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Deconstructive Theology and the Emergent Church

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mwkruse
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LeRon Shults: Deconstructive Theology and the Emergent Church

The planners of the 2007 Emergent Theological Conversation asked me to write a response to the following question in order to help participants starting thinking ahead about the encounter:

"Why is the Emerging Church drawn to Deconstructive Theology?"

I'm not sure how soon or exactly where they are going to post my response, but here it is so we can go ahead and get started on our own conversation! 

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"Why is the Emerging Church drawn to Deconstructive Theology?"

I see at least three emphases within “deconstruction” – understood broadly in the sense proposed by Caputo – that would naturally be attractive to Emergent Types (hereafter ET).

First, deconstruction not only accepts but embraces the category of difference. …

Second, deconstructive epistemology (or hermeneutics) calls for humility within the search for knowledge. …

Finally, deconstruction is surprising. We do not know ahead of time exactly what will emerge when we begin the process of interrogating our beliefs and the practices that shape our interpretations. …

Comments

4 responses to “Deconstructive Theology and the Emergent Church”

  1. Dana Ames Avatar
    Dana Ames

    So glad you are visiting LeRon’s blog! In the last several years, Wright has given solidity to my trust in a Jesus who can rightly be worshiped as God (particularly because of Wright’s historical/narrative and theological/linguistic insights), so that my theological imagination can be launched by a few other good thinkers, but mainly Shults. He gets some darn good comments, too.
    Dana

    Reply
  2. Michael W. Kruse Avatar
    Michael W. Kruse

    I have had him in blog lines for some time now and I agree. It sometimes gets a little over my head but it is really good stuff.

    Reply
  3. will spotts Avatar
    will spotts

    I’m not sure I agree with the first point, and I’m fairly sure I have yet to see the second point demonstrated.

    Reply
  4. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    There does often seem to be disconnect between the way we describe how it should be done versus how it actually happens. I suspect a big part has to do with that sin thing.
    🙂

    Reply

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