http://www.cornellsociety.org/2008/04/thoughts-on-b-in-a-day-three/ Unity in charity, diversity in truth Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:25:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://www.cornellsociety.org/2008/04/thoughts-on-b-in-a-day-three/#comment-45848 Dustin Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:30:49 +0000 http://www.cornellsociety.org/2008/04/thoughts-on-b-in-a-day-three/#comment-45848 I should have gone on to say: the proliferation of these postmodern efforts at evangelization provides good insight into the deterioration of Protestant efforts at cohesion. Beginning with a breakdown in authority structures into smaller, hyper-authoritarian factions (e.g. Calvin's Geneva, the American Puritans, Tudor England), whatever energy and zeal these branches initially enjoyed in the post-reformatory decades has come down to us, in 21st Century America, as the logical conclusion of such factionalizing: hyper-individualization. I think this speaks more acutely, not to the typical expression of Protestant emphases upon conscience, but to a radical attempt by Christianity, as a whole, to adapt to changing times, times which perhaps are in a far more radical state of flux than previously. It makes for far more interesting sociology and anthropology, therefore, than theology, as the whole notion of "emerging" Christianity is its wholly decentralized and nearly accidental appearance and growth (just as no one person ever "planned" the blogosphere; millions of people, presented with certain conditions, adapted to the changing shape of the web at nearly the same time and began to effectuate even more radical changes of their own to the environment). I should have gone on to say: the proliferation of these postmodern efforts at evangelization provides good insight into the deterioration of Protestant efforts at cohesion. Beginning with a breakdown in authority structures into smaller, hyper-authoritarian factions (e.g. Calvin’s Geneva, the American Puritans, Tudor England), whatever energy and zeal these branches initially enjoyed in the post-reformatory decades has come down to us, in 21st Century America, as the logical conclusion of such factionalizing: hyper-individualization. I think this speaks more acutely, not to the typical expression of Protestant emphases upon conscience, but to a radical attempt by Christianity, as a whole, to adapt to changing times, times which perhaps are in a far more radical state of flux than previously. It makes for far more interesting sociology and anthropology, therefore, than theology, as the whole notion of “emerging” Christianity is its wholly decentralized and nearly accidental appearance and growth (just as no one person ever “planned” the blogosphere; millions of people, presented with certain conditions, adapted to the changing shape of the web at nearly the same time and began to effectuate even more radical changes of their own to the environment).

]]> http://www.cornellsociety.org/2008/04/thoughts-on-b-in-a-day-three/#comment-45837 Dustin Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:58:04 +0000 http://www.cornellsociety.org/2008/04/thoughts-on-b-in-a-day-three/#comment-45837 Amy Welborn has been doing some good work in studying contemporary American Protestantism, particularly the "emergent church" movement, pan-denominational (rather than non-denominational) communities, and other peculiarly American strains of religiosity that don't accord with the more visible and clearly defined camps of main-line Protestants and evangelicals. Her work has mostly been descriptive, but the insights are valuable nonetheless. Sympathetic to the aims these movements have, and occasional reference to the deficiencies that they can only expose and exacerbate. Again, it's really good work, far better than the dismissive treatment most of the press typically gives new Christian movements that can't easily be stereotyped. Amy Welborn has been doing some good work in studying contemporary American Protestantism, particularly the “emergent church” movement, pan-denominational (rather than non-denominational) communities, and other peculiarly American strains of religiosity that don’t accord with the more visible and clearly defined camps of main-line Protestants and evangelicals. Her work has mostly been descriptive, but the insights are valuable nonetheless. Sympathetic to the aims these movements have, and occasional reference to the deficiencies that they can only expose and exacerbate. Again, it’s really good work, far better than the dismissive treatment most of the press typically gives new Christian movements that can’t easily be stereotyped.

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