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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Living as a "Networked Christian", December 30, 2009
This review is from: Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet, and Other Networks (mersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith) (Paperback)
When I first ordered a copy of Dwight J. Friesen's THY KINGDOM CONNECTED, I mistakenly thought it was a "how to" guide for using social media (Facebook and Twitter, for example) in my ministry. After all, the subtitle suggests that we are going to find out "What the Church Can learn from Facebook, the Internet, and other Networks." Was I wrong about the goal of this book! This modest subtitle is truly unfortunate because Freisen has actually written one of the most creative accounts of the missional nature of Christian faith to be published in the last ten years. That's saying a lot because it's only 189 pages long! But in less than 200 pages, Friesen covers a lot of ground, showing how recent findings in science, philosophy, theology, and Network theory can illuminate the implications of Christ's teaching on community, faith, leadership, and the nature of God for a post-modern generation. The comprehensive nature of his arguments, especially his treatment of science, will make this book a compelling read for many. Friesen argues that networks are God's way of organizing the universe, and so network theory sheds light on the Christian understandings of the human condition, leadership, the church, and God. Friesen shows how seeing all of life in terms of networks potentially changes how you see the Christian life, including how we understand what faith, leadership, the church community, and spiritual formation are. You see, if life is actually not about living in isolation, individual choices, and living within protective boundaries , then we need to foster deep connections with the people we find surrounding us. This book is a part of the Emergent Village resources for communities of faith series published by Baker Books, so the findings will echo the themes found in other emerging and missional authors (the shift to a post-Christondom, post-modern society, the need for churches to be actively missional, etc.). The science component of the argument, though, allows the book to make a unique contribution to the series. This book is highly recommended for those looking to understanding how the Christian faith can be lived in the 21st Century and in light of recent developments in science and philosophy. The chapters are short, but the ideas are challenging. But your investment in the book will be worth your time and effort. Great quotes by scientists and illustrations of natural phenomena also help the reader absorb the radical nature of Friesen's arguments.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Concepts are Great, but Theologically, More Needed, February 2, 2010
This review is from: Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet, and Other Networks (mersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith) (Paperback)
In Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet, and Other Networks Dwight J. Friesen explores the power of networks and the lessons the church can learn from observing and understanding how we are bound together through common relationships. This book did possess some strengths, among them a treatment of Trinitarian theology, an invitation to dialogue and an openness to critique, and the important recognition that the Kingdom of God possesses an environmental component that supports an "ecological" approach to leadership. On this last point, Friesen's chapter on "Network Ecology" was quite good. Likening the church to a natural ecosystem, Friesen explores how the openness of such systems, the need for diversity, and the necessity of death in such systems lead to overall flourishing. One of the most powerful metaphors I've found for "Kingdom" among emerging leaders has been this very example. Once a leader sees oneself as an ecologist or an environmentalist, it changes how one relates and navigates various relationships, casts vision, and clears ground for growth. Of all the contributions in this book, I think this chapter is the most valuable. Most of the reviewers I have read have been positive, and because of this I'll offer a couple of words of critique. Here are two of my points of contention. First, is Friesen's account of networks and their applicability to the church based on a gospel dynamic? Within the first few sentences in his introduction, Friesen states "Many are wondering why so many churches and denominations are in decline when they are proclaiming the gospel," a statement which, prima facie is easily debatable and, indeed, on this very topic much ink has been spilled (with the rise of computing, when will this idiom change?). After making such a bold assertion at the outset, I was hoping to hear more about what this gospel might be that is failing to gain a hearing despite its proclamation. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Friesen's articulation of the gospel is undergirded by the claim that in Jesus the fullness of life is found, and that the same fullness that is seen in Jesus can be realized in us. Friesen states, "This is God's mission: that human beings like you and me would live as fully alive, fully networked human beings." That sounds nice. But it needs more fullness. More robustness. And, it needs to be accompanied by the avenue through which such a life can re realized. In other words, I need to know how to get plugged in to the with-God life. I need a theology of cross and resurrection, a more detailed account of justification and sanctification. I need something beyond a definition of life as "the relationship between chaos and order," something like "shalom," an ultimate vision of what a life of peace and reconciliation between human beings and between God might look like at the end of the ages. To give him the benefit of the doubt, I would think that Friesen's presentation presupposes that the reconciliation found in Christ brings about the creation of a community wherein humanity can flourish through connection. As we come to know one another, love one another, serve one another, submit to one another, and live according to a collective vision of what constitutes new creation, the "good news" is imaged forth. While I find such imagery compelling, as I've already stated, I find presentations like Friesen's as insufficient. I appreciate that Friesen's "connected community" represents an embodied realization of the gospel. But I think any such community which embodies the gospel must undergird those claims with a discourse, or a language, that goes beyond practices. Proclamation and practice go hand in hand. In that sense, I am "And'ing" two concepts that have often been featured as part of the division between traditional and emerging leaders. At this point, I suspect Friesen would agree with my sentiment that proclamation or discourse is important, but I think I've made clear that I found his presentation leaning more in the other direction, and if his argument is to be strengthened a clearer and more robust articulation of the gospel is required. Secondly, I found that the overall idea--that networks define our life and are pivotal for the realization of the Kingdom--was not supported by consistently strong biblical and anecdotal support. Concerning the former, like many emerging leaders Friesen relies on narratives from the Bible to illuminate his argument. Most of these examples seemed supplemental, however, and not foundational for Friesen's account, and this is the root of my concern. Concerning the latter, Friesen does relay a number of stories about his family, about his experiences as a church planter, and his experiences as a professor at a seminary, and his stories do relate to his central thesis, but do not add much to his argument. Friesen's work here is interesting, though I wouldn't enthusiastically recommend it to friends and fellow church leaders. I picked up a few tidbits here and there (to cite one example, I enjoyed his insights from Martin Buber's I And Thou), but finished unsatisfied for the reasons given above. I would've liked to see more theological robustness, a clearer articulation of the gospel, and more practical and concrete examples of how his theory has been embodied by church leaders. Philosophically, the account was fine, engaging, and compelling. But to really draw me in, I need to see the theological import and warrant, and how these ideas move beyond our current reality to the transcendent. I think Friesen's goal is to help us see the Kingdom as an eschatological community of connectedness, but he has to take us from here to there, and in order to do so his account must evidence more from the story of Scripture and historical theology. The good news, of course, is that Friesen can do so. And if he doesn't take up the task, perhaps someone else will. If so, in the end the church will be better off for it, maybe even more connected.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very challenging and helpful book, December 28, 2009
This review is from: Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet, and Other Networks (mersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith) (Paperback)
Dwight Friesen makes a strong case that one of our greatest needs is the ability to "see relationally". Using powerful stories, metaphor, and examples from nature and science as well as from the emerging social networks on the internet, Dwight pulls back a veil and demonstrates a new way of viewing all of life. In a day and time when the phrase "paradigm shift" is becoming a cliché, this book fearlessly and compellingly shifts the reader's line of sight until new way of thinking does emerge (at least with this reader). I have been studying and learning about The King and His Kingdom for more than twenty years. It is a life pursuit, yet I think I have missed much of the relational nature of the emergence of His Kingdom in this world. Thanks to this book, I'm re-imagining a few things. I've been challenged to look at my role as a ministry leader in new ways. The chapter on leading connectively particularly helped me. In that chapter, Dwight says that it is critical that leaders learn to "reorient our Kingdom imagination through a networked lens". That is to see the God given potential in every relational encounter. That is an exciting way to live! Dwight's explanation of church as Christ Commons (Body) and Christ Cluster (Soul) was probably the best explanation of church, as it exists in the 21st century that I've ever heard. It is at the same time biblical, pragmatic, and yet provides a way forward as we evaluate the impact of the institutions of Christianity as a force for good in this world. The final chapter on spiritual formation was really the first effort I've seen to place spiritual formation into a networked context. While I felt that there could be some danger of minimizing the importance of individual commitment and effort in spiritual growth, the fact is that there are thousands of books that help with that and none (that I've read anyway) that demonstrate that spiritual formation is "weaving a tapestry of life enhancing connections". So, my recommendation: buy this book! If you don't have the money, sell something and then buy it.
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