Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be

I read this book after hearing Kevin DeYoung speak at my college. His talk took the form of a 'conversation' between himself and the pastor of a local emergent church. I had a great time, and for this reason: DeYoung's interaction with the emergent pastor was kind, thoughtful, and very Christian, as was the emergent pastor's interaction with DeYoung. The two men voiced their concerns and disagreements with great respect and gentleness. I remember thinking, "This is what disagreements within the Church should look like." Having seen DeYoung in action, I was able to understand his approach in writing this book (alongside the delightful and amusing Ted Kluck). I see that some reviewers feel that the book is unfair and unbalanced, and that a couple people have slammed it because it seems unkind. DeYoung did not strike me as the sort of person who would sit down in anger and write a book that deliberately cast the emergent church in the wrong light. He struck me as someone genuinely concerned about some of the emergent church's views, who wanted to enter into the ongoing dialogue. One of the difficulties is, of course, that the emergent church is impossible to pin down. Emerging churches within the movement cover a wide spectrum. DeYoung and Kluck both make it clear that they are not bashing the emergent church, nor are they criticizing all churches that call themselves emergent. Instead they are making known the concerns they have as fellow believers in Christ. Kluck and DeYoung write with very different styles, which aided my enjoyment of the book by adding variety. They interacted with the emergent church in different ways, which I think gave them an even more balanced approach. The book is not very long, and by no means a complete analysis of the emergent church. However, the authors have done their homework (DeYoung, for example, says he has read 5,000 pages of emergent literature in preparation). As a result of reading this book, I feel prepared to interact with the emergent church in a more knowledgeable way. This book lays a good foundation for further research into the emergent church movement, by making some potential problems known. Other reviewers can analyze particular arguments made by the authors, but I wanted to let potential readers know that this is not an angry book. You might not agree with/like everything DeYoung and Kluck have to say, but I can't disapprove of the way they say it.

I confess that when I first saw the "cool" poly-chromatic cover of this book and the provocative title I envisioned something alone the lines of "Do Hard Things" by the Harris boys---a book that doesn't give you serious insight as much as it makes you smile and think, "Gee, I'm glad that there's still solid kids out there!" While I would have enjoyed such a book, what I actually read was immensely superior. The book is a theological and "on-the-street" perspective of the emerging church (henceforth EC), written by two Reformed guys in their early thirties. Both great writers, they each contribute in a different way while still complementing one another. I appreciate that they worked on this together. I'll discuss Kevin DeYoung, the pastor-theologian, first. DeYoung's theological treatment is very well-researched, balanced, and wide. He hits all of the main facets of the EC, succinctly summarizing the essence of this movement and deftly pointing out its flaws. Since the EC is difficult to define, I was very curious as to how DeYoung would actually begin. Much to my surprise and delight, on p. 20-22 he presented a long list of characteristics that give you a decent feel for what this whole "emergent" thing is all about. This is the beauty of stereotypes---though imperfect and often times exaggerative, its still nice to read them and think to yourself, "Ohh... I think I see who he's talking about." This approach works because it gives the reader context, allowing him to draw upon what he probably already knew but could never put a name on. And then DeYoung spends the rest of the book filling in the details or sanding off the rough edges of some of the more questionable or comical stereotypes. And as I mentioned, DeYoung seems to cover all of the bases: journey versus destination, "Jesus is all I need" theology, God's "knowability", revelation, mystery, certainty, doubt, argument versus conversation, propositions, foundationalism, postmodernism, modernism, orthodoxy, "repainting the faith," theological and political liberalism, doctrinal boundaries, exclusivism, false dichotomies, semantic difficulties, church leadership, preaching, social justice and activism, the kingdom of God, the gospel, Hell, and God's wrath. Once again, his discussion of these topics isn't an in-depth scholarly treatment, but it doesn't need to be. DeYoung spends sufficient time on each topic before moving on, generally stating the emergent position (using the words of emergent thinkers, of course), gently pointing out the problems, and explaining the significance of the issue from a Refomed perspective. He certainly has a gift for organization---each chapter covers just the right amount of topics that seem to have just enough in common with one another. All the chapters are valuable, but I particularly enjoyed the one on the "boogeyman" of modernism, which points out the historical revisionism behind the emergent caricature of evangelicalism. As mentioned before, DeYoun

"What is this emerging church I keep hearing about?" If I had a dime for every time I have been asked that question or one like it, well, I'd be several dollars richer. Emerging is one of the buzzwords in the church these days and one that begs for greater explanation. Unfortunately it is not an easy term to define. To borrow a tired cliche, defining the emerging church is much like trying to nail Jello to a wall. It's a near-impossible and entirely thankless task. Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck give it a shot in their new book Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be). These are two young men who, if we were to look to demographics, would be top candidates for involvement in the emerging movement. Yet they've stayed away from it, opting instead to commit to ministry and service within more traditional churches. In this book they explain why and in so doing explain what the emerging church is all about and the danger it poses. In an editorial decision that turns out to be quite successful, DeYoung and Kluck alternate chapters throughout the book (though you'll want to watch for an exception at the very end where Kluck writes two consecutively). DeYoung's chapters are the more academic ones--they provide some in-depth interaction with the theology of the emerging church. Kluck's chapters, on the other hand, are less formal and more reflective. They actually read, perhaps ironically, not unlike something Don Millar might have written. Kluck typically begins his chapters by discussing a book he has been reading or an emergent speaker he has heard. He bridges to some of the shortcomings of the emergent movement and some of the ways it has proven unbiblical. He includes several poignant descriptions of his church and the kind of classical Christianity that has fallen out of favor among emergents. Speaking of his search for a church he writes, "I was looking for a theology and a body that I could give my life to and entrust with my children. The reason I love Christianity and the Bible is that I think they are really the only things in this world that don't need to be periodically `repainted' or reframed." Quoting a friend, Kluck writes, "My other main concern is [emergents] seem to have adopted the American demographic marketing model. I may be wrong, but I'm afraid that a movement that claims to care about justice, community, and inclusivity seems to just be tailor-made for white, suburban, affluent professionals in their twenties and thirties. That concerns me from a self-delusional standpoint." Meanwhile, DeYoung's chapters are the real heart of the book. He covers a variety of topics of great theological importance including the Bible, Christian doctrine, modernism and its impact on theology, and the doctrines of Jesus Christ. He shows the danger inherent in the emergent unwillingness to take stands even on doctrines closest to the heart of the Christian faith. The claim that emerging theology is still in process is no excuse. "It's one t

Others, including D.A. Carson have done great books on responding to Postmodernism. Deyoung and Kluck however, (if I may borrow a little postmodern terminology) are speaking my language. I love weighty tomes of obscure theology. But I don't always like to read such heavy material. This is far from heavy, yet solid at the same time. The thought process involved is obviously brilliant. The theology is sound. The academic work is of the highest quality. AND it is easily readable and a wonderful explanation of how we can be young and relevant and NOT postmodern. Great work guys! A must read!