Toward a Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church Is Good News for Mainline Congregations

by Phil Snider, Emily Bowen

Toward a Hopeful Future highlights the reasons why an increasing number of evangelicals are leaving the churches of their childhood in pursuit of more progressive approaches to the Christian faith. In turn, it shows how mainline communities of faith (that tend to be more liberal) can offer hospitality to former evangelicals longing for a faith that's deeply rooted in the gospel values of justice, equality, and inclusivity.
Winner of the 2011 Mayflower Award for Best Book in Church & Society."Snider and Bowen have given careful and critical attention to the church at the margins and have a clear and hopeful idea of what these communities offer the established church and vice-versa. This book is far overdue." - Nadia Bolz-Weber

290 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

Reviews

[Diann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much needed boik about the need for emergent and progessive theology in our mainline denominations. We need to claim our voice and clarify our message of hope.

[Al Gritten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even for those who are skeptical of the emergent movement and its future implications, there are things to be learned, both from the standpoint of the ways and means of worship as well as theologically. Snider and Bowen explore the movement as a means to call the main body of the church to reformation and to re-examine both the ways we understand our faith and God, as well as the ways we hold on to traditions. This book should cause us to question what we do as church and pastors, and the way in which we do - not necessarily to change anything, but at minimum to think about what we do, how we do it, and most importantly the why - are the practices helpful, are we truly focused on the Way of Jesus? These are important questions as we examine our faith structures. One of the most potent understandings I took away is not one that the authors mention explicitly, but is implicit in the book and the emergent movement - is the structure we use meant to enhance our understandings of God and the Way we follow Jesus or is it meant to sustain the institution we have created for those purposes? This should always be foremost on our minds and the book prods that consideration as we follow their look at emergent worship and the emergent movement.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an informative and helpful look at the emergent church/emerging Christian movement and how it can be present and helpful to Mainline or Progressive Christians. The authors, both Disciples of Christ pastors, note the variety of expressions in this movement, but find hope and guidance for progressives.

It is worth checking out!!

Here is a link to my much longer review -- http://pastorbobcornwall.blogspot.com...

[Tanja Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, as it gave some great ideas of how mainline churches can be part of the emergent church movement, in large part, in my mind, through theological consistency during worship services and beyond.