Brian D. McLaren

Brian D. McLaren

Best-selling author and intellectual leader of “emerging church”

“On Faith” panelist Brian D. McLaren is a best-selling author, pastor and intellectual leader of “emerging church,” a Christian evangelical movement that seeks new ways to worship and understand the gospel in a postmodern era. He serves as a board chair for Sojourners/Call to Renewal, an evangelical social justice ministry, and is a founding member of Red Letter Christians, a network of progressive evangelical leaders who seek to apply Christian values to a broad agenda of concerns, including poverty, environmental care and advancing peace. McLaren, who is founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Maryland, has lectured widely in the United States and abroad. His topics include postmodern thought and culture, Biblical studies, evangelism, inter-religious dialogue, ecology, and social justice. His eight books include A New Kind of Christian, A Generous Orthodoxy, and The Secret Message of Jesus. In 2005, McLaren was named by TIME magazine as one of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals. Close.

Brian D. McLaren

Best-selling author and intellectual leader of “emerging church”

“On Faith” panelist Brian D. McLaren is a best-selling author, pastor and intellectual leader of “emerging church,” a Christian evangelical movement that seeks new ways to worship and understand the gospel in a postmodern era. more »

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November 14, 2006 6:30 PM

God's Greatness Defeats All Efforts to Monopolize Truth

This important question brings to mind some words from literary critic Stanley Fish, decades old now, I think.

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Posted by Brian D. McLaren | | Comments (36)




July 1, 2008 10:56 AM

Which God Don't You Believe In?

"According to a new Pew survey, 21% of American atheists believe in God or a universal spirit, 12% believe in heaven and 10% pray at least once a week. What do you make of this?"

I love this question and the reality to which it points, namely, that people are complex and perpetually surprising. What the finding about atheists suggests to me is something that I came across many times in my work as a pastor: when people call themselves atheists, they often mean not that they don't believe in any god at all as the term would indicate, but they don't believe in a particular version or description of God.

I think of a fellow who attended my church for several months and then told me how much he enjoyed my sermons. "I agree with everything you teach," he said, which surprised me since I was pretty sure my wife wouldn't say that! Then he quickly added, "Except for one thing ... I don't believe in God."

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