists, I tipped our hand - that was free, I charge a standard consultation fee for any additional insight into the pomo mind *smirk*). And moderns get frustrated when we refuse to identify ourselves or explain what we believe - we would do well to realize this.

Let’s just get out there and live well!

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5 Comments

  1. Geoffrey — October 12, 2007 #

    Makeesha, you have managed to sum up the dilemma quite nicely in the following paragraph:

    “Being told that I’m wrong because someone’s knowledge says so and my experience says something different is VERY FRUSTRATING. Moderns would do well to realize this and attempt to figure out how to approach it differently (there ya go traditionalists, I tipped our hand - that was free, I charge a standard consultation fee for any additional insight into the pomo mind *smirk*). And moderns get frustrated when we refuse to identify ourselves or explain what we believe - we would do well to realize this.”

    We cannot, I believe, “figure out” how to approach the conflict differently because I think post-modernists (I’m still uncomfortable with the whole “Emergent” label) are honest enough to refuse to soft-pedal our position. As for explaining what we believe - for myself, I keep trying, but every time I do, I have the double bind of (1) being called a non- or even anti-Christian and a false teacher; and (2) I keep changing my mind so something I said six months ago is no longer operative. When I admit the latter, usually some form of the former kicks in to gear.

    I no longer even attempt to discuss issues of faith with fundamentalists for the simple reason that they have no interest, or ability, in listening to those whose ideas and views are different. There is no “discussion” - there is only the recitation of how wrong, and more than occasionally how dangerous, I am for holding the views I do. I tire of that. I also tire of being told how nasty I am when I tell people that I don’t enjoy being called a false teacher by people who refuse to take the time to understand what I am trying to say.

    This is a long comment that comes to a short conclusion - I believe that we must carry on as best we can, and just refuse to pay attention to those elements that desire to silence us. By giving them attention, we give them both more power and influence than they should have or deserve. There are just my thoughts, and should be taken with as few grains of salt as possible.

  2. Mak — October 12, 2007 #

    I’m right there with you friend.

    I laughed at this:

    (1) being called a non- or even anti-Christian and a false teacher; and (2) I keep changing my mind so something I said six months ago is no longer operative. When I admit the latter, usually some form of the former kicks in to gear.

    It’s so true!

    your last comment made me think of how much of this is a boundaries issue. I can’t make anyone believe different. I can’t make anyone act different. But I can choose how I act and I can choose how I behave and if that means refusing to engage certain vcc’s (very conservative christians) then that’s what has to happen.

  3. christy fritz — October 12, 2007 #

    that was very good… thnks again for the series.

  4. Paul — October 14, 2007 #

    and here I was hanging out for the final solution :)

    thanks Mak, learning love for the other is one of the benefits i think from the angst of such modern/post-modern dialogues (not to mention patience et al)…

    The other one is that i know i was once wedded to a modern mindset and found the whole transition process extremely scary and unsettling - finding out that i could be wrong for instance was a very troubling revelation ;)

    SO i guess i have some sympathy…

  5. Mak — October 14, 2007 #

    I used to be of a modern mindset too - - but found the transition to be freeing and filled with joy so I don’t get the fear thing on a personal level. I was talking to David about this yesterday. I actually think that I was being fed modernity but wasn’t truly modern…I think I have always been “emerging” in some sense. when I stumbled on all of this it gave voice to what I already really believed.

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