A Forlorn Hope?

Over at Mark Dever's 9Marks website there's a lot of discussion about things "emergent." At this page several theologians are asked, "What do you hope will ultimately emerge from the emerging church conversation for evangelicals?" D. A. Carson's answer included the following:

My most forlorn hope is that as this fad—for that is what it is—burns itself out, rising numbers of Christians will learn a great lesson, and resolve afresh to be passionate about Christ, about Christ crucified, about the gospel holistically considered, and not about fads. As a result, when new fads come along, we will learn from them what we should, while maintaining our allegiance to and excitement in the old rugged cross and him who hung upon it, was buried, and rose again for our justification, so that our reading and praying priorities, the kinds of conferences we attend and the colleagues we cherish and admire, the language we use and the heritage we seek to pass on to a new generation, are all shaped by eternal realities, and not by fads. Soli Deo gloria!

Yup, that's my hope, too. But I too would call it "forlorn" one. But time will tell.