emergent can die
There was some noise in the emerget/ing blogosphere a while back about the forthcoming death of emergent, and while it was going on, I kept thinking “Man, I hope not, that would be a bit of a blow to me.” I felt like I needed the structure of the EC to continue on so I could continue to push, provoke, or completely break systems that I find myself in. (Sorry Derek, that last sentence probably makes you cringe) It really wasn’t until this past couple weeks of some deep(er) thinking that made me realize, I’m ready for Emergent to die.
I’m not saying that I wish death upon the movement, or that I actually think that said “Death” is coming, but instead I’m saying I don’t feel like I need the structure anymore. The structure being Emergent Village, the Blogs, the Podcasts, the Meetings, or perhaps even the Cohorts. If I were to lose out on the structure, I still think my current motion would continue, I feel like the movement has actually reached a sustainability point in which we could close down the entirety of the support structure, and the very starfish nature of the movement would take over.
I think, perhaps, would we even be stronger for it.
I’m quite positive that, if the structure embedded around the movement, would cease, the conversation would continue. Forced out of the comfort of our blogs, the acceptance of our cohorts, and the centrality of EV, we would still find ways to connect and grow the network/conversation. I’m increasingly finding out that Emergent and emerging are both building preconceived connotations that weren’t there, or at least weren’t as noticeable to me, when I first began paying attention to the conversation two years ago.
While I still have friends that express curiosity in the movement, I have noticed the automatic assumption is that emergent/ing is full of liberals that reject Scripture, atonement theory, and Solo Christo. While I’m sure that Carson, Mohler, Zacharias, and the online discernement ministries have had their part in increasing this appearance/opinion of the movement, it’s beginning to make the label a bit untenable. I’m a fan of Derek’s use of the term “Hodian” as a bit of a provocateur term, and I’m increasingly finding the term “Emergent” less and less helpful in describing my views. I’m split on how the idea of “un-attaching” myself from that label (“emergent”) would play out, if it would be of benefit or of harm.
I know, as a movement/converasation, this road has been travelled before, but I’m coming at it from a different viewpoint this time. So, here’s my question: “Are you Ok with the idea of Emergent dying?”
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