e~mergent kiwi

Graduation special

On Saturday I graduated Doctor of Philosophy. In celebration, I am offering a limited edition A5 size copy of my PhD, A New Way of Being Church.

How do religious groups respond to cultural change? Recent global events have seen a hardening along fundamentalist lines.

A New Way of Being Church is a world first, an indepth academic exploration of how the emerging church responds to cultural change. It asks the question; how effective is the emerging church as a postmodern expression of faith? It takes one particular church, the innovative Cityside Baptist Church in New Zealand. It surveys 48 members and discusses three months of worship innovation. It deeply engages with themes of community, creativity and culture, in dialogue with the gospel and with postmodern thinkers. It draws on interviews and visits with 13 alt.worship communities in UK.

The thesis argues that in response to contemporary cultural change, people are, in the words of French philosopher Michel de Certeau, "making do," engaging in transformative processes to creatively subvert their surrounding context.

Three processes of "making do" were evident. Firstly, the use of a communitarian hermeneutic in which individual meaning was located within the narrative of the community. Secondly, the offering of imaginative space - both individual and communal - through practices of creative play, storytelling and creative pilgrimage. Thirdly, like a DJ, "tactics" of sampling from various cultural artefacts were used in order to renegotiate their relationship with gospel and culture.

Note: $NZ25 to cover printing costs plus P&P. (P&P approximately from NZ to USA or UK = $NZ20; From NZ to Australia = $NZ10, within NZ = $3.50)

Note: This offer lasts until the 24 September and the thesis will be sent at the end of September or on receipt of payment, whichever is the latest.

Note: Usual copyright applies.

Note: This offer assumes that the purchaser recognises that a PhD is a PhD, written for a select intellectual audience. A PhD is a demanding read and it bears little resemblance to my forthcoming book (due out February 05 with emergent YS).

Update: Credit card options for payment are now available.

Drop me your details if interested.

Feel free to use the accompanying graphic to advertise this on your blog.
img alt="thesis with title.jpg" src="http://www.emergentkiwi.org.nz/archives/images/thesis with title.jpg" width="259" height="72" border="0" /