McLaren, Brian D. - A New Kind of Christianity

[Hans Deventer]

First, this is NOT part 1 of the trilogy, "A New Kind of Christian". With that out of the way, we're ready to review this book.

McLaren explains he started writing this book because at the "Everything Must Change" tour, he was confronted all the time with questions that did not relate to the topic, but other issues that had to do with how to read the Scriptures.

So in this book he delves into 10 questions:

1. What is the overarching story line of the Bible?
2. How should the Bible be understood?
3. Is God violent?
4. Who is Jesus and why is He important?
5. What is the Gospel?
6. What do we do about the Church?
7. Can we find a way to address human sexuality without fighting about it?
8. Can we find a better way of viewing the future?
9. How should followers of Jesus relate to people of other religions?
10. What do we do now? (How do we translate our quest into action?)

He's not really answering these but sketching directions for the answers. Interestingly enough, there's very little modern vs post modern talk anymore. McLaren now describes the Grecco-Roman and constitutional way of reading the Scriptures and tries to develop a new way in contrast to that paradigm.

Of course these are all done with broad strokes, but it does go to show that the way we read the Scriptures is such a determinative factor and can result in completely different outcomes. McLaren tries to go back to before the church married Greek thought and Roman power structures and legislation.

Is he successful? More in some areas than in others, but I don't think that is the main value of the book. If anything, it's a pretty good conversation starter. Is the way you've always read the Scriptures, the way that aligns with Jesus' message? Even that simple question may put everything in a new light.

As such, it is recommended. I don't necessarily agree with all the answers or all the directions he's pointing towards, but I do believe the questions are important.

[Jim Chabot]

His questions are indeed thought provoking, and it appears that they are geared to provoke thought towards obedience to God's will and purposes.

Except for questions 3 and 7, they appear as distracting, at least to me they do.

On question 3 I would answer that God is indeed violent, if viewed from our perspective. I'm sure that things look quite different from God's side of things and I'm willing to trust him. I can't for the life of me see the importance of the question though.

I can't really comment on question 7 without reading the book. The distraction comes in with me wondering where the significance of this question lies.

I am sure glad to hear that perhaps this whole post modern/modern thing may be passing away. It's just a rehash of what we called a "generation gap", I would guess that perhaps some of the older folks would remember a different name for this back when they were young.

If this is where you found the image of the upturned book, I would say bravo for that image!

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not about to read McLaren, he doesn't speak my language. Thanks for the review though, I did like the thought process evoked by his questions.

[Hans Deventer]

On question 3 I would answer that God is indeed violent, if viewed from our perspective. I'm sure that things look quite different from God's side of things and I'm willing to trust him. I can't for the life of me see the importance of the question though.

It's not really my question either, Jim, but I understand a lot of folks have a problem with the idea. So I understand why he feels he needs to address it.

I can't really comment on question 7 without reading the book. The distraction comes in with me wondering where the significance of this question lies.

Perhaps because it's tearing churches apart?

If this is where you found the image of the upturned book, I would say bravo for that image!

Yes I did.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not about to read McLaren, he doesn't speak my language. Thanks for the review though, I did like the thought process evoked by his questions.

You're welcome!