Superfluous

We had a busy two days this week. Our favorite French girl went home today. We took her to the airport with our teens. They stayed at our house last night and most of them pulled an all-nighter. The old-married-parents went to bed a little earlier. I bowed out around 3:00 am, so I'm working on little sleep. It's sad to see Marik gone, but we had a great time while she was here.

Anyways, I have but a minute, and I got an interesting link about an interesting PBS documentary on the Emerging church. Anyone interesting in the emerging church conversation would want to take a look at it. If you have no idea what I'm talking about this might be a good chance for you to be introduced to the subject. I think these guys are on to something big that is going to continue to change the way we know church in the future. There's a way to blog the page right here, but I couldn't do it, so here it is copied below. It came from www.religionnews.com. Check your local listings.

RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY EXPLORES THE EMERGING CHURCH MOVEMENT

Contact: Mary Schultz
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly
schultzm@religionethics.org
202-216-2394


Washington, D.C., June 27, 2005 - RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, the award-winning newsmagazine program hosted by Bob Abernethy and produced by Thirteen/WNET, will present a special series on a new movement in Protestant Christianity -- "The Emerging Church" -- to be included in programs distributed Friday July 8 and July 15 to PBS stations nationwide at 5 p.m. ET (check local listings).

In this two-part report, correspondent Kim Lawton examines how some evangelical and mainline Protestants are rethinking Christianity for a new generation. In conversations conducted largely through "blogs," leaders of the emerging church movement argue that old models and categories are no longer effective. They are developing new theologies and new forms of worship, often blending elements from different traditions -- and eras -- of Christianity. Some are generating controversy for urging a radical re-examination of conventional understandings of the faith.

In the first report, Lawton explores the diverse ways the emerging church movement is taking shape at the local level, profiling a congregation in Minneapolis that uses couches and recliners instead of pews, and going behind-the scenes at experimental worship sessions that blend contemporary technology with ancient religious practices. Lawton also talks with leaders of the movement about how they are reassessing what it means to follow Jesus in today's culture, and hears from one critic who says that some parts of the movement are threatening traditional Christianity.

In the conclusion, Lawton conducts an extended interview with Brian McLaren, named by Time magazine earlier this year as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America. McLaren, whose writings have played a key role in emerging church conversations, advocates a "generous orthodoxy" that is "post-conservative and post-liberal." He also raises provocative questions about traditional teachings on subjects such as hell and the afterlife.

Major funding for RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY is provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Mutual of America Life Insurance Company. Executive editor and host: Bob Abernethy; executive producer: Arnold Labaton.

If you are interested in receiving a transcript of each report, please e-mail Mary Schultz at schultzm@religionethics.org or contact her at 202-216-2394. Transcripts will be available on the day of the broadcast.

Should be an interesting view. Check it out.