The Great Emergence – Book Review

Dear church history buffs,

Recently I read Phyllis Tickle’s book, The Great Emergence; How Christianity Is Changing and Why. From Phyllis’ perspective, the churches of today are in a repetitive cycle that has repeated through time. She believes; every five hundred years, the church feels compelled to hold a giant rummage sale. She theorizes that the churches of today are in this cleaning out phase. 

Phyllis attempts to explain her views by stating several events in history. Among her examples; in 451, the issue of what to call Mary split the Asia Minor Church apart; “Mother of God?” Also; “Was Jesus one person or two? One person of two natures or two persons in one skin?”  She says this led to The Coming of the Dark Ages. The Fall of Rome. The emergence of Gregory the Great.

She states; In 1054, The Great Schism, the church split over Communion rules. The Patriarch of Greek Eastern Orthodox Christianity had his anathemas and Leo IX had his bulls of excommunication.

Next, she says; The Great Reformation in 1517. Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg; thus causing the Protestant Church to form after leaving the Roman Catholic.

She believes Judaism and Judeo-Christian follows a similar five hundred year historical pattern. She failed to attempt any proof. This is only her belief.

Phyllis calls this pattern, the Axial Age, and The Great Transformation, The Great Emergence. She says, the Great Reformation is the prequel to the Great Emergence—the reoccurring historical pattern that we’re living through—according to her.

She states many events that keep this timeless cycle, “Giant Church Rummage Sale” alive. Tension and Conflicts. The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1440. The Reformation. Darwin. Faraday. Einstein. World Wide Web. Internet.

She says Christians are changing; into what—she doesn’t know. She believes we are in The Great Emergence. She does not offer an idea of what we are changing into.

She only offers her opinion; during the great church battles every five hundred years, two churches emerged. The original church changed and became stronger while a new church grows.  She sights; Martin Luther and The Great Reformation as her strongest example of this cycle.

After reading her book thoroughly, my conclusion is that she failed to substantiate her theory. She highlighted a few major events in church history in an attempt to add authenticity to her book. I’ve heard many people call this rewriting history to prove a point. Many Bible enthusiasts could state several biblical and historical facts that would disprove her Great Rummage Sale theory.

I will admit to being confused about the premise of her idea. Jesus describes his church as a body of believers. Matthew 18:20 NIV states; "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." She seems to give life to the structure and says the building evicts it’s members. I’m sure she miss wrote that idea.

If I understood Phyllis’ theory correctly, she’s accusing the body of believers in the churches, both past and present, of using a giant rummage sale method to drive away anyone who disagrees with the teachings. She implies this is in some way, a divine nature of the Church; the divine way new churches are created. Jesus drives Christians out of churches to form new ones.

After reading her book, it’s my understanding that she’s suggesting church fighting is a part of Jesus’ plan to spread the gospel. Sorry Phyllis, I don’t share your point of view. I always  prefer when anyone makes their case by using God’s Word and not exclusively history—and their opinions.

In conclusion; this was a poorly written book. After the initial third, rambling and bouncing around was employed. The theory of the book was unproven. There was no bible based conclusion to resolve her theory. I do not except her insinuation that Jesus ordains church fighting to spread the gospel—every five hundred years.

This book supports the saying; don’t judge a book by the cover. The cover is beautiful and no doubt expensive. The book is meaningless, unsubstantiated, and poorly written. Take a guess as to whether I would recommend reading this book.

In God’s Service,

Shepard Cross