Jun 16 2005
top reasons for emergent’s multi-cultural disconnect
I’ve been thinking about when the emergent non movement seems to be so white and intellectual and male and middle class. In other words there is a multi racial disconnect in the emergent movement. After some conversation with others about the same here is what I’ve come up with. These are my observations not scientific just personal.
Most emergent conversations rarely include racial reconciliation. You really can’t have a conversation about faith issues in America with people of African decent without dealing with this flaw in the church.
When emergent folks talk about theology they draw almost exclusively from European sources ignoring the contributions to theological discourse being made by African and AFrican American theologians.
When emergent folks re-frame worship it doesn’t usually include the contributions of African and African American folks who have been doing experiential and expressive worship for along time. The hymns that we choose to sings tend not to include hymns that have been a part of the African America worship experience. The new song also does not include the new worship songs of African Americans.
Those in emergent conversations can’t seem to come to grips with the importance of the strong leadership role played by pastors in African American faith communities. It seems antithetical to the shared or collaborative models they embrace.
There aren’t many churches of color held up as examples of emerging churches.
I wonder what others think?
Popularity: 12% [?]
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[...] This is how many of the spiritually searching people of color I know feel. I really do resonate with this. This is where I think Emergent has missed the boat. [...]
[...] This is how many of the spiritually searching people of color I know feel. I really do resonate with this. This is where I think Emergent has missed the boat. [...]
is now one of my favs to read, mainly b/c he is the kind of critic that emergent really needs but hasn’t had yet. Check out his comments on being “post-emergent,” on “neophilia,”, the slow-to-develop praxis of emergent,andthe conversation’s lack of diversity, among others. He also was how I found the Driscoll apology, which he linked.