Anyone Read Brian McClaren's Book 'Everything Must Change'? Your Thoughts?

[J Fowler]

I'm reading Brian McClaren's book 'Everything Must Change' and am wondering what thoughts you guys have about the book. I'm not done with it, but it is really challenging me to reconsider how I live out and understand my faith in light of this whole 'empire' concept.

Thoughts about the book?

[Mom of three]

I'm reading it right now too...about a third through. I'm intrigued by the idea of a framing story. I've also been reading McLaren's blog. He has some interesting comments about the framing stories of McCain vs. Obama.

[J Fowler]

I'm almost through with the book now and I am encouraged...but also disturbed. I feel that Brian McLaren's perspective on Scripture is both refreshing and shocking. I love his emphasis in the book on our involvement, as followers of JESUS, with the hurting and dysfunctional world around us. I am also disturbed by what I perceive as a gospel of idealism that seems presented throughout. It's as if the author reduces the gospel of the Kingdom down to a social critique of American society with JESUS as the political and cultural reformer.

I'm not done reading yet, and as I said, it is a very profound book with much I agree with...I just wonder if the author's framing story is distorting a more full view of the gospel- can't we have a gospel that speaks both to injustice in the world today and to Mankind's longing for eternal redemption. I feel like he's saying it's 'either or'.

Am I reading this wrong?

[Mark Van Steenwyk]

I think you're reading that correctly...though I'm not sure that Brian is trying to give a comprehensive view of the Gospel.

My big critique--and it is a critique that is offered by many--is that his book is surprisingly non-ecclesial. In other words, he says "everything must change" but doesn't really talk much about how the Body of Christ is supposed to be the change agent. Rather, it reads like a book written to individual Christians.

Another critique is that the book doesn't have enough of a focus on how everything has already changed in Christ. To me, much of what makes my faith exciting is that I am living into an existing reality called the Kingdom of God. Sure, it is still working its way out into the rest of creation, but there is a sense in which "everything has already changed." I would have liked to hear more about that as a helpful contrast point.

[J Fowler]

Mark, thank you. You hit the nail on the head. You just summed up why I feel so baffled by this book. Brian McClaren in my opinion is both brilliant and heretical. This book is that way for me personally. I felt like the LORD wanted me to read this and now I understand it's purpose is to sharpen my own thoughts about these issues.

Chew up the meat and spit out the bones I guess. Many authors are that way for me.

By the way, I love this group. Thanks for starting Common Root.
-shalom!

[Dawn]

I have to say that I've read pretty much all of Brian McClaren's books and have heard him speak twice. His books are interesting, but after a while I don't really find them that memorable (except for New Kind of Christian). I find, like you, they challenge me to try to think of things differently. Plus they offered a bit of hope - I had feelings and frustrations and through his works found that I was not the only one. He can be a bit frustrating because of his both/and either/or stance and not wanting to tell you how to do something, but wanting you to figure it out in your own way and context. Still working on that last part. ;-)

[Mark Van Steenwyk]

You're welcome. :)

I wouldn't call him "heretical"...but I do have my disagreements.

[J Fowler]

Yeah, I guess 'heretical' is a bit strong.

I strongly agree with many things he says, and strongly disagree with some other things he says.

I do see Brian McClaren as a reformer though.

[J Fowler]

Dawn, what is the premise of his book 'A New Kind of Christian'? Can you sum up the general message for me? I'm thinking about reading that one too. Thanks!

[Dawn]

It's the first book in a trilogy ("The Story We Find Ourselves In", and "The Last Word and the One After That"). It's been called a narrative non-fiction. It's about a pastor who discovers that there is more to God, Jesus, and the church, when he begins to have discussions with his daughter's teacher. It's mainly deals with modernity and postmodernity.

It's been a few years since I read it. I think I'm going to reread it again soon.

[J Fowler]

Sounds good. I'll have to read the trilogy. Thanks!

[Scott Peterson]

The discussion on this post has been great. I loved McLaren's book, A Generous Orthodoxy, because of the prophetic and uniting tones throughout. However, I feel McLaren and other leaders in the "emerging church" movement are leaving behind the ideas of postmodernity, postliberal, and postconservative that they began with. The ideas of "empire" in this book are pretty good, but McLaren also seems to be reaching back to the liberal Christianity of the 20th century. There seems to be a great deal of emphasis on having faith in the fallen powers of this world instead of Jesus. While we should always stand against injustice, we live unchained by the powers of this world in communities that should not seek so much to force a Christian ethic on those around us but to be examples that there is better way to be human. We really should be perceived as peculiar because we live counter to the systems of this world. Maybe there is just too much "evangelical" in me, but I still believe that in bringing the Kingdom of God to earth we should be telling people of the freedom that Jesus offers.

[J Fowler]

Scott, I am not thoroughly acquainted with Brian McLaren's books but have found what little I have encountered has been very thought provoking. I agree, I don't think we can bring GOD's kingdom by reforming secular institutions or even by attempting to reform the culture at large. I do however agree with Brian M's main point in 'Everything Must Change' that our faith should lead us toward a broader view of salvation - a view that energizes us to take our place as agents of GOD's redemptive change in the earth. How this is done, is the great debate.

As far as the whole Emergent movement goes, I find myself much more drawn to the stream of thought and practice that is emerging here on CommonRoot. One day, though, all the streams of the church will run as one river...good thing GOD is in charge of that one.