Journal: Emmaus Journal
Volume: EMJ 14:1 (Summer 2005)
Article: Book Notices
Author: Mark R. Stevenson

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EMJ 14:1 (Summer 2005) p. 125

Book Notices

Mark R. Stevenson

Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church: Understanding a Movement and Its Implications, By D. A. Carson, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005, 250 pages, paperback, $14.99.

In this recent offering, Dr. Donald Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School describes the emerging church as follows:

At the heart of the “movement”—or as some of its leaders prefer to call it, the “conversation”—lies the conviction that changes in the culture signal that a new church is “emerging.” Christian leaders must therefore adapt to this emerging church. Those who fail to do so are blind to the cultural accretions that hide the gospel behind forms of thought and modes of expression that no longer communicate with the new generation, the emerging generation (12).

While admitting that the emerging church movement is difficult to define, Carson nevertheless provides a penetrating “profile” of the group, analyzing its strengths and highlighting some of its serious weaknesses. Since postmodernism is part and parcel of understanding the emerging church, Carson devotes a significant portion of the book to reflecting on the import of postmodernism, as well as challenging the emerging church’s uncritical embrace of this cultural phenomenon. To illustrate some of the problems with the emerging church, Carson critiques two significant books by emerging church leaders, including Brian D. McLaren’s A Generous Orthodoxy. Comments on relevant passages of Scripture as well as an exposition of 2 Peter 1 bring the book to an appropriate conclusion.

This book is extremely helpful in understanding not only the emerging church movement but also in evaluating the impact of postmodernism on

EMJ 14:1 (Summer 2005) p. 126

evangelicalism. For church leaders who are concerned to keep abreast of the times for the sake of the gospel, Carson’s book is required reading.

Mark R. Stevenson

An Introduction to the New Testament, Second Edition, By D. A. Carson and Douglas Moo, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005, 781 pages, hardcover, $39.99.

New Testament introductions deal with background issues such as the historical context of each biblical book, authorship, date of writing, purpose, destination, and the like. This revised and updated edition includes several changes. Additions include, for example, an opening chapter on the study of the New Testament; an analysis of the current debates on the “new perspective” on Paul; and an expansion of the section on “pseudonymity.” Readers of the first edition will notice that Leon Morris is no lo...

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