Emergent Village, TEC, and ME!
Well, this is my story of emergence, or anglimergence as it is. I dove into theology beginning in roughly eighth grade. I was challenged by some calvinists at my (christian) school and so I had to defend what I thought I believed. However, my real developments (so far) came in high school.
Freshman year can be tough, and mine was. My school has quite a diverse body of Christians. This diversity provided constant debate for me, being the fiery adolescent that I was. Between the trinity, the inerrancy of scripture, catholicism, predestination, homosexuality, and a plethora of other issues, it felt like a spiritual/intellectual battleground. By the end of the year, I would call myself a quaker (step 1).
I calmed down quite a bit as a sophomore. Maybe it was because the "heretics", as many deemed them so, had left. But my inner struggle to find truth and faith continued. The world of emerging theology began when a friend of mine lent me "A New Kind of Christian", this led to me purchasing/borrowing a few other Brian McLaren books, as well as Erwin McManus and others. Here I would try and grasp the ideas proposed by the emerging thinkers. I began studying certain theoretical physics ideas, and the summer prior to my junior year, I read a delightful series by Madeleine L'Engle called the Genesis Trilogy. Her struggles became mine, and she helped me through that summer.
My junior year in high school brought about a radical change in my theology. While I continually embraced that which I had already come to know, my hunger for sacraments and liturgy was awakened in Sara Miles' book, Take This Bread. I owe my anglicanization to this book, as it introduced me to an historic church that had been completely unknown to me.
Today, I have aspirations to be an Episcopal Priest, perhaps in an emerging, missional, sacramental context. My theology is still evolving, but I have a cloud of witnesses supporting me. Thanks be to God! I have come far, and stand on the words, ideas, and actions of many great men and women before me.
Any similar experiences?
Freshman year can be tough, and mine was. My school has quite a diverse body of Christians. This diversity provided constant debate for me, being the fiery adolescent that I was. Between the trinity, the inerrancy of scripture, catholicism, predestination, homosexuality, and a plethora of other issues, it felt like a spiritual/intellectual battleground. By the end of the year, I would call myself a quaker (step 1).
I calmed down quite a bit as a sophomore. Maybe it was because the "heretics", as many deemed them so, had left. But my inner struggle to find truth and faith continued. The world of emerging theology began when a friend of mine lent me "A New Kind of Christian", this led to me purchasing/borrowing a few other Brian McLaren books, as well as Erwin McManus and others. Here I would try and grasp the ideas proposed by the emerging thinkers. I began studying certain theoretical physics ideas, and the summer prior to my junior year, I read a delightful series by Madeleine L'Engle called the Genesis Trilogy. Her struggles became mine, and she helped me through that summer.
My junior year in high school brought about a radical change in my theology. While I continually embraced that which I had already come to know, my hunger for sacraments and liturgy was awakened in Sara Miles' book, Take This Bread. I owe my anglicanization to this book, as it introduced me to an historic church that had been completely unknown to me.
Today, I have aspirations to be an Episcopal Priest, perhaps in an emerging, missional, sacramental context. My theology is still evolving, but I have a cloud of witnesses supporting me. Thanks be to God! I have come far, and stand on the words, ideas, and actions of many great men and women before me.
Any similar experiences?
Tags: Brian, McLaren, Miles, Sara, emergent, episcopalian, liturgy, quakers, sacrament, village
Views: 7
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tim Mathis on -
Hi Gregory, this is great to read, and it sounds like you 'emerged' along a similar path to me, but did so at a much younger age. Ahead of your time, you are. I was influenced by some similar books and ideas, and seem to be following a similar path.
Where are you in the discernment process now? I'm meeting with the Holy Orders committee at my Cathedral in Seattle, and find I'm speaking a different language. We emergents have a bit of a tough row to hoe as church formers and reformers, so God bless you if you're entering 'the process'!
Tim Mathis
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Permalink Reply by Gregory on -
I'm still not 100% sure if this form of ministry is for me, although I definitely am leaning towards it. In many ways I feel like I am becoming more orthodox and grounded, all the while exploring some of the newly emerging ideas in theology. I haven't entered any official discernment process at this point, although I will be meeting with my priest some time soon. It's kind of cool to hear how others have had similar journeys. Thanks for the response!
Greg
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Permalink Reply by Frank Logue on -
I serve on the Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of Georgia. Having, of course, been through the process myself I know that it can sometimes feel like hazing or like a group of protectors on the ramparts of a wall city trying to keep people from breaking in. That's the view from without. From within, we take our task prayerfully and we are truly blessed to hear the many ways in which God has been speaking to the hearts and minds of people around our diocese. I have heard and taken part in many of these amazing stories of God leading someone into full-time ordained ministry. Anglican understanding of discernment is that it takes place in community. The community should be able to affirm what the still small voice of God spoke to your heart.
But, discernment is broader than a yes or no answer to the question of full-time ordained ministry. You are a Christian and so, by definition, God is calling you to ministry. That I understood well before entering the process and I was so busy trying to find other ways to live into that ministry (leading a youth group and a children's church and serving on vestry) that I was using that work to run from the specific call God had placed on my heart.
Once God, with the subtlety of a 2x4 to the head, got my attention that I should enter discernment, I began to hear about starting new Episcopal Churches. I could then see how the enterprenurial/creative things I had been doing could have a place in the Episcopal Church. Then in seminary, I began to meet others who had discovered the same thing.
On graduation, my bishop trusted me to start a new church with a new groove. He wanted it to be different from the Episcopal churches nearby (11 and 12 miles away respectively) and to reach those who had been away from church, or were never in church or who had been de-churched. King of Peace did not become exactly what I may have dreamed, but a group effort in which others brought their gifts to bear and something happened that was more of a group effort and all the better for it.
We are not an intentionally emerging church, nor do we see ourselves as part of some movement. But we are mission focused and others see our church as part of the emerging movement and so I think the outward forms take on some of that feel as well.
In any case, I wouldn't want to have missed the journey. And I did want you to know that the others involved in discernment do care and they will be praying for you as well if you enter that process. But issues of institutional discernment aside, it sounds like the Holy Spirit is leading you in a new direction and only God knows what that will be. Enjoy the trip.
peace,
Frank
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