Why We’re Not Emergent (by two guys who should be) by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck.  Moody, 2008.

This book argues that “you can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, reared in evangelicalism and not be an emergent Christian. In fact…it would be better if you weren’t.”

Here are some reviews:-

Vintage Faith.  Dan Kimball, one of the ‘leaders’ of the EC ‘movement’ is not unappreciative.  His piece is not actually a review, but a reflection on the need for each ‘side’ of the debate to be open to constructive criticism from the other.  He’s right, of course, although he does ramble a bit.

I would love to link to a responsible critical review of Why We’re Not Emergent.  There nearest I’ve found so far is this one, which finds the book ‘sometimes brilliant, sometimes overstated’.

What I did find, on The Ooze, was this irresponsible review.  Irresponsible?  Yes: the reviewer insists on accusing DeYoung and Kluck of ‘lovelessness’, but without a shred of evidence apart from the fact that they are somewhat critical of the movement he so obviously admires.  He doesn’t seem to think that one person has the right to critique the views of another unless he knows him personally.  So why did he write such a review, not knowing the authors personally?  In fact, Dan Kimball (see above) says that he has been communication with Kevin DeYoung and found him to be utterly gracious.  Do read the review, however, as a great example of how not to review a book.  And also read the comments that have been posted after the review, which gently but very effectively point out the defects in the review.

Now for a sample  of broadly positive reviews:-

Here’s another review on The Ooze – contains a useful overview

Tim Challies – brief summary and recommendation

Kingdom People – Trevin Wax is enthusiastic.

Sam Storms, in Banner of Truth Magazine.  In-depth and enthusiastic.  This is the review that made me go out and get the book.

Bill Muehlenberg.  Another enthusiastic review.

Jonathan Leeman at 9 Marks.  An in-depth commendation.

Here’s a review by Travis K. McSherley, of BreakPoint, who has also done a Q & A with the authors.