Emerging Church, fragmentation
The so-called emerging church has seemed at different times to be one thing or many things. There have been plenty of discussions online and at places like Greenbelt, Moot, Blah etc., as to whether there can be an "emerging theology" or whether Emerging Church is a cohesive thing, or just a description of lots of little independent groups that don't really have that much to do with each other.
Mark Sayers has some interesting things to say on the subject. Here's a clip. It's worth going to read the whole thing.
The history of protestantism is a classic example of movement dynamics. Dissatisfaction creates a ground swell of support against a perceived problem, injustice or enemy. This ground swell coalesces into a movement; at first the movement’s energy and internal dialogue is centered around defining itself against the common enemy. But then as time passes the internal dialogue of the movement begins to shift away from ‘defining against’ to ‘defining itself’. Then the conversation changes and people inside the solidfying movement begin to discover that although they are united in their distaste of their ‘enemy’ there is much that they disagree with each other over. Then tensions and differences arise, fractures are followed by factions, and the new movement breaks up. (For another historical example of this check out the French revolution.)
The emerging missional church seems to be following a very similar path, having seemingly fractured into multiple movements.
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Maggi has kept a blog since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense...
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I had the same issue when changing schools – from one that taught ‘cursive’ to one that advocated a more modern script. Sadly my handwriting never kicked in to being anything other than confused! It is legible but completely lacking in style.
When I am writing reports, minutes etc I use the computer. But if I’m working on liturgy, a book, or poetry then I usually write on paper – often in a journal with gorgeous paper and a lovely cover (I have about 12 of these, different sizes for different bags and different designs for different moods!). Once I have the paper version, then I copy it into the computer, editing as I go. Very therapeutic!
Your post really made me want to purchase a fountain pen and some moleskines.
Hi maggi! Thanks for your comment on ‘Music for Lent’. I write with a fountain pen and was devastated when I lost my Parker Sonnet a number of years ago. So, now I have a Pelikan pen (a 50th birthday present) which stays on my desk and I have a cheaper Pelikan pen which I carry around with me. I would be upset if I lost it but not mortified as I was with the Sonnet. There is a particular satisfaction and even joy about writing with a fountain pen. Now what about different colours of ink?
I write all my lecture notes by hand. Until this year I did all of these using a ‘mechanical pencil’ as I like the way pencils flow. I’ve now found a brand of rollerball I like enough to switch. This was also because when I would do exams I wasn’t used to writing with a pen, so I thought I should do it more often.
I used to use a fountain pen for everything else that wasn’t digital. Exams, letters, journals and cards all used to be written in fountain pen, and I will still use them when I want to take extra-special care (although some cards are too shiney and the ink runs).
My handwriting style is very scrawly and difficult to read.
Oh yes! I have a small collection of fountain pens, with different coloured inks as well. I am a fan of Pelikan, although I use an aged Waterman student for writing in a Moleskine – it puts a little less ink on the page, so it doesn’t bleed through. A few years ago I was so depressed about the state of my handwriting I bought a book to help me improve it. My sevice registers are a testimony to its effectiveness (or not). After years of writing sermon scripts on a pc I now write a few notes carefully on a plain white postcard with my favourite fountain pen.
Do I ever write with a pen? Not if I can help it! I LOVE keyboards. My Mum did me the huge favour of teaching me to touch-type as a small child, and I remember getting into trouble at school for handing in essays in typed script. I was made to re-write them by hand… These days, if I have to write, it’s preferably with a propelling pencil (0.5mm HB).