This is an unfortunate book. At least the title is honest. Those who get to know Brian McLaren will certainly discover that he is a new kind of 'Christian': a Christian who undermines the authority of the Scripture; a Christian who dismisses propositional truth; a Christian who rejects what is orthodox for what is relevant; and a Christian who puts anthropology before theology. ( )

Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about the "Postmodern Era" and the "Emergent Church," so I appreciated the opportunity to find out more about both. I agree with a lot of what McLaren says and I particularly liked his statement, "In my thinking, church doesn't exist for the benefit of its members. It exists to equip its members for the benefit of the world. To do that it is about three things: community, spirituality, and mission--a kind of triangle, where each point is connected to the other two." Where I disagreed with McLaren were in his treatment of faith and historical Christianity. A good book to get readers thinking about their own beliefs. ( )

“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” This phrase quickly comes to mind as I reflect on A New Kind of Christian by Brian D. McLaren. The front jacket reads A TALE OF TWO FRIENDS ON A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. I proceed to translate TALE as a sweet little story. I see the image of TWO FRIENDS as a couple of nice Christian guys. I resonate with SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, thinking “Great! That is what I am on.” I see the Christianity Today Award of Merit seal, and presume that must mean something special and so, determine this will be a good book.
In a guide to Writing Book Reviews, a suggestion is to read the table of contents, noticing the way the chapter headings mesh. McLaren gave me nothing. Besides a couple of biblical references, I could not interpret anything in the chapter titles that connected one to the next or that revealed how this TALE would unfold. The place in which I did find telling insights before reading the actual chapters, came from the Notes. I found it interesting to see the books he referenced and whom McLaren thanked and why. The Notes hinted that this book was going to be more than a simple sweet little story. I was way off, this book is deeper and more intense than I had set my expectations up for.
McLaren used the method of this TALE to introduce the concept of a post-modern world and the relationship the church has to it. He rationalized that the church must match this change in the culture or get left behind and die. His theories have been applauded by some and called heresy by others, which Neo accepts and initially Dan fears.
My first reaction to the story was mind blowing. I resonated with so much of what Neo was trying so hard to communicate to Dan. I had many of the same thoughts and questions, but I would often say a prayer similar to Dan’s “God, help me, because I’m not sure where this thinking leads.” (page 23) I am still saying that prayer.
I connected to his interpretation of the cross and dream catcher. I have often felt that Christianity is “isolated from creation, narrow and fragmented rather than holistic and rigidly rational rather than open to the mystical.” (page 26) I remember hearing and agreeing with Erwin McManus when he talked about how he could not help but see the stories in the Bible as mystical. Just consider the talking bush, the talking donkey and talking angels, just to name a few. Seems that fundamental Christians label mystical as bad and saved for the “wrong” religions.
Neo questioned how if 150 years ago Christians allowed and supported slavery, based on scripture, what might Christians be allowing and supporting now, based on scripture, that we may later discover is wrong. This is a great question and one I hadn’t thought about, nor have I ever heard addressed, but asking that question makes so much sense to me. Would I dare ask the pastors in my church? Is there a clear, concise, evident answer that I may be missing?
“Our interpretations reveal less about God or the Bible than they do about ourselves. They reveal what we want to defend, what we want to attack, what we want to ignore, what we’re unwilling to question.” And what a revelation it is! I believe that it makes sense to use scripture to support our views and what we are teaching, that seems obvious. However, to limit God because of our agenda, wants or claim of ignorance…that seems like heresy.
One important reason that I am emotionally attached to this dialogue and the weight of its reality, is because I am married to a man who has asked many of the questions and made many of the comments in the book. I agree with Neo and “think what people really mean when they say they are against organized religion is that they’re against hypocritical religion, misguided religion, blind or unthinking religion, religion of rules and laws rather than love…whether it’s in Hindu garb or Buddhist or Christian.” In fact that is the exact position that my father held and it is the very belief that my husband has. One of my husband’s biggest hang-ups is the “Christianeese” language of “born-again” and “saved.” He has seen people walk the aisle, say the “prayer” and then never witnessed the transformation that I believe Christ calls us to make in our lives. While attending a fundamental evangelical church nearly every Sunday for three years, he felt people were trying to convert him, not have a relationship with him. If that was “people being Christ” to him, he didn’t want any part of it? He would see people repenting so they can stay out of hell and then never see them reaching out to others. In an article from Christianity Today, McLaren suggests instead of asking, “If you were to die tonight, do you know for certain that you would spend eternity with God in heaven” (we would hear this every Sunday) replace it with “How can we live life to the full so God’s will is done on earth as it is in Heaven?” My husband might connect with that question. Other questions I share with McLaren include, “why are so few of our good Christian people good Christians? Why are the most biblically knowledgeable so often so mean spirited?” I can just hear the fundamental response, “we are all sinners.” And I ask, yes, but where is the transformation? The effort?
I am heavily vested in this issue. The desire of my heart is for my husband to have a relationship with Christ, for my children to have a “new kind of Christian” father. I’ve had such a hard time imagining him being like most “churched” men I know. To imagine him as a new kind of Christian gives me hope again.
My questions are vast. I feel like I am on some sort of pilgrimage to an unknown, uncharted land. Why has God allowed me to experience and witness my father and now my husband having such disdain for “organized religion”? When they hear messages about shame and shortfalls, not grace and good news, why would they want anything to do with this? And what am I to do? As a submissive Christian wife and daughter, I will follow the direction of Timothy and not nag or preach. I will let my quiet spirit be a testimony. Does the responsibility to obey Christ and follow him lay only on my husband? Is the church responsible for ministering to him in a way he will respond? Is it all up to God to draw him near and change his heart?
Besides the questions around my husband, I wonder what my role is in the church. I wonder why in this town? Why has God placed me in such a conservative church where I am scared half to death to mention the word emergent or post-modern? Am I to be an agent of change for Christ? Am I here to learn what not to do in the next church? Could the younger leaders and pastors possibly be heading in the direction of the emergent church, preparing to reach out to the post-modern world? Is God putting me in place for such a time as that? Should I look for an emergent church? Does one even exist in here?
There is so much more… To briefly touch on my concerns with the book, I must say there were ideas and implications Neo made about scripture that caused me to fell a bit nervous. Maybe it is a hopeful nervous. Perhaps a doubtful nervous. The beliefs and paradigms planted in me run deep. Yet apparently not so deep, as I do find myself open to many of these new thoughts, but then those seem to be the thoughts and questions that have been on my heart all along.
Some days I would much rather stick my head in the sand and pretend there is no issue here. I would like to resist anything that feels like conflict, debate or argument. I want everyone to get along and agree. This path is showing me, challenging me to look at issues that may have eternal ramifications. My prayer is that God will show me what is next, what to do with these discoveries, how to best serve him with this knowledge and what to do about the lack of it. I have a feeling many more questions will come before the answers start showing up. ( )

What a great story, about a burned out pastor and an unexpected spiritual mentor. I have not read the two following books, but have heard great reviews. While many evangelicals are in opposition to McLaren's emergent church thoughts, it is regardless a well pieced together work. ( )

My first foray into emergent church theology. An excellent introduction. McLaren's explanation of postmodernism is particularly helpful. ( )