A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, ... Emergent, Unfinished Christian (Emergent YS)

I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

A good read that said things I had been thinking myself... (2/2 people found this helpful)

As someone from an indigenous-Western-secular background, who over the past ten years converted to Christ, got 'churchised', then left the church and have now begun searching for God again this book by McLaren helps to put into perspective some of the ramblings and thoughts I have had about post-modernism, the Western church and how we as Christians might approach and live out our faith in Christ. While this book might not necessarily offer step-by-step how-to's to one's Christian faith (which is it's point!), it does provide thoughtful signposts from which each of us can direct and carve a pathway with Christ at the helm. A highly recommended book.

A rescue for alienated evanglicals (2/2 people found this helpful)

if, like me, you grew up in the evangelical wing of the church, but find yourself alienated by some of the tendencies you see in that part of the church today - condemnation, bigotry and judgmentalism, then this book might just help. When I read it, I found it so refreshing to find someone who wanted to map a way through for those of us who want to retain a passion for mission, a contemporary milieu for worship, but just can't take some of the theological narrowness. Ok, it's not systematic theology, and it's not a book full of neat answers, but that's part of the point.

Love It (5/6 people found this helpful)

Judging by the photo of him on the cover Brian McLaren would probably make a very good Santa. However, unlike our festive father McLaren seems to be a guy with as many enemies as friends. Whatever you might've heard about him good or bad I'd advise you to approach this book with a genuinely open mind. (wasn't it Frank Zappa who said 'A mind is like a parachute - it won't work if it's not open!')
It's fair to say that Generous Orthodoxy will most likely appeal to non-conformists - it begins with Chapter 0 which immediately appealed to the non-conformist in me (how shallow am I?). But seriously, right off the bat this book is full of superb insights for the contemporary Jesus follower. McLaren freely admits to being fairly unoriginal but quite good at collecting other people's thoughts, which is a fair self-assessment. For instance he cites Tom Wright, as follows:
"We best understand something not merely by critiquing, dissecting and doubting it, but by trusting, loving and respecting it. In fact, when critiquing and questioning come in the context of love, they yield even more insight than otherwise."
Take Tom's advice. From the moment you pick up this book make a decision that you're going to love it. If you do, I promise you will. The deeper you dig into this book the more you'll get out of it, don't just skim it, enjoy every word - and that includes the footnotes too!

keeping the faith (2/2 people found this helpful)

I really enjoyed this book, it has wit, faith, is thought provoking, intelligent and should be read by anyone who believes themselves to be Christian. It will be a book I will revisit and should be as central as Mere Christianity.

A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, ... Emergent, Unfinished Christian (Emergent YS)

Brian D. McLaren

Reader Reviews:

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy (0/1 people found this helpful)

A good read that said things I had been thinking myself... (2/2 people found this helpful)

A rescue for alienated evanglicals (2/2 people found this helpful)

Love It (5/6 people found this helpful)

keeping the faith (2/2 people found this helpful)

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