BRIAN McLAREN - A New Kind of Christian

I recently came across Brian McLaren's book 'A New Kind of Christian.' As one of  his characters explores his beliefs he writes....

God, as I write this sentence, I feel a chill of cowardice creep up my neck. I can't tell if I'm being insubordinate in exploring these thoughts or if I need the courage to go farther. I feel that I may be falling away from the faith. But then again, if I hold back from honestly pursuing the truth, wouldn't that be pulling away from you - even worse? If I let go of or loosen my grip on some of the things I've never before doubted, will I fall away from you? Or could I actually find myself falling into you?

The book is a series of discussions between 2 fictional characters about some of the limitations of the fundamentalist version of the Christian faith.  I was able to identify with the struggles that it represents and, while I may not agree with every answer it presents, it is a rare attempt to chart the journey away from fundamentalist thinking in an accessible story. Often I identify all too readily with the struggles portrayed....

I never know how to answer that born again question. Obviously in the way Jesus used the term, I would want to say yes. But to some people the question means 'Are you a judgemental, arrogant, narrow-minded, bigoted religious fanatic?'

And speaking of the place of other religions....

They aren't the enemy of the gospel, in my mind, any more than Christianity is the enemy - though of course, sometimes it is.

Speaking of sharing our experience of God with others.....

In a dance nobody wins and nobody loses. Both parties listen to the music and try to move with it. In this case I hear the music of the gospel and my friend doesn't, so I try to help him hear it and move with it. And like a dance I have to ask if the other person wants to participate. There's a term for pulling someone who doesn't want to dance into a dance: assault. But if you pull someone in who wants to learn, and if you are good with the music yourself, it can be a lot of fun!

He helpfully explores our attitude to the Bible, encouraging us to 'let it read us' and to read it as a pre-modern text, emerging from a people who believed the truth is best embodied in story and art and human flesh rather than abstraction or outline or moralism.

The book may cause some concern to any fundamentalists who read it but for those on the journey away from the fundamentalist view point it may well provide welcome encouragement that we are not alone.

John

For past reviews see the links below:

ANTHONY De MELLO: Awareness

ALAN JAMIESON: A churchless faith  

The Bible - what do we make of it: A PowerPoint presentation from John and Paul's seminar. NOTE: it takes several minutes to download.