(Ir)religiosity

There’s been a lot of noise going around the blogosphere over the past week or so concerning Emergent Village and their going mainstream, or selling-out, or whatever and by doing so losing the veracity of their marginal and thereby prophetic voice.  

Behold the great dilemma we all must face. Do we compromise ourselves only to lose our integrity and our voice, or does our voice change and evolve as we try to become marginally persuasive within the belly of the beast, or to put it another way and to echo someone we’re all familiar with, are we to be “in the system, but not of the system?”  Tough, tough, call.  

But that’s not really what I want to talk about (though it’s something we had all better be talking about, at least with ourself, before we’ve decided without even knowing it. Plus, I just got through talking about it, and my failing to do it).

What I want to talk about is the future of Emergent Village.  Ironically — and I have no idea of this is connected to the blogging I mentioned above, I highly doubt that it is, but it is curious — several days ago, the board of directors at EV released this statement:

When the emergent conversation was born just over 10 years ago in the U.S., we never would have guessed that in such a short time it would become a significant feature in the American religious landscape, and a small but significant part of something happening around the world.  In many ways, those of us who originally “built” Emergent Village were simply trying to create safe space to ask our own questions and talk openly about problems we were experiencing in how we were “doing church” and living and thinking Christianly.

Having accomplished much more than we’d expected, we, the Emergent Village Board of Directors, feel we are at a crossroads as an organization.

And they want input in the form of a survey.¹  In the survey, persons are basically asked to choose between four different tracks or avenues EV might take shaping the future of Emergent USA over the next 3 or so years (that’s their timetable not mine):²

1. EV will disband altogether and cease to operate as an “organization” the way it currently does.  It will have run its course, served it’s purpose and will be dismantled.  Of course, the local conversation will continue on its own as it sees fit, but without the oversight of EV (if it even had it in the first place).
2. EV will continue in its current form with the addition of  “Annual Conferences”³ similar to past national events except more official and more concentrated.
3. EV will become more cohort-centric and more decentralized.  Think Wiki-mergent.  EV will be much smaller and the conversation will continue via cohorts and other local, contextual networks that may host regional events/conventions.  Note that this is different from option one.  EV will not cease to exist, it will only shrink, becoming a loosely connected organization, and less involved overall.
4. EV will become bigger, more powerful, and more centralized.  More staff, more events, more fundraising.  EV will start maintaining it’s own churches and will actively recruit or evangelize new members and new churches to become officially Emergent.  Like every other movement turned institution, EV will basically begin to form its own denominational system and structure.

So, whatever happens, EV, and consequently Emergent, will be changing soon, hopefully for the better.  It looks like the choice closest to no change is #2 though that might be a springboard for #4.  I’ve always thought that EV was interested in something like #3, and eventually #1 if that’s where things took it.  

Either way, I’m glad that EV is asking for input, and, if they’re true to their word, the input of people like me and you will largely be what decides the new direction.  To me, that in itself is epitomizes all that is good about Emergent.  

Personally, in order of preference, I like, 3,2,1,4.  At this point I see no need to completely dissolve EV, they’re doing good things and so far have managed to avoid the temptation of power.  Because this thing is so new I think it would help for EV to me around a while longer either as is, or more decentralized continuing to serve as a catalyst for networking and conversation, helping us all along.

To me, the worst thing that could happen — and I highly doubt that it does — is #4.  In my opinion the centralization of power and the officially structuring (that would ultimately lead to something like a denominational institution) goes against everything Emergent is about.  And frankly, I think that would stifle the conversation and networking in the grassroots that is the essence of the movement.  What’s next?  A doctrinal statement?  That’s where I jump ship.  If that’s all I wanted I would remain solely a mainliner. 

Either way I think this is a healthy exercise for EV and Emergent friends.  And I’m really glad EV is going about it the way they are.  That speaks volumes.  Ultimately, whatever happens to EV, the Emergent conversation will continue.  I believe there’s no stopping that.  I don’t think we could stop it if we tried. We’ve created a (good) monster.  Even if EV opted for #4 — God forbid — I think all of us on the grassroots margins would continue the networking, the conversation, and the friendship, we’d just call it something different.  

The next few months fill be interesting for sure.  The survey will continue until August 10.  On November 1 EV will announce what direction they will go.  I’m confident that if people participate, that direction will be a good one.  

Thoughts? What do you think?  Which option is best?

1. I took the survey. It asked for additional comments, and like I normally do, I left that section blank. These are my additional comments. [↩]
2. I should probably tell you that these are my paraphrases of the four options. I don’t want to get in too much trouble.  If you want to see EV’s official language take the survey. Since you’re reading this post you’re obviously interested in the movement and perhaps even care about its future, so why not? It only takes 5 minutes. [↩]
3. As a United Methodist, that’s the best way I know to describe it, take the survey at read EV language if you like. [↩]