What's Your Flavour?

So I've just done this test for the second time. And no surprise, I've ended up being Emergent/PostModern. What does surprise me, is that even though I've been involved in more Pentecostal/Charismatic experiences, it still doesn't rate very high on my theological experience table.

I think that the Church needs all types of Spirituality. I really believe that. So whilst this Emergent/Postmodern attitude states that "You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well", I don't entirely agree with that. I do feel alienated from many forms of Church, but that's not necessarily just the older forms. Actually, if I had my choice of going to a High Anglican church or a Pentecostal Charismatic church, I would choose the High Anglican church any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. I think in our desire to be "more modern, more trendy", we've actually lost a lot of the sacred traditions which ground us.

I actually think that a lot of the more modern churches have "missed the mark" in relation to what the modern culture needs or wants. Take my tradition for example - The Salvation Army has lost many of the traditions which have made us who we are today. Over the Red Shield weekend, I was given the opportunity to chat with many older people for whom The Salvation Army was incredibly significant. One couple recounted the days when they would follow The Salvation Army's band and timbrels through the streets of Richmond, back to the church, and end with a "pie floater" together in community. They told me they miss hearing the band, and questioned whether the timbrels still exist. I told them that they do, not in a lot of corps, but in a few around the traps. Their comment "That's a shame, it's the most distinctive thing about the Army, it's what we loved about them". But people tell me all the time, "oh but it's not relevant anymore!"... isn't it? Really? Why then is the first question any of my not-yet-christian friends ask me "Wow, the Salvos, do you wear a uniform? Do you play in the band? Do you play the tamborine?" when I tell them that yes I wear uniform, my dad plays in the band and I do play the Timbrel - they don't tease me - THEY LOVE IT! They ask more questions, they want to know more. Still in this day and age, people connect with us on that level. So why do we run from it? Why don't we do Open Air meetings anymore? Because some other tradition told us it was no longer relevant?

I guess what makes me "emergent/postmodern" is that I truly believe that being in relationship with people - from all walks of life - from all faith traditions is not something to shy away from, but something to embrace and use to enrich our own faith experience. It is through our relationships and our dialogue with people that we can truly connect with Christ in the now, in the today, in the moment.

Perhaps the most "Emergent" idea I have - is that if The Salvation Army is to truly walk in it's calling and anointing from God... it needs to go back and look at what we did really well pre-1980's, and try and regain some of that, yes in a modern setting, but to get back and do it!! It's time! I'm over trying to be like the other churches, we're not a church, we're a movement... so let's move!

So what's your flavour? What is your theological perspective? But more importantly - how can you use that to enrich The Salvation Army or your local church?

What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 75% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 71% Neo orthodox 64% Modern Liberal 54% Classical Liberal 43% Roman Catholic 36% Charismatic/Pentecostal 32% Reformed Evangelical 29% Fundamentalist 25%