Keith Drury writes an open letter to Emergents, (he also reads it) which makes good reading. Darryl Dash likes most of it, as do I… but there are a couple of items to mention.
Firstly, he offers two cautions, with which I have no problem… I even agree with them: keep Jesus Christ and keep the church. It’s just that I think the “keep the church” concern is somewhat overstated, particularly given his list of things he likes about the relational values of “emergents” (#8) and their missional values (#3). This may be all about how one defines the terms… the emerging church isn’t about non-church so much as about reinvented church. It’s kinda the point.
Secondly, he makes rather a big point about him being a boomer addressing “emergents” who are all 20somethings. Problem is that agewise, I guess I’m worth two of his “emergents”, being a tail-end boomer myself. Most of the people I know who are on this same type of “emergent” journey can still remember 30, but most of us are north of that mile-marker. It’s time to stop misconstruing this drawing to the church that is emerging (what he calls “emergents”) as a phenomenon for the young…. youth church, the fancy of the young’uns, that sort of thing. What’s going on is far bigger than an age or generation gap.
Still, the letter has a great summary of a bunch of stuff that really resonates for me in this journey with the church that is emerging.
I guess I’ll second your comment and note that the ‘not-boomer’ line, however it is drawn (and that varies), never includes me. And I’m not just north of 30, but actually 40 and nearing 41. And I’m the child of boomers who were definitely at the more extreme edge …
With that said, I greatly appreciate his validation of our ability to hold apparently opposing views simultaneously. I can’t explain it either. But I appreciate that someone who doesn’t experience it sees it and affirms it. Interestingly, I strongly affirm his “journey” comment. And I was not one of those raised in a “good, Christian home”.