An Emergent Manifesto of Hope.

Book Review.
Pagitt, Doug. Jones, Tony. (editors) An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. Baker Books. 2007
Comment. Henry
This book is a collection of essays from twenty five contributors who are all part of an organization called ‘Emergent Village’. They explore A People of Hope, Communities of Hope, A Hopeful Faith, A Hopeful Way Forward, and Hopeful Activism. I have named each contributor and attempted to summarize each contribution in one sentence (a very general statement). The writers reflect a wide ‘pendulum’ of positions. This resource is helpful to learn more about emergence and those who consider themselves part of the movement.
People of Hope.
Mark Scandrette. There is reason for optimism as more and more churches take the road that leads toward justice, mercy and love.
Heather Kirk Davidoff. Evangelism needs to move from recruitment to genuine relationships that present Christ as one whom we love.
Manette Sawyer. It is our responsibility to live Christ-like rather than coming up with ways to determine who is or who is not a Christian.
Carla Bornhill. In emergent communities children are treated “like full and essential members of the community”. (56)
Troy Bronsink. Emergent is seeing the church as a “creative agent within creation”. (73)
Communities of Hope.
Sherry and Geoff Maddock. Salvation that is demonstrated in redemptive work is communal.
Thomas Malcolm Olson. (An addictions counsellor working with prisoners) Emergence in community takes on a unique dynamic in prisons.
Tim Condor. The interaction between traditional churches and emergent churches needs to transition from “collision to collaboration”. (103)
Brian Mitchell. An interesting essay on how American Catholicism is being impacted by emergence.
Adam Walker Cleaveland. A personal experience from a representative from a mainline church, PC (USA).
A Hopeful Faith.
Ryan Bolger. The emergent church is presented as a social movement and its impact on our culture.
Brian D McLaren. (A progenitor of emergence) The emergent conversation needs to transition from modernity cf Postmodernity to colonialism cf post colonialism.
Will Samson. The over-arching challenge for churches is to know God and become a part of his work.
Barry Taylor. “Religion is concerned with the right belief; faith is believing the right thing.” (169)
A Hopeful Way Forward.
Sally Moganthaler. More attention needs to be given to female leadership.
Samir Selmanovic. “If we seek first the kingdom of God, then maybe our beloved religion, saved from ourselves, will be added to us.” (199)
Dwight J Friesen. When Christ-followers embody an “orthoparadoxical ethic, theological method and theology” (205) there will be hope.
Dan Kimball. Theology should be living, i.e. open to development. Methodologies should flow out of theology.
Tim Keel. The world has changed. Increasingly leadership is coming from the margins of our cultural environment.
Chris Erdman. Lessons are drawn from Karl Barth that can be very helpful for those who are into emergence.
Hopeful Activism.
Rodolpho Carrasco. Practicing justice is part of being emergent.
Karen E. Sloan. Emergent churches need to be more authentic about “the joys and struggles of healthy sexuality”. (266)
Deborah and Ken Loyd. History will determine the impact of the emergent movement based on choices made regarding women’s rights, poverty and oppression.
Anthony Smith. The way to deal with racism is to practice Pentecost within the kingdom of God.
Randy Woodley. The plight of disenfranchised Native Americans is presented as a challenge for the emergent church.