Episode 5 Podcast

The fifth episode of Transcending Culture Radio is now available for listening by using the flash player at the top of the page or by
clicking here.

The main topic addressed in this episode is the rise of Emergent Church Movement. We talk specifically about the ideas set forth by Rob Bell in his book Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith. Special guest, Shawn Sammartano, who has studied this book discusses his findings. The podcast has now been extended from thirty to fifty minutes in order to cover this important issue in the church.

To ask Shawn any questions, you can email him at: shawn.e.sammartano@biola.edu

The Emergent Church

This blog and podcast has primarily been concerned with investigating the dilemma of proclaiming the gospel in a media driven society. When this site was launched last year, its focus turned toward the seeker-sensitive movement since the leaders of that movement pushed the introduction of media presentation within the church setting. Upon the wake up call of the seeker sensitive movement, we also see the torch of the Baby Boomer generation being passed to Generation X. Out of this generation, we are seeing the popularization and spread of the Emergent Church movement within the evangelical church.

What is the Emergent Church? It is a movement that also seeks to integrate media presentation, but it is a movement that is not easily explained since it is a phenomenon that is still arising. Yet to be concise, the Emergent movement claims to have the pure motive of aligning right practice with right belief. The problem is that the movement greatly downplays doctrine and even attacks it. Major proponents of this movement include Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, and Doug Pagitt. The Emergent Church is a topic that will be further explored as this blog and podcast continue. Its ideas and methods (specifically involving media) will be compared with the Biblical understanding of personal holiness and the proclamation of the gospel.