Black, Postmodern, and Emergent: An Oxymoron? - Part I

[Image-http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupWorshipAid.asp?LRID=23]

For the last few years I have been reading the discussions about the postmodern emerging/emergent church and it has really caught my interest. I follow on occasion blogs such as Presbymergent , Emergent Village and others and it also helps that many of my friends and colleagues are either a part of the movement or are well-versed in it. I have had the opportunity to worship in postmodern, emergent fellowships/churches in our denomination and like what I see as a new way of doing an old thing in today's context. And like everything else, I try to look at ways of how I can adapt and apply what I have learned to my own context in serving a historic African-American Presbyterian congregation. However, one of the aspects that have been criticized about the emergent church is its perceived status as a predominately white male movement. For example, Steven Johnson writes in his blogpost entitled "What's so emergent about the emergent church?"

"How far? There are seventeen official publications by Emergent Village, with every single author being white. A quick glance at the books written for the emergent church reveals a long list of white males under the age of 40: Brian McClaren, Tony Jones, Dan Kimball, and Doug Pagitt.¹ My neighbors are from Somalia, Nepal, and Burma. They couldn’t care less about goatees or Rob Bell’s glasses. Where is their voice in an emergent church? Where is my voice, as an Asian American, in a church that predominantly speaks to the white majority? Where is the single mother’s voice? The immigrant? Those on the margins? I have yet to see it. Being relevant within God’s Kingdom should have nothing to do with the majority, and every to do with those living on the fringes of society."

Race has also been talked about in other blogposts in interviews with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Andre Daley, and Matthew Glock. Even Brian McLaren gives some similar explanation to this as a part of his blogpost:

The “overwhelmingly white” issue may unintentionally show a lack of respect for the Black church in America, which is by and large much stronger in respect to African-American culture than is the predominately white church – making the emergent conversation less urgent for them for now at least. In addition, African-American, Asian, and Hispanic churches fulfill roles for their adherents that white churches do not."

All of this got me to thinking "how relevant is this movement to the African-American church?"  For sure, not all African-Americans worship in predominately black churches pr worship in the same style.  But if I had to guess, there are a lot less who are worshiping in emerging churches/fellowships. What would be the attraction/pull for African-Americans to worship in these places knowing that most of us have grown up in a culture and heritage of strong black churches? Even those who are youth/young adults tend to gravitate towards congregations that are similar to what they are used to. 

I'll see if I can shed some more light on this in part II.

Comments

[Brian Frick]

Labels.
Categories.
Boxes.
That's what we are good at.
When we "feel" something, we want to label it in a way others can "relate" to. Our minds are made to pick up patterns and make sense of things that way.
Byron, I get what you are saying. I have been asking, "if there is an "Emergent Worship" movement...what is "Emergent Camping?" I have yet to answer that but it is always good to answer.
I guess I would say in response to your comments that something is emerging. God is "Birthing Something New!" Some of us hope it will be still labeled "Presbyterian" and some of us are pragmatic enough to know that Post-Denominational really has to mean that eventually right?!
Before I start rambling - you clarified something I have been struggling with -
Boxes and labels.
It's what we are good at.
I hope for us that we can just "be" in the presence of the Spirit as the Spirit moves through, with, and in spite of ourselves. And that where ever we find God speaks best to us, we can call that home - our God home. Our place where God calls us to do great things in God's name.
If that has to be "emergent" for one culture, or just a different shade of worship in a different culture, then I think I can live with that.

[Byron Wade]

Brian,

Thanks for the response. I definitely can identify with the Boxes and Labels. And in a sense that is unfortunate because I believe that all people are striving to live and worship in a community of faith that worships God, exhibits love, helps with life's questions and empowers others to serve, irregardless of certain boundaries that exist (race, class, etc.). However I believe that in order to arrive at that one needs to understand and analyze the context within the history of their own particular community and that is what I am expressing in this series of blogposts. I think being postmodern, emergent and whatever other current adjectives of how we describe church and community life are exciting and life-giving. I also think other communities don't know exactly what that means and need to look at it closely.

I appreciate your post and look forward to hearing more from you. Thanks!

[Anthony Smith]

Brother. I just found this amazing series of post today. I'm slapping myself. This is a great conversation to have. There are rumblings in the near future of a national/regional african-american emerging/missional network. There are a growing number of african-americans interested in that wanting 'more' than just a traditional black church experience and discipleship. I hope we can have a conversation about what this would look like.