The Theology of the Emerging Church Research Paper

The Theology of the Emerging Church - Research Paper Example Its members do not adhere to the traditional modernist dualisms of spirit and matter, mind and body, sacred or secular, but they want to go a different part in the midst of postmodernism.2 Thesis Statement: This paper aims to study the place of Christology in the theology of the Emerging Church. The need for the study The primary aim and mission of Emerging Church is to bring Christians from different denominations by making significant changes on how the church should be run and organized. This study will have ecumenical importance because it has implications on bringing the different churches together. The church is still diverse and fragmented movement; leaders just want to call it a conversation. They want to be heard and many of the different churches have been spreading their thoughts and beliefs through the different media including the Internet. Main Body The Emerging Church has been understood as a conversation on how to interpret the gospel in the midst of postmodern cultur e, and a call to action in this setting. It has been regarded by proponents that the Emerging Church has made important contributions to the church’s ecclesiology.3 The church has undergone a paradigm shift due to culture change. Discussions on postmodernity and postmodern have been taking place in various denominations. The terms postmodernity, postmodernism, and postmodern cultures have been freely interchanged but are not, in reality, synonymous. Nathan C. P. Frambach prefers to use the term â€Å"post-whateverism†, whose language refers to a ‘concept of flux’4. The world passes through various phenomena and transitions, for instance, the industrial age which refers to the past, the information age which is the present, and the biotechnology age which is the future. There are three core characteristics that identify the Emerging Church, and these are: ‘identifying with the life of Jesus, transforming secular space, and commitment to community as a way of life’.5 These practices lead to the other six practices which are: ‘welcoming the stranger, serving with generosity, participating as producers, creating as created beings, leading as a body, and taking part in spiritual activities’.6 The Nine Patterns Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger discussed the nine patterns in imitating the ways of Jesus, leading to a new conversation and a new life with the Lord, apart from the practices of the traditional church. Identifying with the life of Jesus The example of Jesus, when he lived with his disciples on earth, is characteristic of the emerging churches. But they also hold Christ as unique. Jesus’ teaching is linked to the gospel he proclaimed. He asked his disciples to repent and be baptised because â€Å"The kingdom of God is at hand.† This is the kingdom promised by the Hebrew prophets and to be established with the coming of Jesus. D. A. Carson says that emergents are following the uniqueness of Christ and that this uniqueness allows them to have a new thinking and a new way of questioning their