a generous orthodoxy

the small group that i meet with every wednesday (composed of 8 people) began reading a book this week. a book- how boring is that right? imean, every small group reads a book, does a study, talks about things that normally don't really show the inner thoughts and desires, hopes of the person reading the book. normally book studies are polite, easy, PR, correct and boring. every one agrees, nods politely, may go home and think, "so n so was so out in left field tonight, they are weird" or they may go home and not think about it at all. they showed up to a study, isn't that enough?

for many years now i have deeply desired a study/group that would open my heart, speak to my deepest desires, and bring forth that love and joy of life that i so desperately long for. but in this quest, i have basically forgotten my mind. what about the fundamental issues that make me a christian, or not one? how is my mind developing over the past years? what about the mental connection to christianity?

the book : a Generous orthodoxy by Brian McLaren. i've only read the first chapter and i am deeply and mentally involved. the cover of the book heralds the following chapters to explain, "why i am a missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetic, biblical, charismatic/contemplative, fundamentalist/calvinist, anabaptist/anglican, methodist, catholic, green, incarnational, depressed-yet-hopeful, emergent, unfinished christian".

this is intriguing enough. i feel that i am finally getting down to the bones of my religion. ami a fundamentalist? am i liberal? can i be both? am i conservative? i certainly was raised mostly so. yet, what gives me the biggest picture of christ? and modern daychristians- what about them. what are they exactly? am i one of them? do i actutally live out my religion? or is it just nice. hmmm.

somewhere in chapter one McLaren talks about an old friend telling him this, "Scratch the paint of a liberal, and you'll find an alienated fundamentalist underneath". perhaps this is what i identify with most.

you know how everyonce in a while ch ristians will get around to talking about why modern day miracles don't happen? here is McLaren's view point on that. i agree.
"while i believe that actual miralces ca and do happen(though i notice they sometimes create nearly as many problems as they solve, and so i see why they aren't given "on demand"), i am sympathetic wqith those who blieve otherwise, and i applaud their desire to live out the meaning of the miracle stories even when they don't believe the stories really happened as written. (i find it harder to be sympathetic with those who take pride in believing the miracles really happened but dont' seek to live out their meaning)."

i fall into that latter category- i believe these miracles literally took place, yet do not live my life as though their meaning was real.

needless to say, i am very excited about this book, about the food for thought it has already given me,a nd to see what else this man has to say. he is just a man, htis book is only his thoughts, not even exactly scrpture based. as with all chrsitian books you must look back to the source to fully examine your heart and mind- the bible. i would recommend ths book to anyone however- it will make you at the very least think about the way you live and why.