Phyllis Tickle's "The Great Emergence"

Are we in a "Great Emergence?" [Talk amongst yourselves.]
Questions (some mine, some Phyllis Tickle's):

PT describes the shifts in Christianity over the last 2000 years. The split of Asiatic and African Christians from European Christians, the formal establishment of a structured Monastic tradition in Christianity (500s AD), the split of the Roman Catholic Church from the Orthodox church (1000s), the Reformation (1500s) and in the 2000s is there another shift?


Luther discussed how there should be a priesthood of all believers - is that more possible now-days thanks to technology, literacy and access to various Christian traditions and practices?

How much of Christian tradition is from the Hellenist (Greek) and Roman traditions? Should there be an effort to become more like the early church (ie, pre-Constantine or, maybe more Jewish?)

Where is the authority of the larger Christian church today?
(Popes, priests, mega-church pastors, Scripture, Holy Spirit, the Christian community)

How can we live responsibly as devout and faithful adherents of one religion in a world full of devout and faithful adherents to many other religions (who we are coming into greater contact with!)?

Are you Orthopraxic, Orthodoxic, Orthonomic or Theonomic (is there a personality quiz for this one?)?
If you are all of the above, you may be "emergent/emerging"
Phyllis Tickle describes the Christian landscape not as "left and right" but using an idea, developed previously, that there are four quadrants --> "Liturgicals", "Social Justice Christians", "Renewalists", and "conservatives". She describes the "Great Emergence" as made up of those Christians trying to seek a balance between these four traditions, centered amid orthopraxy and orthodoxy, orthonomy and theonomy.

See: http://www.thegreatemergence.com/Home for more info about the book.

Schedule for the next few months...

Hello All!
For the next few months we will be meeting on the third Thursdays of the month twice - once at lunch and once in the evening - you pick!

Info can be found at the Metro Detroit Emergent Cohort webpage.

February Cohort

February Cohort tentatively scheduled for Saturday February 28 at noon.
Location: TBA

However - we discussed having a weekday Cohort as well hopefully starting as early as this month, if you have a day preference, post a comment, or email me at mpjm223@gmail.com

We had a great conversation at the January cohort ranging from serious to light hearted. Our group included people of many denominational backgrounds (Catholic, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian) many working directly in ministry, but some "lay" people too. We shared where we saw God working in our ministries and our lives and look forward to meeting again together this month.

If you are interested in joining us, do not hesitate to contact me or even just show up!

See also the Emerge Detroit Website:
http://www.emergedetroit.org/groups/metro-detroit-emergent-cohort

New Year - next Cohort Jan. 31

Hello to any and all.

We are hoping to meet some new folks in new places this year as a Cohort.

Info about the next cohort meet can be found at the Emerge Detroit website.

And updated info can also be found at emergedetroit.org

Hope to hear from some new folks in the new year!

Update Aug 21

Sorry - Carl Gladstone and I are unable to attend tonight.

We will announce fall cohort dates soon!

Any suggestions for days/times/locations??? - POST below :)

Meeting with Emergent Detroit

For the near future I plan to meet with a cohort that will be meeting in Ferndale, the Metro Detroit Emergent Cohort (North Metro Detroit). The next meeting is May 15th. I believe it is wiser for the time being to meet with this cohort that has already started rather than split my efforts from theirs. When the time seems right to begin meetings of an additional cohort on the south/ south-west side of the city, we can do so.

The Metro-Detroit Emergent Cohort

THIRD THURSDAYS, 7:30pm

at the Woodward Avenue Brewery

22646 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, MI 48220-1810

Join us MAY 15, JUNE 19, JULY 17, and AUGUST 21 for conversations on emergent theology, community, and praxis! At 7:30pm we'll gather and catch up with each other on what's been going on in our lives/ministries. At 8pm we'll get going with the dedicated topic for that evening, and close up by 9:30pm or 10pm depending how talkitive we are.

Metro Detroit Emergent Cohort website, see:
http://www.emergedetroit.org/user/cohortdetroit

to email me, see my address at http://www.emergentvillage.com/cohorts-locations/SEMichigan_Cohort

Article on "Ancient-Future Faith"

A recent article from Christianity Today discusses the trend towards incorporating ancient practices into worship and discusses "emerging" trends among many young Christians.