Ok, so I have a class this semester called ‘Naming the Future: Integrative Project.’ This class is as close as my degree gets to writing a major thesis paper. Tonight I spent osme time struggling through what I want my thesis to center around. I first thought that I was attracted to network theory and how it informs the necessity for an ecumenical Church. But then, I also remembered that I really want to better understand the role of Power within the Church. Because, we all know that power is one of the many things that the Church does so well at abusing. So, I decided to expand on power. Below is my roughdraft of my thesis as well as how I got to it.

Playing the ‘So what’ game

Post-Christendom Christians (i.e. The Emergent Church) don’t know what to do with power – modern power has been deconstructed but post-modern power is yet to be reconstructed

So what?

Therefore the common expressions of power are experienced as violating at worst, and infringing at best

So what?

Post-Christendom Christians don’t look to their modern superiors as mentors – instead they look at them as men and women that have no idea what they are doing

So what?

Therefore post-Christendom Christians get incredibly cynical of their modern superiors and end up dismissing the entirety of the person because of a dislike for how they express their power

So what?

Therefore further division occurs within the Church

So what?

This division is experienced as Movements that are started in rebellion of the old power structures

So what?

These movements stagnate because nobody wants to step forward and ‘take charge’ for fear of being ostracized or labeled as a ‘power-monger’ or a ‘typical leader.’

So what?

Movements and Ideologies die

So what?

The progression that is necessary to keep the Church accessible dies along with the Movements and Ideologies and soon the Church is worse off then when the movement began because everybody is upset at everybody.

Another Tool to Get at a Thesis

Topic: I am studying…the inferior understanding of power in a post-Christendom society
Question: because I want to find out what/why/how…modern power structures along side the emerging post-modern power structures help inform the current state of both the traditional church and the emerging manifestations
Signifigance: in order to help my reader understand…how to use and transform the power structures that currently exist to better enable both manifestations of church

Rough Draft of Thesis
Although power in the modern Church has been abused and power in the emerging church is shunned I claim that without a deep understanding of the power structures that are present all around us the Church will not be able to fulfill its call to speak into culture Because the fear of power keeps people from causing movement, Because the fear of power serves to further divide the Church, Because the fear of power causes great confusion around how to have influence and authority within a context

If you have thoughts, or good references please let me know. I have to write a 35 page paper on an idea that I am ill-informed about what so want to understand better

peace

joel