A Generous Orthodoxy Book

I found A Generous Orthodoxy thought-provoking. McLaren uses honesty and wit to portray hard things with gentleness. I especially enjoyed the following points:

The Seven Jesuses I Have Known - McLaren discusses in detail the different ways Jesus has been manifested in his life. In particular, I identified with the Conservative Protestant Jesus (since I grew up in a Southern Baptist church…); it was the first time I realized that the Jesus of my church life is not necessarily the Jesus of the rest of my life, and that the Jesus of the Bible is someone else entirely. I cannot decide if it is good or bad that they cannot be reconciled in my mind.

The Incarnational Mindset - McLaren says that it is part of our responsibility to Christ to know about the religious beliefs of the people around us, whether or not they are Christians. He encourages active participation in and discussion of friends' and neighbors' spiritual lives. In order to show the compassion of Christ, McLaren thinks, one must engage with them starting from where they are rather than hoping they will come to us.

This is a good book, especially for those who have struggled with leaving Christianity - or have left it already - because of shortcomings within the Church. You might not be convinced to stay (or come back), but you will definitely have a lot to think about.