Church in the Present Tense (ēmersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith)

Much has been written by practitioners advocating the emerging church phenomenon, but confusion about the nature and beliefs of those who identify with the emerging church still exists. Now that the movement has aged a bit, the time has come for a more rigorous, scholarly analysis. Here four influential authors, each an expert in his field, discuss important cultural, theological, philosophical, and biblical underpinnings and implications of the emerging church movement. Their sympathetic yet critical assessment helps readers better understand the roots of the movement and the impact that it has had and is having on wider traditions.

From the Back Cover

Provocative Perspectives on Emerging Conversations

"This is the most complete, detailed, critically sympathetic, and totally remarkable overview I have yet seen of where Emergence Christianity presently is and appears to be going. McKnight's two essays alone are worth the price of admission."--Phyllis Tickle, author, The Great Emergence

"At root, the emerging church movement is a set of conversations about living more faithfully into the way of Jesus and the implications of this for the life and witness of Christian communities. This book offers a series of reflections from some of the best-known voices on a range of important questions. These essays extend the conversation in significant ways and make it clear that the questions stirred up are worth pursuing."--John R. Franke, Biblical Seminary; theologian in residence, First Presbyterian Church of Allentown

"Over its short history, the emerging church has both challenged and inspired the practice of church in our time. Church in the Present Tense brings together in one volume some of its finest thinkers to reflect on the theological and practical contributions of this movement. In concise and helpful essays, they lead us through the impact of 'emerging' on our views of God, salvation, Scripture, the end times, and the practice of worship. Whatever you might think of the movement, you cannot ignore its impact, and this volume won't let you!"--David Fitch, Northern Seminary; author, The End of Evangelicalism?

"Rather than retreading old ground, Church in the Present Tense looks at the still-evolving emerging church movement from new angles, and readers will be rewarded with new insights. We are in very good hands with Scot, Pete, Kevin, and Jason--they appreciate the movement, but they aren't playing Pollyanna. They're tough, smart, articulate interlocutors. I think this book will be seen as among the best interactions with the emerging church movement."--Tony Jones, theologian in residence, Solomon's Porch, Minneapolis; author, The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier