Book Review #2

The Great Emergence by Phyllis Tickle

“Every five hundred years, the church cleans out its attic and has a giant rummage sale.”

Tickle writes from the perspective of an editor, understanding that much has been written about the history of Christianity, but not much of it is written for the average layperson who is seeking a new perspective on church and faith. The author begins to explain this major event, referred to as the Great Emergence, following the timeline of a drastic shift in the church roughly every fifth century since Christ’s birth and life on earth. Out of the major upheaval, she contends that 3 consistent results occur: 1) a more vital form of Christianity emerges, 2) the organized expression of Christianity is reconstituted into a purer, more organic form, and 3) because of #2, the faith spreads.
In the book, Tickle outlines the various elements of the Great Emergence, from information overload, to dependency on machines.

In chapter 1, she talks about the early church and how that since Christianity was the religion of the Roman Empire, many new “raiders-turned citizens” adopted it. It is noted that no form of organized Christianity has ever been destroyed during one of these 500 year eruptions. Monasticism was birthed during this age, representing true demonstrations of faith. This has made a new revival in today’s faith practice, as well as traditions of Orthodoxy. The Roman Catholic Church saw changes, losing dominance, but being freed to address some of the corruption and shortcomings they were experiencing. Tickle acknowledges that it is not only Christianity that experiences these 500 year cycles; both Jewish tradition as well as Islam can claim a similar pattern.

Chapter 2: Religion is a social construct. Tickly uses interesting imagery to describe how we as human beings need spirituality to give life meaning. She describes a cable, saying that the outer mesh layer represents common agreement about how the world works and should be understood. Then there are 3 strands inside the tube that are intertwined to strengthen the chord: spirituality – experiences and values that are internal to the individual, corporeality – evidence that religion exists, and morality – externalization and application of values and experiences of the individual who make up a society. These things bind the faith community together until that major occurrence, about once every 500 years when the outer layer and the inner chords suffer a blow at the same time.

Chapter 3: Scripture only and only Scripture. During the Reformation, focus was on the priesthood of all believers and solo scriptura. Assaults were organized against Islam. This was a time of great advances in the field of science and mathematical knowledge. Protestantism grew, as well as individualism and emphasis on the nuclear family. An entrepreneurial middle class formed. There was a shift from money to information as the building block of economic power. The printing press was invented and globalization began. The Catholic Reformation took place around the same time.
Half a millennium prior to the Great Reformation was the Great Schism, or the Crusades – a holy campaign to rescue Jerusalem and the Middle East from Islam (p 59).

Chapter 4:Here the influence of Darwin is discussed, as being the impetus for new cultural, social, political and theological thought. Also, Michael Faraday’s research on electromagnetic current. In response to scientific focus, a conference held in Niagara Falls outlined Christianity outlined 5 true beliefs: inerrancy of scripture, divinity of Jesus, historicity of Virgin birth, substitutionary nature of the Atonement, physical, corporeal return of Christ (65-66). Influence of philosophers – Campbell, Descartes… who has the authority? “Emerging Christians are the immediate products of the 20th century” (p 74).

Chapter 5: German theologian Reimarus, asked, “ What if Jesus of Nazareth and the Jesus of Western history and thought are not the same?” (p. 80). 1906 marked the advent of Pentecostalism – Azusa Street. Charles Parham is regarded as the creator of Pentecostalism. Participatory worship became the norm, and the Pentecostal church grew exponentially, becoming the 2nd largest Christian body in the world! This faith tradition asserts that ultimate authority is experiential rather than canonical (p. 85).

Chapter 6: The Great Emergence…Christianity has grown exponentially, not only in geographic base and numbers, but also in passion and call to brotherhood of all peoples (p. 121). This emergent movement is still new, so it’s difficult to define exactly what it is. Liturgy is brought back, social justice is emphasized, the “new monasticism” – incarnational ministry. This is a gathering center from all the distinctive former branches or denominations. However, there will still be more extreme pockets that stay on the outskirts.

Chapter 7: Orthopraxy (right practice) and orthodoxy (right doctrine) are still defining characteristics of Christians, but do not have any specifically articulated mantra like Luther’s “solo scriptura”. Closest phrase is “in scripture and in community.” Gatherings such as Vineyard Church and Mosaic are products of this movement.