Reflections on The Great Emergence

Tickle, Phyllis. The Great Emergence. Baker Books. 2008

Chapter 1
We are on the breach of another pivotal transition in Christianity, as renewal and growth are timely absolutes. Historically, every five hundred years Christianity has been marked by a monumental shift in its expression. In the sixth century, the Apostolic Church became more formalized through the emergence of monasticism. The Apostolic tradition was preserved, the faith spread geographically, and Oriental Christianity was released to form praxis, liturgy, and theology. The Great Schism, in 1054, enabled Orthodox Christianity to emerge with its specific identity. The Great Reformation gave Roman Catholicism the opportunity to rid itself of corruption and Christianity surged globally. The Protestants liturgical insistence fueled technological advancement, which created the prospect of travelling and advanced trade. This caused Christianity to spread from Europe through Catholics and Protestants.

Chapter 2
In order to perceive the current Great Emergence, and therefore, be able to understand and benefit from the present times, it is essential to study the specifics of previous events. In order to enter into re-formation, it “requires us, in other words, to lay aside for a brief while our adherence to a particular faith and consider instead the generic phenomenon of religion as an undifferentiated entity” (33).

Chapter 3:
After 1538, when two popes were elected, soon there were three popes contending for power. The question of ultimate authority grew with momentum, culminating in the Great Reformation. Who holds the ultimate authority is awaiting an answer by the postmodern generation. Currently, each person’s perspective is the socially accepted standard and authority. “One question that is always present in re-formation: Where now is the authority?” (45).

Chapter 4:
The advancement of the telegraph, radio, and television were utilized to impact religion among the laity. By the mid-1940s, the television was developed and Joseph Cambell and Bill Moyers teamed together to produce a series called, The Power of Myth. This enabled “a challenge that would have been rejected by believers as clerical heresy had it been delivered from the pulpit was now being listened to and thought about and talked about” freely (69). In this hour, the need to infiltrate the media with our faith is crucial. The fruit of the past testifies of the need to channel efforts in this avenue as a form of mission.

Chapter 5:
Albert Schweitzer marks the ending of sola scriptura. The Civil War, the Great War, the acceptance of divorce, the ordination of women Protestant clergy, the gay issue, and the loss of a traditional mother’s role have all contributed to the decentralization of Scripture. These factors have uncovered the question of authority and are fueling the Great Emergence.

Chapter 7:
Emergent Christianity argues that the community and the Word of God hold the ultimate authority. The value of the individual is beginning to be perceived and therefore, it is understood that no one understands truth in its entirety. Crowd Sourcing has developed, in which different networks transmit truth from various perspectives. Thus, a “relational, nonhierarchical, a-democratized form of Christianity” is emerging (153).