another phd on the emerging church
As some of you would know, Steve Taylor of emergent kiwi fame has completed a phd dissertation on the emerging Church. I actually own a copy but I need to admit that I have only dipped into it – sorry Steve. However, Steve’s book – out of bounds church is largely a layman’s rewrite of what he said in his phd thesis. So, I read that!
Bryan Murley, a reader of signposts is proposing another phd disseration on the emerging church with a particular focus on blogs and other communication technology that have assisted the movement. Check out the emerging church research blog by Bryan. Bryan has uploaded the proposal here.
He writes in the abstract:
Much academic attention has been focused on the phenomenon of blogging and politics. Relatively little attention has been paid to the intersection of blogging and religion among laypeople and ministers. This research project will examine blogs that focus on issues of faith through Stuart Hall’s cultural studies theory and the theological framework of the priesthood of all believers.
The paper will begin with an overview of religious blogging and focus specific attention on four blogs that operate through the paradigm of the emerging church movement.
The emerging church movement is of special interest because it is a cross-denominational, cross-national movement of Christian believers that has grown up in the postmodern age and has specifically come into prominence through new media like the Internet. It is still in its beginning stages, with many discussing its outlines but few actually putting the philosophy into practice.
I link this up, not simply because of the interest factor, but also because Bryan has used signposts as one his sources. Who would have thought that posts on our blog would be quoted in an academic presentation? I feel quite honoured!
Oh yeah, LT and Andrew Jones got mentioned too, as well as another blogger from Chicago who I was not familiar with but have now added to my reading list.
How cool is this:
McCredden, P. (2003). Homosexuality - a loving response? Retrieved May 18, 2005, from http://www.signposts.org.au/index.php/archives/2003/08/05/homosexuality-a-loving-response/
McCredden, P. (2005a). tired. Retrieved May 18, 2005, from http://www.signposts.org.au/index.php/archives/2005/03/01/tired/
McCredden, P. (2005b). we did not see you. Retrieved May 10, 2005, from http://www.signposts.org.au/index.php/archives/2005/04/19/we-did-not-see-you/
May 28th, 2005 at 11:35 pm
thanks for that post… i was trying to get the steve taylor link to work but for some reason it wasn’t letting me get there…
May 28th, 2005 at 11:36 pm
ahhhhh, got it… http://www.emergentkiwi.org.nz/
May 29th, 2005 at 1:22 pm
Just a wee note … given that my out of bounds church? book was completed about 9 months after my PhD was submitted, it is not only a layperson attemtp but also 9 months more processing and gurgitating on the emerging church. my thinking has developed since the Phd, and even since the book! The book has 9 postcards. If I had time, I’d lie to write at least a 10th postcard, on DJing with justice amid a global culture.
May 29th, 2005 at 2:37 pm
Sorry Eric, I have fixed the link now.
June 1st, 2005 at 3:50 am
I should note here that my dissertation is going to be focused on a separate theoretical construct re: the emerging church than the one presented in this paper. This is something that I think goes beyond the emerging church, but the EC is a perfect illustration for the concept of the mediahood of all receivers as it has both theological and communication components.
Thanks for the link. I’ve already gotten one more contact to put in the “rolodex”