Pros: Stirs up the necessary religiousity pot for valuable discourse.
Cons: Leaves too many "how" questions--but more books are available to fill in the gap.
The Bottom Line: An unbelieving friend read this and said he would reconsider Christianity if more Believers thought like this. Begin this challenge, yourself!
lisandrea's Full Review: Brian D. McLaren - A New Kind of Christian: A Tale...
Dear friends of mine made life-changes after reading this and other McLaren books, so I had to give it a go myself. It took little time to get from front to back cover, as the writing is smooth and the dialogue is very natural.
Here's the concept--a seasoned Christian pastor is suffering grand enough disillusionment with the church that he is on the cusp of quitting his profession to seek other employment. Maybe teaching will fit the bill for him. But how can he know whether such a bold and risky move will bring only more dissatisfaction to his family's life? He wisely chooses to interview one of his daughter's favorite teachers (also her soccer coach) to uncover the reality of teaching for himself. Would he be challenged, would he fit into the environment, would he have something to contribute, would he still honor the gifts and talents he has for leading others? What are the pitfalls?
He chooses the famously popular "Mr. Chips" of today. Dr. Neo is well-read, articulate, humorous, loving, caring, unconventional...and fascinating! He also happens to be, we discover, a former Episcopal minister.
So begins a dialogue between these two middle-aged men who see a problem with today's contemporary way of "doing church." And, there is a very real problem which many of today's Christ-followers are feeling in much the same way as our protagonist in this fictional revelation.
I am one who has been struggling between the way Church leads my faith expression, and the way my soul leads my desire to worship. Which elements of today's Christianity are "authentic?" This is the buzzword that challenges Modern Christianity--a practice that Neo describes as old-hat. We are in a Post-Modern world--a Post-Christian America--and the way we've been building mega churches and appealing to "unbelievers" will not continue to work. The church is out of touch with contemporary society's issues, and is missing the "point" in many ways. Neo challenges his colleague and the reader to consider the liberal Christian's viewpoint on some issues, and the conservative Christian's view on others...in fact, shatter the whole paradigm!
If you are feeling unsettled in your own faith walk, and are disillusioned in your church-search, I think this book is a healthy entry into an important discussion. I do not agree with all the issues laid out before me in this book--but that's the point, isn't it? To just begin discussing the problem. McLaren doesn't stop here, so I am going to investigate his other books, and of course the "movement" that is arising from his work: "The Emergent" or "Emerging" Church. It is rising as a fellowship of Christ-followers who want to return to some of the rich traditions that many new church planters are throwing out with the bath water. Holiness, reverence, genuine Love.
Step One: Admit there is a problem
Step Two: Admit you are powerless over the mainstream affect Church and Christianity is having on the general opinion of Christ
Step Three: Decide to make your life one Light on the path of directional change that is necessary in creating AUTHENTIC and GENUINE faith
Step Four: Read This Book
Step Five: ??? I guess it is to find a community of other like-minded Christ followers and stop being what is simply expected by Man. Look to God's best example of the footsteps He wanted us to follow: Jesus Christ.
Step Six: Share this book with others!
Please understand, Christianity as a belief-system is not challenged. McLaren, and those who are agreeing with his perceptions, is not undermining any of the tenants of the Christian faith. He is, instead, rocking the boat that is our expression of that faith. He is rightly critical of many Christian presentations, and encourages Believers to consider, not assume. For me, as a 30-something, I have seen the "new" ways of presenting worship and fellowship, where evangelism is the primary goal, and I have seen the "old" ways of religious expression where words have lost meaning in their repetitive annual delivery. Neither gives me satisfaction, and yet I still want to serve Christ. So...where? How?
A successful pastor has found that neither the conservative evangelical nor the liberal mainline stream of Christianity describes his own developing f...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.