Book Review - The New Christians
I recently read Tony Jones’ new book The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier and I have to say that I thought it was a great book - a needed and welcomed contribution at this stage in the emerging church conversation. This is the book to read to understand the history of this thing called emergent and the passions of those of us drawn to it. I’m not going to do a strict review of the book here, others have done sufficient jobs at that, but I just want to list what it is I liked about the book and why think it’s a helpful addition to the conversation.
First, to be completely narcissistic, I enjoyed reading Tony’s story of his journey into Emergent because it echoed so much of my own experience. I know that he has received criticism for not being inclusive enough of various forms of emerging thought in this book, but he makes it clear in the book that he is telling the story of his own experiences, the groups he has encountered, and the friends he has made. Sure not everyone encounters emerging/Emergent thought in the exact same way he did but he doesn’t assume to tell everyone’s story. He gives snapshots of where he has encountered the conversation and summarizes the trends he is witnessing. Some people may not see themselves reflected in this book, but for those of us who have trod similar paths as Tony, it is affirming to have part of our story told. This book represents our reality - from the questions, to the conferences, to the online emphasis, to the conversations. I appreciated reading the history of people I know which helps me better understand who they are. I like that I can point at this book and its description of Emergent and say - “this represents me, I am unashamedly a part of this, this can help you understand where I’ve been and what I am doing now.”
I also like that Tony isn’t afraid to tell the truth about the messy parts of Christianity and emergent. The messy parts exist and many in this conversation have experienced pain because of them. While I have heard some crying out for disagreements to be hidden and ignored in the name of unity, I think such action causes more problems in the long run. Generally the voices calling for “unity” implicate whoever isn’t the dominant voice as the troublemaker. Those asking questions and pushing for reform are told to toe the party line and stop rocking the boat (silenced by cliche for the sake of Jesus and the church of course). Instead of addressing the issues and working through them one is labeled heretical for having questions at all. It’s all a bit farcical. So I appreciate Tony’s willingness to say that yes Emergent has critics, yes there have been falling outs, and yes some people have refused to play ball with us. It’s reality and hiding from it won’t help resolve differences. And its high time, imho, the truth was told that its not just emergents causing the problems.
I appreciated the way Tony dealt with the issues of homosexuality and women in ministry. Instead of dealing with each as “issues,” he just told the stories of real people. He was inclusive and affirming in practice while not alienating in dogma. Of course this could just mean he pisses off everyone on both sides of these issues, but I thought he was fair in how he approached such controversial topics.
I enjoyed his affirmation of how popular culture shapes our reality. There are streams in the emerging church that refuse to condescend to popular culture. One often feels like one needs to apologize for watching TV or for listening to mainstream music around other emergents. I liked how Tony used popular culture as metaphors and as keys to understand the forces shaping the conversation. I prefer this thoughtful engagement to the snobbishly turning up of the noses I often expect in emergent circles.
There were of course other stories and ideas throughout the book that I enjoyed, just as there were a few things I questioned and a couple of things that I found annoying (the layout). But this is a good book, well worth the read. I just thought I’d ramble on here about a few of the reasons I personally liked the book, but honestly, if you want to know more about emergent, understand where it came from, or just hear the stories of real people who are a part of it - read this book.
(and Tony, sorry for such a scattered response to your book. It really is a good book, deserving of much more coherent thoughts than this. Thanks for writing it.)
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Julie Clawson
Topics: Book Reviews, Church, Emerging Church |
February 23rd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Sounds like something well worth the read.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I’d like to read this book. There seem to be quite a few “how I became part of the emerging church” books popping up - can’t keep up with all of them but this one looks like an important one to read.
The whole pop culture discussion is probably better dealt with in a separate post/thread. But is there a way to ask questions about the effects that the consumption of large amounts of pop culture has on us, that avoids snobbery - or is the mere asking of the questions snobbish? I’d be interested some time to hear your take on some of the issues raised here by Ken Myers:
http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/kmyers.htm
“[P]opular culture is not neutral with regard to the sorts of sensibilities it encourages. Because of the centrality of commercial concerns, popular culture maintains a preferential option for the upbeat, the informal, the new and interesting, not because these are the sorts of virtues that make a better person (let alone a better Christian), but because these are the attributes that make for the best consumers.”
February 25th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Karl - I think there are good ways to discuss pop culture that aren’t snobbish. I’m just sick of the “I’m too good to watch American Idol or listen to music other people like” sort of attitudes I hear all the time. I fully realize that pop culture of commercial/consumeristic and I am not of the mind to reject that system but instead to engage and redeem it.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I go back and forth on the issue of pop culture. I don’t like snobbery. But at the same time, much of pop culture strikes me the same way that you wrote about some months ago when you described cheap beer and how it struck you. I think you said something like “I mean, what’s the point?” Compared to good beer, $3.99-a-sixpack beer-in-a-can seems tasteless, useful only as an alcohol delivery vehicle to generate a cheap buzz or anesthetize me from the realities of life. But if you give it a chance it can be addictive and even fun - less demanding than learning to appreciate a dry red wine or a thick Irish Stout.
Is it just a matter of taste? Or is the person who buys a pack of Milwaukee’s Best to consume every weekend somehow in a less desireable and healthy place than the person who savors a fine wine or Guiness Draught? Maybe it’s just taste - that’s where I come down on most days.
How do you engage and redeem a soul-shaping force like popular culture, if as described by Myers in that article its content is controlled by elites who primarily want to make better consumers?
Full disclosure: I actually do watch some TV and movies. And my greatest “low culture” guilty pleasure is watching (some) college sports - there’s plenty unhealthy to be found in that system, as well.