The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why

by Phyllis Tickle

Overview

Rooted in the observation that massive transitions in the church happen about every 500 years, Phyllis Tickle shows readers that we live in such a time right now. She compares the Great Emergence to other "Greats" in the history of Christianity, including the Great Transformation (when God walked among us), the time of Gregory the Great, the Great Schism, and the Great Reformation.
Combining history, a look at the causes of social upheaval, and current events, The Great Emergence shows readers what the Great Emergence in church and culture is, how it came to be, and where it is going. Anyone who is interested in the future of the church in America, no matter what their personal affiliation, will find this book a fascinating exploration.
Study guide by Danielle Shroyer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801071027
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/01/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	220
Sales rank:	502,302
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Phyllis Tickle (1934-2015) was founding editor of the Religion Department of Publishers Weekly. One of the most respected authorities and popular speakers on religion in America today, she was the author of more than two dozen books, including The Great Emergence and Emergence Christianity.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations 6

Preface to the Paperback Edition 7

Preface 9

Part 1 The Great Emergence: What Is It? 13

1 Rummage Sales: When the Church Cleans Out Its Attic 19

2 Cable of Meaning: The Loss and Discovery of a Common Story 33

Part 2 The Great Emergence: How Did It Come to Be? 41

3 The Great Reformation: A Prequel to Emergence 43

4 Questions of Re-formation: Darwin, Freud, and the Power of Myth 63

5 The Century of Emergence: Einstein, the Automobile, and the Marginalization of Grandma 77

Part 3 The Great Emergence: Where Is It Going? 119

6 The Gathering Center: And the Many Faces of a Church Emerging 123

7 The Way Ahead: Mapping Fault Lines and Fusions 145

Index 167

Discussion Guide 175

Editorial Reviews

North American Christianity is presently undergoing a change every bit as radical as the Protestant Reformation, possibly even as monumental as its natal break with Judaism. And it's right on schedule. Tickle, author of God-Talk in America and PW's founding religion editor, observes that Christianity is holding its semimillennial rummage sale of ideas. With an elegance of argument and economy of description, Tickle escorts readers through the centuries of church history leading to this moment and persuasively charts the character of and possibilities for the emerging church. Don't let this book's brevity fool you. It is packed with keen insights about what this "great emergence" is, how it came to be and where it may be headed. Tickle issues a clear call to acknowledge the inevitability of change, discern the church's new shape and participate responsibly in the transformation. Although Tickle's particular focus excludes the dynamic forces of Asian, African and Central/South American Christianity, this is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the face and future of Christianity. (Oct.)

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Publishers Weekly

Pam Ward's deft reading style enhances Phyllis Tickle's discussion of current changes in fundamental Christianity, which she calls the "Great Emergence." The author's message comes from dialogues she has had with lay and ordained Christians since she became founding religion editor for PUBLISHERS WEEKLY in the 1990s. Ward seamlessly delivers the author’s rationale for this transformative change, which she believes is as radical and far-reaching as the Reformation. In a lighter vein, she uses subtle humor to deliver the author’s comparison of the "Great Emergence" to a "rummage sale of ideas," which occurs within Christendom every 500 years. Ward conveys Tickle's keen insights and complex ideas with authenticity, simplicity, and clarity. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2009 - AudioFile