The New Christians

Tony Jones

What is the "emergent church movement" all about and why does it matter to the future of Christianity? Following on the questions raised by Brian McLaren and others about faith in a postmodern age, Tony Jones has written an engaging exploration of the emergent church movement that points the way toward a new kind of Christianity.

Through story and "dispatches" about the many adventurous communities and practices of emergent Christians around the world, Tony Jones offers an in-depth view of this new "third way" of faith between religious conservatism and religious liberalism. Jones examines its origins; its values; its theology; its views of truth, scripture, and interpretation; and the movement's hopeful and life-giving sense of community. With the depth of theological expertise and broad perspective he has gained as a pastor, writer, theologian, and leader of the movement, Jones initiates readers into the emergent conversation and offers a new way forward for all Christians. Written with a journalist's flair and a participant's studied reflection, this fascinating book draws upon years of research to provide compelling examples and first-hand stories of who is doing what, where, and why it matters.

"No one is better placed than Tony Jones to offer an insider's view of the emergent conversation in the United States. His clear and engaging writing style, his wide-ranging and incisive mind, and his extensive personal involvement make him the ideal person to tell his story and invite others to be part of it. The New Christians is instructive, inspiring, enjoyable, and a milestone in the development of this important young phenomenon."

Brian McLaren, author and speaker

"The New Christians shows how the influence of Jesus of Nazareth is moving among a new generation hungry for something real and desperate to move beyond simplistic polarities inherited from the past. Tony Jones stands at the crossroads of theology, philosophy, and culture, tackling the issues facing this 'emergent' generation with the depth, humility, and grace, only a sojourner intimately familiar with the journey could provide."

Jim Wallis, author, God's Politics; president, Sojourners/Call to Renewal

"This is the book to read to get the actual insider's view of all things emergent."

Dan Kimball, author, They Like Jesus But Not the Church

"I devoured this book! Just as A New Kind of Christian gave words to the experiences and thoughts of so many early in this decade, The New Christians provides language, theology, and a nudge toward a path out of our bi-polar morass of left vs. right, liberal vs. conservative, mainline vs. evangelical. It cuts sideways across all the rhetoric, entrenchment, and warfare-positioning of modern-day Christianity. I'm confident Tony's book will provide definition for many, helpful disequilibrium for others, and-best of all-new hope for those who cannot (or refuse to) continue trudging numbly along the cattle paths of the American church."

Mark Oestreicher, president, Youth Specialties

"In the tradition of all great apologists, Jones has written both a reasoned explication and a deeply personal explanation of emergent Christianity. Every thinking Christian should read this book either for the explication or the explanation. Wise ones will read it for both."