Emergent leader Tony Jones recently said,
Some people say the Emerging Church is dead, other people say the Emerging Church has spread so far it’s just been absorbed into the fabric of the American church. (source)
The Emerging Church is not dead, and the new CANA Initiative is evidence of this fact. Earlier this year in May, Emergent guru Brian McLaren sent out a donation plea for a mysterious project. On McLaren’s blog he said,
Readers of my books and blog know that I am a movement person. . .
I’m looking for some people to join in this initiative. . .
If you believe in the kinds of things I write, say, and do, and would like to join me in making a significant financial investment over the next three years – to help a broad-based, diverse, and deep Christian movement rise to the next level, I am hoping we can come together in a joint project.
You might be able to give in the four, five, six, or seven figures. Or you might know a person, foundation, or other donor who can. Or you might be willing to start giving a smaller amount on a regular basis for the long term. (source)
Seven figure donations? What kind of “initiative” requires millions of dollars? Amy Spreeman of Stand Up for the Truth responded to McLaren’s donation plea to which McLaren responded in an e-mail saying that the initiative would be called the CANA Initiative. This CANA Initiative is now up and running. Who are the “initiators”? You guessed it: The typical Emergent cast of Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, Spencer Burke, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Phyllis Tickle among many others (source). The homepage reveals other participants:
The CANA Initiative is comprised of Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, and other Christians who believe the future for Christian life and mission will be different in many ways from the past and present.
The CANA Initiative brings together innovative leaders from all streams of the faith to collaborate in the development of new ways of being Christian…new ways of doing theology and living biblically, new understandings and practices of mission, new kinds of faith communities, new approaches to worship and spiritual formation, new integrations and conversations and convergences and dreams. (source)
A podcast interview with McLaren and Pagitt may be found here. McLaren elaborated:
For some time I (along with many others) have been seeing the need for some kind of small, non-competitive hub to serve – not control – the many networks that are spontaneously forming and developing in this general space we’ve all been opening but haven’t figured out how to name yet … Emergence Christianity, Convergence Christianity, a new kind of Christianity, Christianity for the rest of us, missional Christianity, progressive Christianity, generous orthodoxy, Red-Letter Christianity, Just Faith, etc.
I believe that for this conversation to develop and mature towards being a lasting and effective movement leading to concrete action for the common good, we now need some coordination, facilitation, and behind-the-scenes encouragement and support. I want to continue doing what I’m doing – writing and speaking and networking, and I don’t want to run anything. But I want to find some ways to help others use their gifts to help all of us move forward with more intentional synergy, shared positive identity, and joyful collaboration. (source)
So, apparently this million-dollar initiative is to bring together a global third party network of Emergence Christianity. This global hub will bolster the Emerging Church movement by media exposure, global networking, training new generations of Emerging leaders and creating a sustainable financial base to support the movement. It intends to meet the needs of Emergent organizations and leaders and generate their desired outcomes. The website lists the following desired outcomes:
Encourage new, expanding, generative and meaningful expressions of Christianity in North America
Create exposure for media and other practitioners to learn about and access the movement
Highlight more attractive public opinion of Christianity, spirituality and faith
Connect with and inspire new generation of leaders
Generate a collaborative environment for shared participation among leaders
Network with parallel networks globally
Create pathways for a new kind of interaction between faith traditions
Generate pathways for faith-based organizations to collaborate with non-faith focused endeavours of Collective Action
Support systems that generate new innovative initiatives – communities, churches, learning centers, media organizations, causes, etc. (source)
The Emergent Church is not dead but thriving and the CANA Initiative intends to capitalize on this by strengthening this progressive movement by bringing it together. They believe it is time to make their movement visible at the national level (source). The CANA Initiative “will serve as a ‘network of networks’ building this ecosystem and seeking the common good. Together, all of these networks will be able to embody a new Christian ethos leading to constructive collective action in the United States.” (source)
As demonstrated in my book, Hath God Said? Emergent Church Theology and our film The Real Roots of the Emergent Church, the logical implications of Emergence Christianity sets aside all religious difference (not only in Christian camps but also including non-Christian) in the name of common good. The end result is a global religion rallying around a powerless social gospel. In the words of CANA:
we are eager to collaborate with people of other faiths, and those seeking the common good. Our networks of dialogue and action thus extend beyond Christian communities to persons of all faiths, as well as to communities that are not themselves faith-based. (source)
Much of contemporary Christianity is apostate. The answer to this widespread apostasy is not a “new Christianity,” but the old Christianity revealed in the New Testament. We don’t need to redefine Christianity, but rediscover Christianity. The CANA Initiative says nothing of Jesus Christ and nothing of repentance and forgiveness of sins. This is another gospel.
SEE ALSO:
Yancey Joins Emergent for Wild Goose
Emergent Deconstruction: Train Tracks to Aushwitz
Rob Bell Emerges Out of the Closet . . . And The Wool (Again)