Generous Orthodoxy/McLaren

[MrJim]

I began this yesterday so I'll post some questions and comments as I go along. He sounds like many at CF--feet in several denoms but not standing alone in any particular one.

 

[MrJim]

McLaren speaks of "post/protestant" as moving beyond the things that separate the catholic/protestant divide in the church. I was with a mentor this morning and we talked about how the divide in the mennonite/catholic church took steps in healing the rift under JP2. Talked about steps taken between the mennonites & reformed church over the persecutions and that, hey--people realize that mistakes were made and people were wrong-are we going to act on the forgiveness and press forward or live in the past?

 

[Danfrey]

The problem I see with this type of movement is the watering down of doctrine. If you take a stand for the truth, you are bound to offend some. There are too many movements that would like to think that the path is wide and the gate is wider.

We should love those that don't follow Biblical doctrines, but far too often there is a push to accept the doctrines as another way.

 

[NeoMenno]

McLaren is refreshing, needed, incredible, and dangerous.

Imagine tearing down all the distinctions that the last 500 years have held. Imagine leveling the playing field. Imagine looking at how we have gotten and perceived "truth" instead of just clinging to what we have been convinced of. Imagine moving beyond modernism's restrictions.

I liked his New Kind of Christian trilogy and The Secret Message of Jesus better than.

 

[MrJim]

McLaren is refreshing, needed, incredible, and dangerous.

Imagine tearing down all the distinctions that the last 500 years have held. Imagine leveling the playing field. Imagine looking at how we have gotten and perceived "truth" instead of just clinging to what we have been convinced of. Imagine moving beyond modernism's restrictions.

I liked his New Kind of Christian trilogy and The Secret Message of Jesus better than.

Welcome neomenno

Secret Message is next after this one...which is taking a bit to digest for now.

 

[MrJim]

McLaren/Generous Orthodoxy/"Why I Am Incarnational" pg 297

"In this light, although I don't hope all Buddhists will become (cultural) Christians, I do hope all who feel so called will become Buddhist followers of Jesus; I believe they should be given that opportunity and invitation. I don't hope all Jews or Hindue will become members of the Christian religion. But I do hope all who feel so called will become Jewish or Hindu followers of Jesus.

"Ultimately, I hope that Jesus will save Buddhism, Islam, and every other religion, including the Christian religion, which often seems to need saving about as much as any other religion does. (In this context, I do wish all Christians would become followers of Jesus, but perhaps this is too much to ask. After all, I'm not doing such a hot job of it myself.)"

Just wondering...

 

[MrJim]

Done.

I thought a lot of what he said is the same stuff that's being said by many on these boards. That within all the traditions of the Church there is Christ-and yet even with all these different traditions there is something that is being missed, something that is more.

Something he said:

"...I suggested that Jesus didn't come to start another religion, which would include the Christian religion. I wasn't kiding. I do, in fact, believe that. That the Christian religion formed as it did is not surprising; it was no doubt necessary and in many ways good. And I know God is in it, and I am in it, too. But "the Christian religion" is neither the ultimate goal of Jesus not the ultimate goal of God, in my view. Rather, the goal of Jesus is the kingdom of God, which is the dream of God, the wish and hope and desire of God for creation--like a parent's hopes and dreams for a beloved child." [Generous Orthodoxy pg 303]

Saying that Jesus didn't come create another religion but the Kingdom of God...that is something to chew on. This was probably the most profound thing I read in here.

 

[Jehane]

I actually preached on that at Christmas last year. I was looking for what Jesus said about why he'd come & what his very first message was - 'Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.' I got the shock of my life. So many people quote John 3:16 I guess people don't see past that but like John Jesus actually issued a call to repentance. We do ourselves a disservice when we water down the gospel.