The Wisdom of Mr McLaren - Part Ten: The Final Word

Well, I must admit, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing this series, and it’s forced me to read the book far more thoroughly than I would have otherwise. Seems amazing that it was only a couple of weeks ago that I started blogging on this book. And there’s been lots to cogitate over - including a few things that I haven’t written about. So here’s my final verdict, I’ve split it up into the bits I like about McLaren’s “Generous Orthodoxy”, and the stumbling blocks for me that stop me from wanting to follow everything he’s said.

What I liked

The chapter on being missional was one of the most inspiring things I’ve read in recent memory. And the quote I inserted here was the epitome of what I think McLaren is right about. Because no matter how much it hurts our de-sensitised, consumeristic, self-absorbed western sensibilities (those are all the big words that I know); there is no way that you can earnestly read Jesus’ teachings in the bible and not believe that your lifestyle has to change. That your focus has to be on taking on Jesus’ way of life. It hurts, and it’s hard, but it’s such an exciting adventure. That’s what I see as missing in my life and the lives of those around me.

I found it impossible to read McLaren’s work without being deeply impressed by his ability to glean the fundamentals (small f) out of every branch of Christianity and find the goodness in their existence. He leaves no doubt that as a Vineyardian, which has a pretty deep evangelical history, and a little bit of charismatic excitement in it, there is much that the catholics, the anabaptists, even the liberals can teach me about who Jesus is, and what that should mean in my life. He has found the goodness in everyone, especially those who are his harshest critics, and he does so in a beautiful, almost poetic way.

And it is that poetic approach to expressing the love of Christ that has probably had the greatest impact on me. The excitement in the way he writes expresses itself with a beautiful flow that really does inspire soemthing in me. It’s helped me to step back from lots of the intellectual arguments and be willing to let the Spirit of God speak to my spirit when I’m praying, and for me to see the beauty of the creator in the beauty of creation. That is a gift that I hope to cherish for a long time to come.

What I had trouble with:

The biggest problem for me was the reluctance of McLaren to address the pursuit of truth. Because it seems to me that no matter how “generous” your orthodoxy is, that should still be the ultimate goal. To decipher just a little of the fullness of the truth in God’s word is something that is worth chasing after. I understand McLaren’s dillema. The problem for him in writing a book like this is that everyone believes that they have “The Truth”(tm). And in that sense he is smart to stay away from it. But nevertheless, the truth of who Christ is, what he came for and how we need to respond is something central to any Christian belief. Pretty much all of the problems that I had with McLaren’s individual statements had to do with this central theme.

So Finally….

The problem with any “generous orthodoxy” is that you are always going to be criticised for allowing too much in, and for keeping stuff out. Which is why this book was such a thinker. McLaren reaches his goal - providing a framework within which the Church can function - minus all of the inherited baggage that has dogged every species of Christianity since the dawn of Christendom. He strips away our ability to take pride in why we remain the “faithful remnant” (I love that term - it describes so much of the problem) and yet simultaneously he shows us the things that have made a positive Kingdom difference in the world. There’s going to be disaggreement, and nobody is likely to act entirely inside this orthodoxy, but it does give everyone a chance to learn from each other, and to put aside the petty in-fighting that is so often more passionate than our interest in furthering the kingdom. So…… let the revolution begin - starting here and now.