I think Brian hits the nail on the head with his comment about the rather pragmatic approach that the emergent crowd takes.

Having been a rather emergenty-type in the past, I can understand a desire to move away from deep biblical analysis in writing a relatively accesible book. Writing of that sort often smacks (rather loudly) of modernist thinking, particularly to people leaving the modern mindset. I can certainly recall reading something by McLaren (I think) and being annoyed at all the biblical talk and theology and him later rebutting my thoughts, saying ‘theology IS important…etc.’

Having thought the issues through a bit more, I can now see the value in the kind of biblical thinking that you’re asking for. That sort of deep thought and analysis IS important.

While, the Emergent cult of celebrity troubles me as much as it does you, I have to come to the defense of these folks, though. I very seriously doubt any of them HAVEN’T spent a lot of time thinking these issue through biblically. I’m guessing (definately guessing), that they’re purposefully leaving a lot of that information out to provide a substantially more accessible book, knowing that the majority of their readers would start skimming at first sight of biblical references.

That said, I agree with you—I’d like to see/read a book like this that DID take the biblical implications seriously and grappled with the accordingly. Not that I’ve read this book either, heheh.