BOOK REVIEW: Surfing the Edge of Chaos · May 23, 09:39 AM

How do we know that the old Newtonian model is giving way to the natural one? Two reasons. The marketplace leaves no choice, and the natural model is closer to the way we as humans really function (Pascale, Millemann and Gioja:14).

Many would say that the American church world is facing an adaptive situation today. Others would probably concur with a stronger word like “the edge of chaos.” How do we adapt? Do we change nothing and just keep doing what we have been doing? It was Albert Einstein who defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Some are advocating radical change while others believe that the answer requires a return to the historical legacy of the church, creeds and liturgy. Even in the radical change camp, there are a dozen different kinds of change from structure (house churches), style (pomo), politics and theology (emerging), and DNA and living systems (Hirsch and Cole). There are those who are reacting to the reactors and retreating into a sort of anti-emerging simplistic “I love Jesus” fundamentalism. Sounds like chaos to me!

To conclude this review of Surfing the Edge of Chaos: “living systems isn’t a metaphor. It is the way it is” (Pascale, Millemann and Gioja:15).

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW at: http://c-far.blogspot.com/

Pascale, Richard T., Mark Millemann, and Linda Gioja. Surfing The Edge of Chaos: The Laws of Nature and the Laws of Business. New York: Random House, Inc., 2000.

Ibidem KW: future; living systems; chaos; business; complexity; church renewal

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    — Johnthemusician · May 23, 10:08 PM · #

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