Book Report: The Great Emergence, by Rameses Sorrell
Three main questions come to mind when you think of the “Great Emergence,” “What is it, How did it come to be, and Where is it going?”(13)
Chapter one of “The Great Emergence” suggests that the Judeo-Christian and even Islamic faiths seem to evolve with almost Five Hundred year cycles. And with each evolution or change in the faith it seems to develop and spread to other cultures and dynamics. One could say that within the Christian strain of the faith it started with the birth, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ the Messiah (26). Through followers and uprisings the demand for Christianity to grow was established. Meetings occurred and a growth of his teachings spread across the kingdom of Rome
Chapter two suggests that our faith is like a cable comprised of three parts, an outer casing that is the story of history, that protects us and our minds from going crazy over the reason why we are here on earth (34);A second inner part which is like the consensual illusion that all humans have about how this universe works and thus is understood to be truth, though it may not be entirely correct (35); and a third inner part that is comprised of three parts, spirituality, morality, and corporeality-the tangible evidence of religion. All three of which hurt our feelings if hit too hard and create all chaos, mayhem, death and wars (36-38).
Chapter three discusses that Christian faith is part of the social construct of society. And just as society changes and discoveries are made in our universe so must religion and our view of God. The term “sola scriptura” arose, faith based only on what is in the scriptures. With this idea, it meant that more people had to be able to read and write.
This was the greatest Protestant movement of all time because it allowed for the literacy rate of almost the entire known world to rise. Ideas and different perspectives became more and more common place. Catalogued volumes of information and technology of the Greeks and Moors was ever present (46-48). Eventually, the printing press arose which made the Bible, Luther’s theses and all its rebuttals commonplace (48-49). The thoughts of scholars and actions of Columbus proved the world not to be flat and philosophers’ ideas of the Earth not being the center of the universe almost proved the church to be incorrect about many things (55-56).Reformation came and so did Catholic Reformation and a formal training of those suited to serve as Biblical clergymen, etc.(58). Ultimately with the shift of societies greater knowledge of doing things so was there a change in social strata that moved from serfdom to middle and upper classes and a freedom of thought that seems to define the change of the times (50-51) even now unto our Great Emergence.
Chapter four suggests that as time progresses new ideas, thoughts and inventions arise. The rise of television, radio, technology, light and electricity and even different theories about the mind, consciousness, self and the internet all pose questions about society and ones being. The questions, Who am I? What am I doing here? and Why am I here?
Challenge peoples’ own existence and give them so much insight about self and the outside world that they question if God even exists; Versus the times of old when it was the establishment of society deemed upon the masses through government decree. It is almost like Adam and Eve and the tree of knowledge. Once eyes are opened to both sides of the story our mind races with questions that need to be answered. “Where now is our authority?” But we must settle on the peace and understanding of what is already innately known and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. (64-72)
Chapter five covers many different topics from Einstein and his theories about matter and
Relativity which lead to space exploration and people walking on the moon; It was a stepping stone downward of the faith of many because it tampered with the creation story of the two lights in the sky (82). Tickle speaks about Pentecostalism and the presence of the Holy Spirit in African American church and the way of worship which incorporated speaking in tongues. Seen in the Azusa Street Revival, it led to Pentecostalism being second in Christian faiths only Roman Catholicism (82-87). She spoke of cars, and the leaving of the traditional community and church to go elsewhere to find enjoyment, ignoring the Sabbath. She spoke of Karl Marx and his ideas of Socialism which led many to agree that the state had the good of the people in mind. Ultimately absolute loyalty to this entity led to their demise (88-89). She spoke of AA, immigrants, the spirituality vs. religion of new religions like Buddhism and drugs, gays, technological advances, the morality of Dr. Kevorkian, the womans’ movement, and their involvement in the workforce during wartime (almost like the house churches of the past) which created a new family relationship and structure. She also spoke of the computer and the internet age and how influences and information of the outside world without supervision can be disinformation which only leads people astray; An unknowing of God. The twentieth century, liberation, and knowledge was the destruction of the idea of “sola scriptura” and leads people to ask “Where are we Going?” (91-116)
Chapter Six discusses how the current emerging church may interact. Imagine a square divided into four quadrants with the upper left representing the “Liturgicals,”
Orthodoxy and Catholic churches. The Upper right quadrant would represent “Social Justice Christians” like United Methodists, The Lower right would represent “Conservatives,” while the lower left would represent “Renewals.”(126). However because just as UMCs often adopt liturgical work and the Catholics also deal with Social justice, this diagram has to evolve to include at least a portion of each other in the quadrant. Imagine an intersection of the four quadrants with a flower shaped cross form (128). From then you can imagine the quadrant with swirled circular lines all through the centers of all the quadrants. Imagine this as the interaction of faith amongst each other in often secular or even “water cooler” type environments (131-132). However, sometimes there are those “reactionists” who are true to their faith and want to keep everyone separated. Imagine these lines going back on themselves (137). Now from here imagine “surrounding currents” where traditionalists, re-traditionalists, progressives and hyphenateds just free flow all through the four quadrants into different denominations (140). This represents the emergence of the new church where people are free to drift into churches and denominations with ideas, faith and spirit that just feels right to them because it’s God.
Chapter 7 discusses where the emerging church is going. Many terms come to mind. Orthonomy, “which may be defined as a kind of ‘correct harmoniousness’… or aesthetic us of harmonic purity for discerning truth.”(149) Another term that comes to mind is Theonomy, meaning that “only God can be the source of perfection in action and thought.” (150) Thus when asked “Where is the authority of the church?” They may respond “in the community” and in “Scripture.”(151) “What is the Emergent church?” A conversation, (153) that recognizes all of the socio/economic/political/intellectual and technological change of its age.
Good work here, Rameses. In the future, though, try to engage your own personal reflections for each chapter.
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