An Emergent Theology
For Emerging Churches
by Ray S Anderson
Paperback
Price: £8.99
Publisher:BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship)
Published:22 June 2007
ISBN:978-1-841-01535-4
GoodBookStall Review:
Anderson's 'emerging churches' are the fresher end of 'Fresh Expressions': Christ-centred people being salt in the world, formed not by the past but by the future that grasps them. How can they retain authentic Christian credentials and continuity with the past? Anderson's emphasis is on the one Spirit of Christ but with a concern to hear what the Spirit is speaking today. He stresses the need for 'vintage' theology, but it is clear that new situations demand new responses, and in that sense theology also needs to be emergent as new ways of being church also emerge. At this point conservative evangelicals will start to worry, but others will be interested to see how this difficult circle can be squared. In the end Anderson, unsurprisingly, does not show us how to do it so much as urge us to try: this is Postmodern theology after all. It is aimed at the popular market, but like much Postmodern theology from across the pond it is not always easy to read - so more of a challenge for pioneer practitioners who need to sharpen their spirits with more than a quick read on the plane.
Reviewer: David Thomson (11/09/07)
Anderson's 'emerging churches' are the fresher end of 'Fresh Expressions': Christ-centred people being salt in the world, formed not by the past but by the future that grasps them. How can they retain authentic Christian credentials and continuity with the past? Anderson's emphasis is on the one Spirit of Christ but with a concern to hear what the Spirit is speaking today. He stresses the need for 'vintage' theology, but it is clear that new situations demand new responses, and in that sense theology also needs to be emergent as new ways of being church also emerge. At this point conservative evangelicals will start to worry, but others will be interested to see how this difficult circle can be squared. In the end Anderson, unsurprisingly, does not show us how to do it so much as urge us to try: this is Postmodern theology after all. It is aimed at the popular market, but like much Postmodern theology from across the pond it is not always easy to read - so more of a challenge for pioneer practitioners who need to sharpen their spirits with more than a quick read on the plane.
Reviewer: David Thomson (11/09/07)
