Now some of these people wouldn't consider themselves emergent, which is usually a sign they are!
Emergent is a VERY hard thing to explain. Its basically the idea that something "new" is emerging. To me its a bit like the idea of the Phoenix. You know the Phoenix dies & then out of the ashes arises a new one. So many think this is sort of like a new reformation. To me its kind of like nailing jello to the wall because you have all sorts of folks in the emergent conversation from many different perspectives. There are conservatives coming from the evangelical direction & there are also liberals coming from more of a mainline direction. So there is no doctrinal statement for the Emerging Church.
Now people are using the term Emergent less and starting to use "progressive Christian". I think what drives these people together is that they want to be known by their love. They are tired of a non loving, hypocritical church. They are tired of the world thinking we hate them. They usually aren't into legislating morality. Many of them support gay rights even if they think its still a sin. Most probably are pretty loose with that though and in some ways support monogamous faithful unions of any kind. They would say the bible never addresses that. Well I'm still evolving on that but my very dear friends that love the Lord and are gay are really helping me see things from a whole new light.
Anyway that at least gives you some idea of Emergent & Progressive. I think if you were to talk to 10 different theologians or pastors you'd probably get 6 different answers!!
Now these books I'm going to recommend are books to help you in an introductory way. I will list them in the order I'd read them too.
"Evolving in Monkey Town" by Rachel Held Evans
This book will just help you really understand how to read the bible in a real & fun way. She is not coming from a liberal perspective but ...... i won't wreck the book. She is an evangelical.
"A new kind of Christianity" by Brian McLaren
Now he also has a book called a new kind of christian so don't mix them up. All of his books are good though. Let me be VERY honest though. When I first read him I only agreed with him about 25%. I had allot of problems with some of the things he suggested BUT on the things I did connect with him on were LIFESAVING. I mean I really needed to read him. Now I probably agree with him on 75% and I'm quite sure that is about as good as its gonna get with him. But this book is good.
Unlike Rachel he is coming from more of a Mainline direction.
"Love Wins" by Rob Bell
Don't totally agree with everything but his ideas are very good. I'm a big fan of this book.
Also one of my children loves the book "Fall to Grace" by Jay Bakker
(yes that is Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker's son if you remember them from the 80's) I have not read this but they says its good. I'd read these others first though. He is probably the MOST progressive.
All these books have helped me on my spiritual journey. I began to realize I'm not alone, I'm not crazy and I'm not a heretic. I still believe in the atonement of Jesus, though many in the emergent movement don't so much (though they do still believe that Jesus is the way). I still believe that even if you use other religious practices, methods etc. that its still Jesus that saves. In other words I think there is only one way to God but many ways to Jesus, even if its not by the english name. I don't think Religion is from God I think its man made (see last post). So that is why many religions have methodologies that are pretty good at connecting with God. For example, the heart and soul of Buddhism is Karma which I don't believe in. I think Jesus is going to get us all to heaven whether we deserve it or not. BUT I do think that there are allot of buddhist practices that are great for connecting with God. Many of their meditation rituals are better than the Christian Religion. The only leg up the Christian Religion has is that it knows Jesus is the way (AT LEAST IN THEORY ..... HAHA)
So I still think like I always have that Jesus has made a way for us all. Much of my core theology hasn't changed. But I do see & read the bible different, I do think God's grace is wider than I once thought and I do think that we MUST find a way to be disciples known by love.
I'm not sure what bible so many christians are reading & I don't know how they are making themselves think that they are on the right track but WOW, what I see in Jesus is not what I usually see in churches, at least most of them.
Most christians seem to be hoping people won't get it while I think God is trying to get in ALL he can. I think God is up to something, salvation wise, much bigger than anything any of us could have ever imagined!!
I really hope this book list will help you. I'm quite certain that it will if you are open minded AND you don't have to feel like you agree with everything. Even if you only agree with 5 or 10% I'm sure you will find answers that you could not have found anywhere else!!
Enjoy!
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