Not sure I can do this!

Just had a bit of a panic - what do I know about anything? what makes me think I can write about this topic - it's as slippery as trying to catch soap in a bath - on an ice-rink. As soon as I think I've got somewhere and pinned something down, I realise I'm completely wrong. Aarrggh.

Ok, Ok Louise. Look at the nice pink friendly letters that say 'Don't Panic'. Go back down to the library and immerse yourself in the accumulated wisdom of all those dusty books - you'll be fine.

Got to get down to real work now.

My proposal was accepted, signed in triplicate and copies sent off to various files in different offices in dusty corners of the college. I guess this is so that if I decide to pull a fast one (No, I didn't really agree to write 10,000 words on alt. worship!) then several people can prove I was wrong and demand a wad of double spaced paper from me.

10,000 words might not sound much to seasoned academics or anyone who's ever written a book (which seems to be most people in ministry these days) but I've never taken on so large a project. I know from terrible experience that I can write a 3,500 word essay in a day - but that doesn't mean that I should spend three days on writing up this thesis. General advice from lecturers etc. is to get on with it. now. So I shall.

I can make a start by updating the links on this site to include more alt. worshippy things. It's not much but it is a start.

Indecent Proposal

Well ... Ok, perhaps 'indecent' is a bit strong. But after a long talk with someone more learned than I, I am making changes to the proposal I posted. I can't possibly cover the whole spectrum of ecclesiology and how it applies to emerging church, so I am going to look at the worship aspect alone. I know it doesn't cover all emerging worship, but I think I'll look at the alt.worship scene.

So I've got to think of a new title, description and to revise that booklist a bit.

Title:
Alternative Worship in the Emerging Church

Outline of Subject Matter:
An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the alternative model of congregational worship as practised by emerging church communities. This analysis will include a theological evaluation of the culturally driven aspects of alternative worship.

Outline of Research Method:
Investigation of the current understanding of alternative worship by its practitioners, acknowledgement of the cultural climate which has shaped alternative worship and gaining understanding of the theology and history of worship in order to provide a standard against which to measure the validity of alternative worship.

Preliminary Bibliography

(need to work this out yet!)


Ok, that sounds a little more manageable. Well, as long as I don't need to write a complete theology of worship in the process.

Dissertation Proposal

This week I must submit a complete dissertation proposal. I have a title, even if I'm not 100% convinced that it is a narrow enough focus for a big topic. I think it is narrow enough to rule out the most common ground I will come across.

Here's my proposition:

Title:
A reflection on the practice of the emerging church

Outline of Subject Matter:
A theological and biblical reflection on the current practice, ethos, community and worship of those expressions of church that are loosely grouped under the banner of 'emerging church'.

Outline of Research Method:
Primarily books written by leaders of emergent thought but also to partake in the worldwide community discussion as it takes place over the internet, through emerging church websites and blogs of some emerging church leaders and theologians.

Preliminary Bibliography
Gibbs, Eddie and Ian Coffey. Church Next: Quantum Changes in Christian Ministry. Inter-Varsity Press. 2001.
Ward, Pete. Liquid Church. Paternoster. 2002.
Kimball, Dan. Emerging Church, The: Vintage Christianity for New Generations. Zondervan. 2003.
McLaren, Brian D. The Church on the Other Side: Doing Ministry in the Postmodern Matrix. Zondervan. 2000.
Williams, Rowan et al. Mission-Shaped Church. Church House. 2004.
Sweet, Leonard et al. The Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives. Zondervan. 2003.
Brewin, Kester. The Complex Christ: Signs of Emergence in the Urban Church. SPCK. 2004.
Jamieson, Alan. A Churchless Faith. SPCK. 2002.