Sessions 12 & 13: Tammie

1. Loss of truth. Based on the postmodern rejection of a modern worldview which results in a disbelief in the goodness of knowledge, the certainty and rational nature of truth and the objectivity of knowledge, those holding the modern worldview in the church fear that the emerging church will also reject truth. I would take a track similar to the one Conder explains on page 43 in that I would point out that by learning about and understanding postmodernity, we are not accepting all of its precepts. We are trying to figure out how to adjust our ministry models to live out an authentic life that lives out the gospel we teach in the midst of the postmodern world. In a sense, it is much like a missionary foreign missionary learning the language and the culture of the community in which he will be ministering in order to become a more effective voice for the gospel. It would also be important to note that such postmodern ideals as community, missional living and comfort with mystery have expanded our theology as our understanding of God's redemptive work is expanded, our work in our local communities increases and our sense of awe is invigorated. As I think about this particualr fear as it is relates to the ECM's comfort with mystery, I can't help but wonder if the ECM has an approach that is more palatable in times of crisis as we have seen recently as I hear the youth question why something would happen, but at the same time affirm that God's ways are above our knowing.

2. Loss of personal faith. This would certainly be the toughest fear to address since the idea of a personal faith is held so dearly by the modern church. Yet, a conversation on the issue would have to point out that the sense of individualism which feeds the idea of a personal faith comes, as Conder says, in the context of a community. The disciples came to faith as individuals within a community, for example. Valuing a community doesn't rule out a personal faith. In fact, I think living in a real community - a real interdependent, challenging, authentic and, at times, difficult community - can't truly happen without a personal faith. We must point out that living in community adds to the vitality of a privately held faith.

3. A changeless gospel. I have to wonder if this fear isn't a bit misplaced. Personally, I am more afraid of the "Your Best Life Now", prosperity-type gospels that seem to be acceptable to the modern church than I am of the ECM. Setting aside my little soapbox moment, the modern church's fear that the gospel message will be toned down in an attempt to be relevant has some merit and that must be acknowledged. If those in the ECM simply take on the traits of postmodern culture, there would be a real temptation to water down the gospel, but the reality is that these changing times give us a chance to examine our culture and look for glimpses of God at work within the culture. It gives us the chance to see how the gospel has been shaped by the culture throughout the centuries as it was first presented in a Jewish culture and not only survived, but thrived, in the cultures that have come and gone since. Ultimately, it is not the gospel that the ECM is toning down, but, perhaps, the tone of the rhetoric of the modern church that has sometimes become so strident that it turns off postmoderns.

4. Loss of the Word. To those who would express this fear, I would gently suggest that the Bible has been devalued in modernism as well when it is reduced to sound bites, a series of moral lessons or a means to back up our politics or any of the "isms" infecting American culture. In reality, both worldviews benefit from rediscovering the Bible. ECM's emphasis on story helps us rediscover the narrative of the Bible and to relate it to our own stories in our own local contexts. It can offer a prophetic vision, calling the church back to more authentic walk with Christ as works out what it means to actually practice the gospel message in a local context within a community of believers. The ECM's comfort with mystery will keep drawing us back to its pages as we read and re-read passages that fascinate us. For example, I have a student in my group right now who is utterly fascinated with Revelation, but not for the eschatological puzzles that moderns typically see. A very artistic young lady, she is drawn to the apocalyptic imagery of the lamb that was slain and the rider on the white horse and more. She's not interested in finding out whether the fascinating images on the pages will literally happen or if it is just figurative (an argument I have heard among moderns), she wants to absorb these images.

5. Loss of morality/ethics. Rather than a loss of morality or ethics, the ECM's passions of living out the gospel in community, spiritual holism and honoring the beauty of God's creation expands our view of morality and ethics. For example, even the words "moral issues" have become code words, almost, for such hot button issues as homosexuality. Spiritual holism and a passion to live out the Scriptures show us that there's much more to morality as it relates to gender and sexual issues which means that we, as a church, have to address such issues as pornography, the feminization of poverty and more. In addition, we begin to see ourselves in the stories of the Bible reigniting a passion for social justice, a desire to see the poor fed, a concern for the environment and more.

6. Loss of traditions. First, I would have to ask for an example of the tradition the elder is afraid of losing. If it is communion, that's not going anywhere as it is an ancient practice connected to the very teachings of Jesus. If it is the lighting of the two candles on the altar, they aren't going anywhere either. In fact, we may want to add a few! If it is the fact that there are only male ushers or that the offering is collected in a particular way, that may be up for discussion as these sorts of traditions are part of the modern worldview in which our church was founded. I would agree that giving is an act of worship, but suggest that it could be done with a special table and display (such as the one that Kimball describes that includes the incense). I would also talk to the elder about the rediscovery of even more ancient traditions and recovering the parts of church history that seem to be absent in modern evangelicalism. Ultimately, we are connecting our story with the stories of all those who have gone before us as we all take our part in God's story as part of his redemptive plan for the world.

7. Loss of identity. I would point out that the loss of identity as a liberal or a conservative organization may not be a bad thing as the stereotypes associated with each can keep people away. For example, I know someone who was so turned off by the way in which a local congregation so unabashedly embraced conservative politics while chastising anything remotely liberal that she began to find it difficult to even attend the church. In the spirit of community and, again taking a holistic look at the Scriptures, we must seriously reconsider such labels and come together under an expanded gospel. We may have continuing debates as we continue to disgree and new divisions may come up, but we need to take our discourse out of the old ruts of liberalism and conservatism.