Post-congregational narrative
Encyclopedia
Post-congregational narrative is a term used by some who describe themselves as followers of Christ (Christians) to refer to the experience of intentionally pursuing their faith outside the traditional congregational setting. The word "narrative" in this sense refers to their stories or journeys, both individually and collectively. Likewise, "congregational narrative" had become a term that many of these people had used to describe traditional church
life in their assertions that it wasn't necessarily the only way to follow Christ
.
Adherents believe they are no less intentional about following Christ and connecting to other Christians, and in many cases, have created other ways of connecting, sometimes functioning over long distances through the internet. Some of the good works of the traditional congregation are replicated in these more loose associations. Meetings, when they occur are more often impromptu. They also claim that personal relationships are the starting point of their connection to the church, rather than personal relationships being a product of a connection with a traditional congregation.
Historically, the church has been doubtful of the possibility of being a follower of Christ and not connecting to a community of believers. This begins with the biblical injunction "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing" (Hebrews 10:25). The Nicene Creed
, makes the statement "I believe in one, holy catholic, apostolic church." Cyprian of Carthage's well known phrase Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
and the thought "he cannot have God for his father who has not the church for his mother" both combine to make the same point. More recently Lesslie Newbigin
said "The New Testament knows nothing of a relationship with Christ which is purely mental and spiritual, unembodied in any of the structures of human relationship."
There is some overlap between people identifying with the post-congregational narrative and other movements, especially liberal Christianity
, the emerging church
, Post-evangelical
s and what gets loosely referred to as "post-modern" Christianity. Some shared areas of concern between these three groups are spiritual transformation, community, social justice and the environment. Many of these Christians have grown up in theologically conservative
evangelical
churches that were also politically conservative and have concluded that the former kind of conservatism does not necessarily require the latter.
Some authors who have struck a nerve in this community are Dallas Willard
, author of The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart; George Barna
, author of Revolution; Wayne Jacobsen
, co-author of So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore and Jim Wallis
, author of God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It.
Church Body
A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
life in their assertions that it wasn't necessarily the only way to follow Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.
Adherents believe they are no less intentional about following Christ and connecting to other Christians, and in many cases, have created other ways of connecting, sometimes functioning over long distances through the internet. Some of the good works of the traditional congregation are replicated in these more loose associations. Meetings, when they occur are more often impromptu. They also claim that personal relationships are the starting point of their connection to the church, rather than personal relationships being a product of a connection with a traditional congregation.
Historically, the church has been doubtful of the possibility of being a follower of Christ and not connecting to a community of believers. This begins with the biblical injunction "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing" (Hebrews 10:25). The Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
, makes the statement "I believe in one, holy catholic, apostolic church." Cyprian of Carthage's well known phrase Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
The Latin phrase Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus means: "Outside the Church there is no salvation". The most recent Catholic Catechism interpreted this to mean that "all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body."...
and the thought "he cannot have God for his father who has not the church for his mother" both combine to make the same point. More recently Lesslie Newbigin
Lesslie Newbigin
Bishop James Edward Lesslie Newbigin was a Church of Scotland missionary serving in the former Madras State , India, who became a Christian theologian and bishop involved in missiology, ecumenism, and the Gospel and Our Culture Movement.-Biography:Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Newbigin's schooling...
said "The New Testament knows nothing of a relationship with Christ which is purely mental and spiritual, unembodied in any of the structures of human relationship."
There is some overlap between people identifying with the post-congregational narrative and other movements, especially liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
, the emerging church
Emerging Church
The emerging church is a Christian movement of the late 20th and early 21st century that crosses a number of theological boundaries: participants can be described as evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, post-evangelical, anabaptist, adventist, liberal, post-liberal, reformed, charismatic,...
, Post-evangelical
Post-evangelical
Post-evangelicalism is a term used to describe former adherents of Evangelicalism. Post-evangelicalism is sometimes linked with the emerging church phenomenon, but includes a variety of people who have distanced themselves from mainstream evangelical Christianity for theological, political, or...
s and what gets loosely referred to as "post-modern" Christianity. Some shared areas of concern between these three groups are spiritual transformation, community, social justice and the environment. Many of these Christians have grown up in theologically conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
churches that were also politically conservative and have concluded that the former kind of conservatism does not necessarily require the latter.
Some authors who have struck a nerve in this community are Dallas Willard
Dallas Willard
Dallas Albert Willard is an American philosophy professor and author born in Buffalo, Missouri. His work in philosophy has been primarily in phenomenology, particularly the work of Edmund Husserl...
, author of The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart; George Barna
George Barna
George Barna is the founder of The Barna Group, a market research firm specializing in studying the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans, and the intersection of faith and culture...
, author of Revolution; Wayne Jacobsen
Wayne Jacobsen
Wayne Jacobsen is an American author, best known for He Loves Me!, a nonfiction book about the Love of God. He also collaborated on the writing of The Shack and helped create Windblown Media, the publishing company behind the phenomenon...
, co-author of So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore and Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis is an American evangelical Christian writer and political activist. He is best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, and of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian community of the same name....
, author of God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It.
Selected articles
- "Ten Myths About Church Leavers" by Alan Jamieson. Reality Magazine, Issue 32, Apr-May 1999. pp. 21–24
Selected publications
- Jamieson, Alan. A Churchless Faith. London: SPCK, 2002.
- Jamieson, Alan et al. Church Leavers: Faith Journeys Five Years On. London: SPCK, 2006.
- Colsen, Jake. So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore. Moorpark, CA: Lifestream Press, 2006.
External links
- Family Room Media (video resources)
- The God Journey (audio podcast)
- Letters from Leavers (a collection of anonymous letters from church leavers)
- LifeStream Ministries (articles & audio links)
- Churchless (blog)
- So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore (online e-book)
- Truth For Free (articles, links, multimedia)
- Life Gathering (blog with thoughts, reflections and views)