Tuesday, February 09, 2010

McLaren's New Book . . .

Brian's new book ("A New Kind of Christianity") has just been released today.  I'm very excited to read it!  I actually pre-ordered it MONTHS ago, and my order was shipped.  But I don't know when I'll get it, since Snowmageddon 2010 has blanketed Maryland with 30'' of snow, and another 8-24'' are due tonight!  (Seriously, God?  If I wanted this much snow, I would have moved to the Midwest - at least then I would have the company of Joe and C!)



Well, anyway . . . as I said, I'm excited to read this.  It's been a couple of years since I've had the pleasure of Brian's beautiful, evocative thoughts in a book (I last read "Everything Must Change" a couple of years ago).  He has been a controversial figure for years - some have even used the dreaded moniker "heretic" - but I probably would not be a Christian today if I hadn't read his "A New Kind of Christian" Trilogy.  They revolutionized - nay, salvaged - my faith.  Brian has this amazing way of casting Jesus and the Gospel in such a light that not only makes sense, but makes you go "Aha!  That's why it's called good news!"  And you really want to get on-board with it.

Brian tells me that this book will be his boldest yet.  For quite some time, he's been (intentionally) ambiguous about various things in order to foster meaningful, soulful conversation.  So I'm interested to see if he's more explicit in this work, or if he's simply found a novel way to get his audience steaming mad, or enraptured in the sweet mysteries of spirituality and the Way of Jesus.

Stay tuned for percolating thoughts, and perhaps even a review.  I've already got tons and tons of thoughts on Phyllis Tickle's "The Great Emergence" ruminating . . . perhaps Brian's thoughts will give some shape and shadow to what's churning.

4 comments:

Pomoprophet said...

Did you really say "nay"?

Thats alot of snow. Love that picture!

I look forward to your synopsis of the book so some of us don't have to go and buy it.

D.J. Free! said...

LOL! yeah, i said nay!

and it's WAY too much snow! we've done so much shoveling this week it's ridiculous!

Topher said...

I'd love to hear how you like the book as well. Perhaps it'll be the next book that Joe and I read to each other in extended car rides.

D.J. Free! said...

Topher, the book is pretty good so far (I'm only in the 3rd chapter). Most of what he's saying is sort of an overarching review of what he's expounded upon in his other books. My guess is that he's correlating some of this material to speak to much larger themes affecting Christianity today. I highly recommend it thus far!