Comments on: Phyllis Tickle And Peter Rollins Discuss Emergence Christianity

By: intuigallon

intuigallon — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:27:59 +0000

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By: Ryan Flanigan

Ryan Flanigan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:30:34 +0000

I like the “kiss” example, too, but I would have to suggest that instead of waiting for the post-intellectual elites like Tickle and Rollins to define our next action steps, maybe we should join the conversation, critically thinking and creatively living (acting) in this new (or old) and exciting ethos.

For example, the subject/object reversal changes the way I worship (grant it, I have been critically thinking about this exact thing for about four years). Whereas I used to bring my culturally conditioned narcissism into my worship of God, amounting to my view of God as a passive old grandpa with a long white beard sitting on a big chair far off in the sky waiting for me to affirm him with my worship, now with the right perspective of God as the subject, the cosmic narrator of the world, my life of worship is finding my role in God’s story instead of fitting him into mine. This changes the way I live. I have purpose that goes beyond my own happiness and satisfaction. I am driven by this new perspective into a freer expression of living the Gospel – seeking and waiting for God, being filled with the Spirit, and proclaiming Christ. And that is a real kiss.

I’m sure Tickle and Rollins could give personal examples of how these philosophical shifts are played out in their lives. Sometimes I wish we would see more definitive, tangible evidence, but that might be counterproductive.

By: Graeme Campbell

Graeme Campbell — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:51:09 +0000

“When does the conversation roll over into action? For instance, I can reflect on kissing and I can converse about kissing, but both are very different from kissing itself. For all the talk and reflection about ‘emergence’, I’m still waiting for the kiss.”

What he said! Great comment Ryan

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:11:17 +0000

Rollins and Tickle make for good banter. It’s hard not to enjoy the Irish accent and the heart-felt laughter. I like how Rollins turns some of our modern quandaries on their heads—though that seems to be all he does. So, for instance, where we once stood as disinterested subjects observing distant and abstruse notions of God, now we are the objectified and God the absolute subject?!? Despite being rude caricatures, how does this reconcile the modern rift between subject and object? How does this bridge Lessing’s ugly, broad ditch? Why is this manner of story-telling not just another attempt at a view ‘sub specie aeternitatis’?

I’m glad we have thinkers who are stirring things up and getting us to question our modern, all too modern, world—but I wish there was less of a happy-go-lucky eclecticism, such that only disguises the angst smoldering below the surface. Why does it feel like we are just shuffling the cards here??? Though I really enjoyed these videos, I kept waiting for something of substance to be said and not just a clever articulation of rising popular sentiment.

Dan, you say you are committed to “posting ideas that further the conversation today, and enable the Church to once again become a critically thinking, passionately missional agent in a beautiful yet broken world.” I agree; so how do we critically think through what was said here? When does the conversation roll over into action? For instance, I can reflect on kissing and I can converse about kissing, but both are very different from kissing itself. For all the talk and reflection about ‘emergence’, I’m still waiting for the kiss.

Adding then to Phyllis’ list, I look forward to becoming post-obscurantist!