Darryl's Blog
Forge update
Lots of reaction to the Forge document:
Jordon posts some concerns - "...we still do a lousy job of talking to each other...I wonder what kind of paper Hirch and Frost would have written had Brian's input been a part of it. This isn't about division in the church or differening theological worldviews or being American vs. being Aussie. It is about showing the world a different way of resolving our differences."
Hirsch (co-author of the Forge document) clarifies - "Please be assured that what we have written is not a dismissal of Emergent and certainly not a distancing from Brian McLaren and what he stands for. I have immense and abiding respect, nay, reverence, for Brian. Our primary concern in drafting this document was to try and distinguish elements that make us different in terms of nuance and focus in order to try offset the collateral damage on the Australian missional church that has, and is, sadly taking place due to Carson's book."
Tony Jones (co-ordinator of Emergent USA) responds to Hirsch - "...is the posting of position papers really the way that we want the global EC conversation to continue?"
Points of agreement: McLaren is held in high esteem; Carson's assessment misrepresents the emerging church at points (although I think it would be helpful for McLaren to outline these); there are some differences of theology within the ec; this is a discussion among friends.
The real question seems to be what type of public debate is acceptable over issues (not personalities) within the emerging church - a seemingly important question for something that claims to be a conversation. After all, McLaren's books are a "position paper" of sorts (position papers don't have to be against someone or something).
I tend to lean toward more openness and public debate over ideas rather than less, so it's hard for me to be discouraged about this - but I'm open to your comments.
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Seems the nice folks at Forge in Australia have released a position paper written on their behalf by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch of TSOTTC fame. The paper is a response to D.A. Carson’s Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church, which is s... Read More
I found Carson's book irenic and evenhanded. In order to advance some kind of substantive interaction with ec he had to forgo the death of a thousand qualifications, but I sensed he was trying to be fair nevertheless. Most importantly he helpfully advanced some of the often misunderstood epistemological questions into the foreground. I'd love to see McLaren's reaction.
I hope I have friends like that. When I get attacked, I look forward to friends distancing themselves from me. The whole things makes me sick.
I guess I start from the perspective that criticism can be good. Carson's book is off base at points but he isn't completely wrong. The process could have been better but a healthy exchange of ideas is a good thing.
But even if I disagree completely with Carson, emerging is supposed to be a conversation and I don't think the rules say we have to agree with McLaren on everything.
I think it would frustrate me more if we pretended we all agreed on everything.