Podcast: Brian McLaren, author, and advocate for a new kind of Christianity
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What is brewing in U.S. Christianity? Brian McLaren discusses how we can embrace spiritual doubt to reach higher levels of transcendence and inclusion.
Is there a Christian civil war going on? This week, Rabbi Rami speaks with author, speaker, activist, and public theologian, Brian D. McLaren. McLaren is a leading voice advocating for a new kind of Christianity. He was featured in Spirituality and Health’s January/February 2021 issue as one of the seven trailblazers who are helping define the future of spirituality.
What is happening to American Christianity, McLaren explains, has three factors. One is the rise of the right-wing Christian nationalism faction, which is getting more dangerous and radicalized. It is losing numbers of followers, but also gaining power in politics. At the same time, those on what you might term the religious left are becoming more confident to say, “Hey, we are not for that and offer an alternative take on Christianity.” Then in the middle, McLaren says, are a bunch of churches who need to stand against the resurgence of right-wing Christian racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and Islamaphobia–or risk being sucked into it.
He and Rabbi Rami discuss McLaren’s newest book, Faith After Doubt, and the stages of understanding belief, duality, complexity, and navigating a spiritual life.
Listen to the podcast for more of this timely and inspiring conversation.
Read more about Brian McLaren and his work on his website. Keep an eye out for his next release, Do I Stay Christian?, which will be available Spring 2022.
Keep reading: Kathryn Drury Wagner interviews Brian McLaren in “Calling for a New Kind of Christianity.”
