Networking

People of the emerging community are finding one another

Networking on line and in the new media is a powerful feature of this emerging Christian way. A quick search will reveal numerous websites and blogs created by individuals, communities, and organizations, who are engaged in the adventure of discerning where the Spirit is leading and calling in this time of dramatic change.

This newsletter marks the arrival of Wood Lake Publishing in the cyber-conversation. We actually took our first tentative steps into this growing web of emerging relationships not through electronic technology but by posting a few ads in some North American newspapers and magazines. The response was instantaneous!

When we asked some of those who contacted us what it was about our announcement that attracted them, here's what they had to say.

From Andrew Mitchell, British Columbia, Canada
The words "extreme inclusion" [in the CopperHouse ad in The Globe and Mail] sparked my interest. What might that mean and who would practice it? Jesus practiced extreme inclusion in a society that ranked people in a purity system. The established Christian church has made inclusion conditional on mental assent to doctrines of atonement theology. Is the Christian church a human power and cultural artifact that has little to do with the gospel of Jesus? Extreme inclusion must be an element of the kingdom of God. Everything and every form of life are contingent on God and are included.

From Paul Bowman in Kingston, Ontario, Canada
I've recently started a non-denominational church and I was attracted to the CopperHouse initiative as it resonates with my own observations and convictions. I believe there is a transformative vitality at the heart of Christianity but for many people this is obscured by the crust of dogma, doctrine, and ritual that is expressed in meaningless language and in antiquated forms. Many people are seeking something more than just empty talk about God that changes nothing. People want a living experience of divinity that brings meaningful change into their daily lives...greater peace, joy, and love. I'm hopeful that CopperHouse will provide resources and networks to support this evolutionary movement.

From David Handley in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
The reformation of the church, which was supposedly underway in the last years of the 20th century, has lost its way. Yes, women are more widely accepted as ministers. But we are still far from responding with Jesus' compassion and passion for justice to societal issues such as the acceptance of gay and lesbian people, the place of the mentally and physically disadvantaged, and our arrogance that Christ is the only way.

In my faith journey, I find myself, along with many others, wondering how to grow and promote spiritual growth in others. How do we enable the various levels of our organizations, such as parishes and dioceses, to take a leap of faith instead of continuing to die on the vine? What is our role as laity in relation to our clergy? How do we deal with liturgies and prayers that embody a literal understanding and belief in the Bible? How do we wean people off the opiate of tradition and give them a faith adapted to this new century?

I sincerely hope that "CopperHouse Current" can show the way.

From Rosemary Gray-Snelgrove in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
For decades I've hoped to connect with people trying to articulate a faith path within Christianity that encompasses an unabashed love of Christ and joy in his presence among us, along with an acknowledgement that scripture guides us toward truth but does not entitle us to an exclusive claim to God's favour. God is faithful to all creation and longs for our participation in the work of justice. I need to join others in that place.

Vision comes through out searching

It's fascinating how some of the key elements of the emerging vision of Christianity are contained in the four messages above, which came at random from those who responded to our invitational ads. We've highlighted in bold ten points in the four quotes and listed them below. These provide a quick glimpse into the landscape of conversation we will open to you in upcoming editions of CopperHouse Current.

1. An unabashed love of Christ.
2. Scripture guides us toward truth but does not entitle us to an exclusive claim to God's favour.
3. God is faithful to all creation, and longs for our participation in the work of justice.
4. There is a transformative vitality at the heart of Christianity.
5. The vitality is obscured by the crust of dogma, doctrine, and ritual that is expressed in meaningless language and in antiquated forms.
6. Take a leap of faith instead of continuing to die on the vine.
7. People are seeking something more than just empty talk about God that changes nothing.
8. People want a living experience of divinity that brings meaningful change into their daily lives... greater peace, joy, and love.
9. Promote spiritual growth.
10. Extreme inclusion must be an element of the kingdom of God. Everything and every form of life are contingent on God and are included.

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The Emerging Christian Way

Voices offering a persuasive vision

1. Earlier and emerging

Marcus Borg has for the past 20 years been giving language and imagination to what is now referred to as the emerging Christian way. Author of many books, frequent lecturer in gatherings of emerging visionaries, passionate transformer of religious education, Borg offers a very simple diagrammatic overview of the key differences between an earlier vision of Christianity and an emerging one.

This way of thinking about the transformation taking place within Christianity may be new to you. You may have questions about this comparison and about some of the terminology used by Borg. You may also be intrigued and want to read and know more. A new book from CopperHouse, The Emerging Christian Way, takes you to Borg and beyond.

2. The Emerging Christian Way

The Emerging Christian Way:
Thoughts, Stories and Wisdom for a Faith of Transformation,

ed. Michael Schwartzentruber

(CopperHouse, 2006).

» Order Now!

Table of Contents

To order The Emerging Christian Way and other resources, visit our website: www.woodlakebooks.com

3. The Heart of Christianity

And if you are a small group leader and want to introduce
Borg's teaching into your congregation, get a copy of

Experiencing The Heart of Christianity,

Tim Scorer

(Wood Lake Books, 2005).

This study guide, which includes a DVD of six presentations by Borg, provides 12 experience-based sessions, which correspond to the chapters of Borg's book. » Order Now!

Emergent Learning

The word's out on transformational education opportunities

Every June, The Center for Spiritual Development at Trinity Episcopal Church in Portland, Oregon, offers Summer Seminars, an event that brings members of the emerging Christian community together with outstanding teachers. This year, Wood Lake Publishing staff members attended both events: "The Church in the 21st Century," featuring the leadership of Marcus Borg, Brian McLaren, and Diana Butler Bass; and "The Bible in the 21st Century," with the leadership of Barbara Rossing, John Dominic Crossan, and Marcus Borg.

At the first of the Summer Seminars, author, pastor, and teacher Brian McLaren drew attention  to the book Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures, by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger (Baker Academic, 2006). Among other things, the book lists the characteristics of the emerging church community. Brian McLaren identified nine of those markers.

1. Re-centering the gospel on Christ and the Kingdom of God
2. Emerging culture without a sacred-secular dualism
3. Doing life together in community between Sundays
4. Listening with openness, including to the outsider
5. Serving those in need without ulterior motive
6. Involving participants actively in worship
7. Valuing creativity in the image of the Creator
8. Leading through networks within or without hierarchies
9. Integrating ancient and avant-garde in spiritual formation

You can be part of the emerging way
Tell us:

• What draws you to this emerging vision of Christianity?
• Who is influencing your journey on the emerging way?
• How are you living in the white water of dramatic and unrelenting change?
• Where do you find hope in the turbulence?
• What resources would be helpful in supporting you in this time of transformation?

Send your stories and insights to copperhousecurrent@woodlakebooks.com.

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In the Current

Dramatic change calls us to live creatively with conflict

The refreshing assertiveness of people who are powerfully persuaded to an emerging vision inevitably leads to concerns about splits in the congregations: "We know that if we keep going in this direction we are going to move further and further from people in the congregation who want to stay with the more traditional theology."

Unwilling to turn away from a vision that is both persuasive and empowering, and equally concerned about fomenting a schism in the faith community, people of all theological perspectives are turning to consultants such as former Moderator of the United Church of Canada, Marion Best*, for whom conflict is a sign of hope and health rather than a source of fear and failure...

*Marion Speaks from her long experience of living with conflict... READ MORE

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Bible Edge

Be surprised by scripture heard from a more-than-literal perspective

In the gospel story (Matthew 25:14–30) concerning the three servants who are entrusted with the property of the owner – five measures to one, two to another, and one to a third – the servant who is given the one measure goes off and buries it in the ground and waits for the owner to return. When I recently came back to this story, it occurred to me that no other image or action from scripture so perfectly reflects the reality of life, both personal and communal, in mainline denominations today. It isn't enough to say that there is a malaise in the church today. It's way more than a malaise; it truly is a willful burying of talents and gifts, a turning away from all that needs to be done in response to God's call to us to be engaged effectively in the mending, healing, and stewardship of God's creation.

Like the third servant, we know that we are doing it. These are not unconscious or merely neglectful acts. We know that we are spending an inordinate amount of energy and resourcefulness in creating talent-burying distractions, which keep us from being engaged in God's real transformative work. The distractions are numerous: church governance and restructuring, fundraising, preservation activities for buildings no longer suited to 21st-century ministry, decision-making processes that take more time than they require or deserve, protracted conflicts over inconsequential issues, and, sometimes, courses or programs of study that don't actually deepen our sense of mission and ministry. This massive denial of call, this collective act of burying in the ground the mission that has been entrusted to us, is becoming too much for people to bear. On several occasions recently, I have been present for conversations in which people not only owned their participation in this massive act of distraction, but also shared their profound disappointment and sadness about their involvement. "Let's get to the real things," I hear them demand. "Let's stop playing ‘church' and be about what really matters, what will truly make a difference. Enough of this fiddling while Rome burns!"

This is the beginning of transformation. This owning up to what is going on, this describing of what ails us is the seminal place of holy change. Just watch. Something is being born out of the shame and frustration of taking a shovel to the earth and concealing that which has been entrusted to us. In his gospel, Matthew heaps judgement on those who have participated in the cover-up, but in the vision that fuels the emerging way, after the owning up to what is real we are invited to the path of transformation. Rather than participate in a theology that scares people into pseudo-faith with threats of judgement and banishment, we need to hold up the way of transformation that holds the promise not only of dealing with what ails us, but also of carrying us into deeper relationship with the God who whispers in the ear of embrace, "Good work! You are doing your job well. From now on you really are my partner."

Tim Scorer, editor of CopperHouseCURRENT

For small group conversation

1.  Read together Matthew 25:14–30.
2. Imagining that Jesus was interested in encouraging people on the journey of transformation, how might his story about the three servants inspire his mission in your life?
3. The reflection above offers another way of seeing this familiar story. What is helpful for you in this interpretation? What, if anything, is unhelpful?
4. Assuming that the purpose of Bible study in community is to inform our practice of faith and to deepen our relationship with God, what will you take from this time of conversation today?

Doing the Work

People making God's kind of difference in their kind of place...

Members of mainline Christian denominations in North America are increasingly frustrated at being part of faith communities that "play church" rather than live a vibrant witness of God's presence in the world. In fact, much of the exodus from church membership is a direct result of this frustration. So we are on the lookout for practical and effective models of engagement by faith communities outside the walls of their church...

Word comes to the CopperHouseCURRENT from Sarah Arthurs, at Barnabas Christian Fellowship in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Marcus Borg

Over the last eight months, I have participated in a small ecumenical group using Tim Scorer's book Experiencing the Heart of Christianity, which is an experiential guide to Marcus Borg's The Heart of Christianity. There has been much challenge in this experience for all of us; wonderful Spirit-calling, mind-broadening, heart-melting, earth-rooted, neighbour-focused challenge. Growing up in a primarily evangelical context, somehow the world was not my home, neither its joys, nor sorrows, nor history. As my theology and spirituality have evolved, influenced by folk such as Marcus Borg, my feet feel much more planted on the earth. I have a greater sense of ownership for and connection with all that makes up the web of life centred on this planet... READ MORE

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Sanctuary

Prayers and practices root us in the emerging way

Prayer

Rebirth
We are the locked door,
the stone not rolled away.
You invite us to cross through waters,
walk dry roads
look towards transformation
in every wilderness.

You believe we can.

We want other gods, other commodities –
depth without the daily searching.
You offer us a simple table
and the words, follow me.

You believe we will.

We choose a meagre vision,
hold tight to the catch of our nets.
You tell a story that ends,
Which one was the neighbour?

You believe we understand.

We are perplexed
when you appear in our untended gardens.
You say, peace,
to all our uncertainty.
You show that new life
comes with time, with practice,
and the kindling, however small,
of stubborn hope.

You believe it will grow.

Keri K. Wehlander, March 2006

Practice

Transformation through congregational practice
Between 2003 and 2005, Diana Butler Bass and Joseph Stewart-Sicking conducted a study in 50 vital mainline congregations in the United States. The primary finding of this very extensive research was that "the congregations studied have found new vitality (viability, spiritual depth, renewed identity and mission, and often, numerical growth) through an intentional and reflexive engagement with Christian tradition as embodied in the practices of faith, with the goal of knowing God." The complete findings of the study will be published in September in the book Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith.

In the meantime, here is a list of the key Christian practices that have been most meaningful in the spiritual growth and vitality of the congregations included in the study. Practices specific to worship are not included here. The percentage indicates how often that practice was observed in the data dealing with the overall topic of Christian practices.

Discernment (10%)
Hospitality (18%)
Testimony (5%)
Reflection (20%)
Forming community (8%)
Embracing diversity (14%)
Justice (5%)
Healing (3%)
Stewardship (2%)
Finding God in everyday life (4%)
Contemplation (9%)

For reflection and action

1. How have you experienced these practices being lived out in communities of faith of which you have been a member?
2. Get together with a small group of congregational members and begin to imagine how you could implement these practices more actively and visibly in the life of your faith community.

Coming Next Month

Featured in the September edition of CopperHouse CURRENT

Oil and Water: Two Faiths, One God

The Emerging Christian Way is the first of what will be many books in support of CopperHouse's commitment to create resources and leadership for the emerging way. Several more new titles will be in the bookstores this fall, including one by Muslim author Amir Hussain. Amir's own area of research is the study of Islam, specifically contemporary Muslim societies in North America. Amir's book is called Oil and Water: Two Faiths, One God. CopperHouse Current will look at this much-anticipated book. » Order Now!

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