The Earlier vs Emerging Paradigm of Christianity

Last week, we compared the bad news vs. good news version of the Christian message. If you missed that article, you can read it at the link below.

Are You Living in the Bad News or Good News Version of the Christian Message?

This week, we’ll take a trip to understand the paradigms behind the bad and good news versions of the Christian message. The names of Earlier and Emerging paradigms were not given by myself but by the late New Testament Scholar Marcus Borg in his book The Heart of Christianity.

It’s important to note that the Earlier and Emerging paradigms we’ll discuss have a rich history. However, the earlier paradigm has been the majority view in American Christianity over the last century.

Furthermore, the difference between these two paradigms is not a matter of a handful of doctrinal differences; instead, they are two comprehensive ways of understanding Christianity as a whole.

The Earlier Paradigm

If you grew up in America or were initially introduced to Christianity through American influences (evangelistic crusade, church, missionary work, etc.), you were most likely introduced to the earlier paradigm. At the core of the Earlier Paradigm are four features of the Christian life .