Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church [Paperback]

Becky Garrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

The alternative worship/emergent church movement has been underway in various incarnations throughout the UK for over twenty years, and has impacted the U.S. evangelical community since the 1990s. However, these influences are just now beginning to emerge within the mainline liturgical churches. What impact do these new ways of worshiping God have on the contemporary mainline church?

Rising From the Ashes engages these questions through interwoven oral history-style interviews with people in mainline churches who are doing outside-the-box ministries and are at the forefront of exploring what it means to "be" the church in the 21st century. Critics of the emergent church movement are also included.

Product Details

• Paperback: 177 pages
• Publisher: SEABURY BOOKS (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596270624
• ISBN-13: 978-1596270626
• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 6 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,672,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

On the same day that Princess Di was brought into this world tiara in hand, this Yankee gal with an accent befitting a Southern debutante was born breech first. Ever since my upside down birth, I have always viewed life from a unique perspective. "Becky, only you see it that way" is a frequent comment made by friends and relatives alike. I began writing for The Wittenburg Door in 1994 and contribute to a range of outlets including Washington Post's On Faith column, The Guardian's Belief section, Killing the Buddha, Geez, The Revealer, American Atheist magazine, Believe Out Loud, and The Religious Left.

The first video highlighted on my Amazon author site came from the documentary The Ordinary Radicals (wwww.theordinaryradicals.com); the second and third videos are from http://www.altervideomagazine.com (props to Travis Reed); and the fourth is from the documentary Nailin' it to the Church (http://www.nailinittothechurch.com)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for 'Emerging in the Mainline' November 5, 2007

By Karen M. Ward

Format:Paperback

Becky Garrison has done the 'mainline' churches (and especially The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion) a big service in writing this book.

A book like this has been needed for a while now, to help the often 'sidelined' mainline churches to get back on the playing field of western Christianity with both 'voice and vote,' and to offer our sorely needed giftings and perspectives.

Brian McLaren says 'Everything Must Change' in his new book, and I second it and add that 'everything' includes the mainline churches.

Becky moved freely around emerging church circles to gather data and collect some 'true stories' which may help to get mainline emergence 'on the radar' of the established mainline churches, which many of us love and serve faithfully with little 'institutional support' so far, in the ways we truly need it.

Over 35 % (my guestimate) of those active in the 'emerging church' in North America and at least 50% of those in Europe (especially in England) are from 'mainline' traditions rather than from the free church evangelical ones that most people associated with this 'movement.'

We mainliners are 'in the emerging church house.' - This book may help us 'come out' in our own denominations and communions.

As an emerging church 'practitioner,' I was able to tell the story of my community and our pilgrimage in emerging church and mission within the mainline for the last seven years, and I was also able to share my recent efforts to birth 'Anglimergent' (Anglicans) to walk alongside 'Presbymergent, Luthermergent, Submergent (Mennonites) and other mainline native emerging groups.

Sometimes (and quite recently) in my own experiences in my beloved 'TEC' tribe, I often feel as much 'buried in the ashes' as rising from them, but there IS real rising going on none the less.

This book is a must read for the rising that is taking place now among mainline 'scouts' of emergence who are 'on the ground, fumbling in the darkness, submerged in the water, off the map, and down the rabbit' hole, in seeking to actively participate in God's Kingdom and missional future with hope.

Review by Karen M. Ward, Abbess, Church of the Apostles, Seattle, WA
[...], emerging in The Episcopal Church USA and The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Call of the Phoenix November 8, 2007

By Martha Grace Reese

Format:Paperback

It is easy to despair when we love God, love the church, and watch ourselves fumble ineffectually as we try to connect with young adults. Rising from the Ashes gives us ideas, new voices and hope. Becky Garrison, Senior Contributing Editor for the Wittenburg Door, is emerging as a prophetic voice for a new and renewed church.

This book is a series of interviews with scores of key leaders in the emerging church movement, and of a few who watch from a distance. Garrison refrains for her natural stance as religious satirist, and instead asks probing questions and listens carefully to the responses. Readers become partners to the conversaion.

US and UK culture are in the midst of an enormous shift. The church MUST accomodate these changes. Those who attend most carefully to Robert Wuthnow's new data on the 20 and 30 somethings (After the Boomers), will gravitate to Garrison's careful interviews of many of the key players in the emergent church - those who are attempting (as participant leaders) to help post-moderns find meaning, connection with community and a path with God through Christian congregations.

This is a definitive book. Garrison questions, she doesn't editorialize. Some of these emergent church leaders and commentators are compelling, brilliant, wise. Others may strike you as flakey. But they're all here. If you want one book, one place, to hear them all, get Rising From the Ashes. You will almost certainly be challenged, inspired, terrified, encouraged.

All to the good!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A helpful glimpse of the conversation January 21, 2008

By Julie Clawson

Format:Paperback

Rising from the Ashes is different from the typical offering on this subject in that it consists solely of interviews Becky conducted with a wide diversity of people who have experimented with "rethinking church." I found this pure inclusion of various voices refreshing and a good representation of the vast array of changes happening in the church today. These voices come from mainline and evangelical backgrounds; and while many of them are involved in the emerging church conversation, this book is a good reminder that streams of change are present across the broad spectrum of church and are not just limited to the emerging camp. That said, I was interested to see how even amongst the emerging voices the expressions of how church is being rethought varies from culture to culture and church to church. The voices often disagree or place emphasis on differing areas, but I found that to lend validity to the widespread nature of this conversation on the need to rethink church.

So as the conversation is explored in this book we hear from voices like Phyllis Tickle, Jonny Baker, Shane Claiborne, Diana Butler Bass, Tony Jones, Ian Mobsby, and Nadia Bolz-Weber on topics such as the state of the church, the Gospel of the Kingdom, Christian community, and worship practices. Many of those interviews hold tight to particular church traditions as they attempt to understand the church in this day and age. Others seek to question existing structures or to examine our very conception of church itself. In their responses one sees a mix of theology and practice as well as a deep commitment to serving God in whatever way they can. Rethinking church for them is not about being new or different, but about being faithful and committed followers.

I find this book to be a necessary offering at this stage in the conversation as it serves to highlight the diversity of voices present therein. It is a needed reminder that around the world and across denominations the conversations do not look the same although they may have common elements. I hope this book can help raise that awareness and heighten the appreciation of those who are coming at this conversation differently from us (whoever "us" may be). Not everyone is rethinking church in the same way and there is much to be learned from each other. I recommend this book as a great resource and glimpse into the currents moving the church today. It is helpful to know where we are headed and prudent to understand the passions and rationale of others during these times.