Is The Pope Emergent?

Pope Benedict XVI's released his message for the 41st World Day of Peace, to be celebrated Jan. 1, 2008, titled "The Human Family, a Community of Peace."

The Pope makes excellent points regarding the family and expands that to the global family of mankind. He states:

"The social community, if it is to live in peace, is also called to draw inspiration from the values on which the family community is based. This is as true for local communities as it is for national communities; it is also true for the international community itself, for the human family which dwells in that common house which is the earth...The family community, in order to prosper, needs the generous consent of all its members. This realization also needs to become a shared conviction on the part of all those called to form the common human family."

"...it is essential to "sense" that the earth is "our common home" and, in our stewardship and service to all, to choose the path of dialogue rather than the path of unilateral decisions. Further international agencies may need to be established in order to confront together the stewardship of this "home" of ours; more important, however, is the need for ever greater conviction about the need for responsible cooperation."

"...An essential condition for peace within individual families is that they should be built upon the solid foundation of shared spiritual and ethical values. Yet it must be added that the family experiences authentic peace when no one lacks what is needed..."

"A family lives in peace if all its members submit to a common standard: this is what prevents selfish individualism and brings individuals together, fostering their harmonious coexistence and giving direction to their work."

Now from emergent leader Scot McNight:

To be missional means to embrace a holistic gospel – it is for the whole person (heart, soul, mind, and strength), for the whole society (politics, economy, culture, environment), and for the whole world...

...the community emphasis is a community that seeks to blend with the local community into a harmonious effort to realize the ideals of the Kingdom of God.

...a local church community of faith incarnating the kingdom vision of Jesus in its local community for the good of the world.

From Red Letter Christian notable Tony Campolo

"...we want to unite Christians who are concerned about what is happening in America. We are evangelicals who are troubled by what is happening to poor people in America; who are disturbed over environmental policies that are contributing to global warming"

"...in the hour of suffering there is a commonality. And that's where we meet. It's in mystical spirituality and in communal mutuality that's where we come together... In a mystical relationship with God, there is a coming together of people where theology is left behind and in this spirituality they found a commonality... if we are looking for common ground, can we find it in mystical spirituality, even if we cannot theologically agree, Can we pray together in such a way that we connect with a God that transcends our theological differences?"

From the RLC website: "Our mission is to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world."

Read this piece from Kjos Ministries: Trading Truth for a "Social Gospel" and see the similarity in the Pope's address and the Emergent philospohy.

See also Common Ground: Conciliation with a Lie , The Universal Community of Hope? , Faith House: Campolo Approved , and related posts.