Richard Rohr on "Four Categories of the Emerging Church"

This is what got me excited about the emerging conversation in the first place.

It’s a great resource, Steve. I like Rohr’s four categories and he presents it very nicely. It’s odd that there is no explicit reference to mission – Rohr’s interest appears to be entirely in the the reformation of the church. But I am more concerned about the narrow emphasis on Jesus – I think it simply creates a different sort of short-sightedness if we ignore the larger story of which he is a part and which makes sense of his teaching and actions. Of course, we only get a brief clip from Rohr’s argument, but this seems to be the general thrust of his argument.

One of the most pivotal parts of this message is not wanting to create a new denomination. I think that most movements create an “us” and “them” dynamic which just becomes another exclusive group where a new framework is created for who is in and who is out, who is right and who is wrong, and what is black and what is white. The sort of reformation that Fr. Rohr speaks of however quite possibly gets directly to the heart of what could actually reform our religious institutions.

Good stuff, thanks for sharing.

thought you should know that caution should be taken with regard to Fr Rohr. read this: http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/060123