Borg, The Heart of Christianity, and Judo We're readin Marcus Borg's The Heart of Christianity in a book group and after reading the first two chapters, I suspect Borg is writing a book on "emerging paradigm apologetics." I'm not sure I agree with his terms "earlier" and "emergent" paradigms to describe what I usually call "conservative" or "progressive" Christianity, but I'm glad someone is making the move to get away from terms that have been politically charged and really only serve to polarize us and prevent dialogue.
I did note that he discusses some aspects of both paradigms and they have 'hard forms' and 'soft forms'. Then he discusses four ways in which faith is discussed historically, with four different meanings of faith.
I think Borg is trying to help progressives build a common vocabulary with conservatives, then use this new common language to show that progressives are still just as faithful, just as loyal, and just as good as conservatives. It's like a form of Judo, use the conservatives great stubbornness and certainty against them to foce them to agree that even if you support gay marriage, think women aren't slaves, and support the ordination of women, you are also saved.  ¶ 8:10 AM