Tracing The Family Tree

Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Spencer Burke, Brian McLaren, Dan Kimball, Andrew Jones, and Chris Seay have jointly posted a characteristically wise and gracious "Our Response to Critics of Emergent": "We offer this in response to recent criticisms, with the hope that it will cause some to better understand us and others to find hope in a document that they can sign on to."

While we all need to be challenged by people from outside of our own communities (our own immediate parts of the wider clans, tribes, peoples, household of God, on earth and in heaven, and sons and daughters still estranged from their heavenly Father), who therefore have a perspective from where they can see some of our blindspots, the whole endeavour of being disciples of Jesus in and for our generations and cultures seems under a lot of fairly negative criticism from others who are simply trying to be disciples of Jesus in and for their own - different - generations and cultures...

Further reflections later, if I get the chance. For now, suffice to say that it is a priveledge to be in the UK context, where senior church leaders and academics, Anglican, Baptist and other, are whole-heartedly encouraging the younger generation to do new things, while offering their wisdom and experience - and negotiation with the wider church, where necessary. Thank you to our wise and gracious spiritual parents.