A Generous Orthodoxy -- a Mid point review
I think I've read enough of Brian McLaren's Generous Orthodoxy, (Zondevan 2004), to give a sense of where I think he's going.
McLaren's "Generous Orthodoxy" is post-modern eclectisicm. Now some people might find this to be a negative, but I actually like this direction. Perhaps that's because I too am a bit of an eclectic thinker. My roots are in the Episcopal Church, but I spent nearly six years hanging around Foursquare Churches. I've been part of Presbyterian and Baptist churches, and I'm of course an ordained Disciples of Christ pastor. I expect that something from all these experiences has influenced my life and my thinking. Add to that the fact that I have two degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, which is the largest multi-denominational seminary in the world. Note that I used the word "multi-denominational" and not "non-denominational." Non-denominational is carries an anti-denominational connotation, and Fuller isn't anti-denominational, it just welcomes people from across the spectrum, though the tenor is evangelical Protestant.
I've finished chapter 9, which is entitled: "Why I Am Mystical/Poetic. I think that this chapter is quite revealing, because it gives a sense of McLaren's starting point. He admits, with almost a degree of pride, that he has no formal theological training. You can tell at points! Instead, his academic training is in Literature, and you can tell he's at home in this world. Though not to the degree that Marcus Borg adopts the metaphorical starting point, McLaren nonetheless finds the road forward going through poetry, mysticism, and metaphor.
Thinking of the challenges posed by defenders of Enlightenment rationalism, such as Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins, it's interesting that McLaren's emergent Christianity transcends rationalism and embraces mystery. Historical proof won't get the job done, some sense of experience of the divine is necessary. From G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, McLaren offers this intriguing statement:
My thoughts so far is that McLaren is an interesting conversation partner. As I read elsewhere, he is definitely a provocateur. He's not looking to provide all the answers, but he wants people, especially evangelicals, to rethink their faith professions. More will come as I digest the book.
McLaren's "Generous Orthodoxy" is post-modern eclectisicm. Now some people might find this to be a negative, but I actually like this direction. Perhaps that's because I too am a bit of an eclectic thinker. My roots are in the Episcopal Church, but I spent nearly six years hanging around Foursquare Churches. I've been part of Presbyterian and Baptist churches, and I'm of course an ordained Disciples of Christ pastor. I expect that something from all these experiences has influenced my life and my thinking. Add to that the fact that I have two degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, which is the largest multi-denominational seminary in the world. Note that I used the word "multi-denominational" and not "non-denominational." Non-denominational is carries an anti-denominational connotation, and Fuller isn't anti-denominational, it just welcomes people from across the spectrum, though the tenor is evangelical Protestant.
I've finished chapter 9, which is entitled: "Why I Am Mystical/Poetic. I think that this chapter is quite revealing, because it gives a sense of McLaren's starting point. He admits, with almost a degree of pride, that he has no formal theological training. You can tell at points! Instead, his academic training is in Literature, and you can tell he's at home in this world. Though not to the degree that Marcus Borg adopts the metaphorical starting point, McLaren nonetheless finds the road forward going through poetry, mysticism, and metaphor.
Thinking of the challenges posed by defenders of Enlightenment rationalism, such as Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins, it's interesting that McLaren's emergent Christianity transcends rationalism and embraces mystery. Historical proof won't get the job done, some sense of experience of the divine is necessary. From G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, McLaren offers this intriguing statement:
Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity
is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess players do.Poetry, Chesterton suggests, "is sane because it floats easily in an infinite sea; reason seeks to cross the infinite sea, and so make it finite. The result is mental exhaustion" (p. 165). In the discerning of theological propositions, there is also great mental exhaustion, because it seeks to reduce the mysteries of God to bite size morsels!
My thoughts so far is that McLaren is an interesting conversation partner. As I read elsewhere, he is definitely a provocateur. He's not looking to provide all the answers, but he wants people, especially evangelicals, to rethink their faith professions. More will come as I digest the book.
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