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Brian McLaren – Navigating Through A New Kind of Christianity

ThinkFwd host Spencer Burke drives the streets of Santa Monica with author and activist Brian Mclaren, discussing Brian’s new book, A New Kind of Christianity. In it, Brian lays out 10 questions people seem to be wrestling with universally, which he has observed as he as criss-crossed the country.

Questions, says Brian, can lead you on a new quest, which leads you into conversation and can produce friendship along the way. This is in contrast to Statements, which can lead you to a new state but often cause debate and hatred along the way. To Brian, the conversation and the friendships are as important as the content; the journey as important as the destination.

Spencer notes that Brian’s voice really comes through in the book–his compassion, care and maturity. Brian agrees that these 10 questions are really the core questions of his own faith–what, to him, makes the biggest difference in his beliefs. The first one, says Brian, is “What’s the big story line of the Bible?”

Spencer suggests that the questions are not just theological, but deal with Brian’s other passions like social justice. Brian explains that in “Old Christianity” theology was about the after-life or one’s personal life, but really didn’t have much to say about social life or public life. After doing much speaking, and experiencing the discussion getting diverted over and over again from global crises into people’s personal, theological argurments, Brian saw the opportunity with this book. In it, he says, he had the chance to deal with theology in a way that reconnects us with the real mission of Christ.

Coming February 9, 2010 is the launch of the new Brian Mclaren channel on TheOOZE.tv. Each week will feature a 5 minute episode where Brian will focus on one of the 10 questions posed in his book. This resource can be used by individuals or study/reading groups as a promotion or thought-provoking primer for the next week’s study. Or, it can be a great lead-off for for group discussion of the book, chapter-by-chapter. Click here to find out more, and for your chance to have Brian Skype live into your study group.

Click here to learn more about Brian’s New Channel

Personal Reflections:

In the face of criticism, how can I be honest and caring, considering the “brittle” around me?
If I am happy and okay with where I am, how do I deal with others that feel excluded or left out of my style of Christianity?

Group or Staff Questions:

Does your group lean more towards questions or statements?
How do social justice, the environment, and theology work together? Are they divorced from each other?