“Do you believe that the Christian faith has happened in a historical vacuum? Has not the Holy Spirit been actively involved in the progression of the Christian faith? Do we not have Textual Revelation, given to us in an approachable, understandable manner for understanding how we are to relate to God, others, each other, and the world?”

Jeremy, I actually share those convictions. I DO believe that the commitment to the guidance of the Scriptures and (from the viewpoint of that very lense) the tradition of historical communal decisions within the church still play an important role in discerning what is of God and what isn't. That doesn't mean however that we have any real ecumenical consensus today regarding where the biblical canon itself ends, which creeds to include or exclude, never mind the wide range of possible interpretations of key parts of Scripture like creation and atonement. As a matter of fact, the mere observation alone that we find a multitude of voices within Scripture itself, describing the same narrative in different ways, should caution us to exclude too quickly those views which don't seem to fit within a particular framework of theology.

This is not a call to emancipation from Scripture nor pure relativism. It is an attempt to take seriously the limitations of our individual perceptions and be intentional about listening to voices outside our comfort zones, even if that presents a challenge to reexamine those beliefs we hold most dearly.

The way I understand Emergent Village – it is a place where people can safely voice their opinions, questions, beliefs and share their personal journey in a mutually respectful conversation where uniformity of doctrinal position is neither an entry requirement nor the desired goal. It comes from an understanding that relationship is at the heart of the Gospel, not a dead orthodoxy (although I'm well aware that only too easily false dichotomies can be created here that pit the way of believing against the content of belief itself – that is certainly not my intent!).

Just as a side note – have you read John Franke's “Manifold Witness”? I think he's making a very strong case for a biblically based irreducible plurality of truth grounded in the trinitarian nature of God himself.

“Do you believe that the Christian faith has happened in a historical vacuum? Has not the Holy Spirit been actively involved in the progression of the Christian faith? Do we not have Textual Revelation, given to us in an approachable, understandable manner for understanding how we are to relate to God, others, each other, and the world?”

Jeremy, I actually share those convictions. I DO believe that the commitment to the guidance of the Scriptures and (from the viewpoint of that very lense) the tradition of historical communal decisions within the church still play an important role in discerning what is of God and what isn't. That doesn't mean however that we have any real ecumenical consensus today regarding where the biblical canon itself ends, which creeds to include or exclude, never mind the wide range of possible interpretations of key parts of Scripture like creation and atonement. As a matter of fact, the mere observation alone that we find a multitude of voices within Scripture itself, describing the same narrative in different ways, should caution us to exclude too quickly those views which don't seem to fit within a particular framework of theology.

This is not a call to emancipation from Scripture nor pure relativism. It is an attempt to take seriously the limitations of our individual perceptions and be intentional about listening to voices outside our comfort zones, even if that presents a challenge to reexamine those beliefs we hold most dearly.

The way I understand Emergent Village – it is a place where people can safely voice their opinions, questions, beliefs and share their personal journey in a mutually respectful conversation where uniformity of doctrinal position is neither an entry requirement nor the desired goal. It comes from an understanding that relationship is at the heart of the Gospel, not a dead orthodoxy (although I'm well aware that only too easily false dichotomies can be created here that pit the way of believing against the content of belief itself – that is certainly not my intent!).

Just as a side note – have you read John Franke's “Manifold Witness”? I think he's making a very strong case for a biblically based irreducible plurality of truth grounded in the trinitarian nature of God himself.

Can you unpack this a little so I don't misunderstand you? Thanks.

Can you unpack this a little so I don't misunderstand you? Thanks.

“And who would be the “magisterium” that will define what is still Christian and what is not?” Do you believe that the Christian faith has happened in a historical vacuum? Has not the Holy Spirit been actively involved in the progression of the Christian faith? Do we not have Textual Revelation, given to us in an approachable, understandable manner for understanding how we are to relate to God, others, each other, and the world?

@ron cole—”…the water has broken.” nice analogy. I think you're right. I think the time is long over due. Perhaps if the conversation wasn't so petrified at the beginning of establishing some THINGS upon which the apostolic Church of Jesus Christ was founded, what will be birth would now be a toddler.

“And who would be the “magisterium” that will define what is still Christian and what is not?” Do you believe that the Christian faith has happened in a historical vacuum? Has not the Holy Spirit been actively involved in the progression of the Christian faith? Do we not have Textual Revelation, given to us in an approachable, understandable manner for understanding how we are to relate to God, others, each other, and the world?

@ron cole—”…the water has broken.” nice analogy. I think you're right. I think the time is long over due. Perhaps if the conversation wasn't so petrified at the beginning of establishing some THINGS upon which the apostolic Church of Jesus Christ was founded, what will be birth would now be a toddler.