Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope [Hardcover]

While some of the lengthier reviews found below will perhaps do a more thorough job of summarizing the content of Brian McLaren's latest book "Everything Must Change," my intent is to offer a few of the insights and impressions of someone who has experienced both sides of the conservative/emergent debate and has the scars to prove it.

As a pastor and philosophy professor I have encountered my share of anti-Christian or heretical ideas. I have studied Nietzche, wrestled with Darwin, and most recently read and re-read the latest anti-theistic polemics from Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion), Christopher Hitchens (God is Not Great), and Sam Harris (The End of Faith).

All of these writers and thinkers have elaborated on a host of ideas that call into question everything that even the most nominal Christian could hold dear. Their effectiveness is for another review, although I can say for myself that despite their prodigious gifts I am left unconvinced that God is dead, destructive, or a delusion.

I preface my comments with these references to truly anti-Christian thinkers as a ways of putting into context what Brian McLaren seems to mean when he says that "everything must change." Despite the hyperbole and swooning pyrotechnics of those who have branded McLaren to be a sort of postmodern Pied Piper who is leading the next generation off the cliff of heresy, the actual book and writer behind it say nothing of the sort. Not even close.

While all of Brian's theological conclusions might not jive with your own, my guess is that the majority of readers who take the text on its own merits will find that the a great number of the ideas espoused are not so strange or horrifying, but rather are practical and commonsense suggestions for a global church in an apocalyptic age (in the original sense of the term, not necessarily the "Left Behind" version).

In "Everything Must Change," McLaren has presented a clear and thoughtful summary of the thinking spurring much of the energy behind the newest movements of the church, broadly termed Emergent. While some of the voices are new and the language is often non-traditional, this emerging movement (of which McLaren is the undisputed Papa Bear) is reinvigorating the sincere, Christ-centered faith of many of the disenchanted and disillusioned wounded from the evangelical and fundamentalist movements.

It is uneccesary to critique those preceding articulations of the Gospel here; suffice to say, the language and focus of the modern church was insufficient in reaching many in the emerging generations. McLaren has created an elegantly detailed work that offers hope to many passionate people who desire to put their faith in a God with bigger plans for the world than simply providing their ticket to heaven.

For these passionate followers, both new and "experienced," the doors to the church must be thrown open to the world. This is the power of change that McLaren describes - a church that is a light and source hope for the masses in ways we might have been missing for far too long.

I hope you will consider reading it for yourself.

- S.

Passion and compassion. These are the two words that I would use to describe this book and its author. The passion is communicated in the main title-- everything must change. The compassion is communicated in the subtitle-- global crises, hope. McLaren continues building on his previous works, especially Secret Message of Jesus. Those looking for McLaren's theological underpinnings will find it there. This book is about exploring what such a theology will look like on the ground, in real life. With grace in his words, McLaren lets us in on his own journey of discovering that Christianity often does not do much, and the things it has done have often been very negative. Then exploring the theology discussed in Secret Message of Jesus, McLaren talks at length about his experiences with people and communities from around the globe-- his experiences of finding much pain, hurt, and suffering-- and the systems that exist in that world. In the spirit of Jesus himself, McLaren paints a way forward for the church (especially those of us who find ourselves in its northern and western expressions) to truly bring Jesus into the global crisis and challenge these global systems and their central narratives. McLaren challenges the church to have "glad tidings" gospel that rivals the "gospels" of our systems/empires. He implores Christians to address the problems in our day just as Jesus did in his. Christians today are often serving idols and emperors rather than Jesus Christ. Jesus inaugarated the kingdom of God on Earth, the will of God being done on Earth as it is in heaven. Truly McLaren is right-- everything must change. It is time for us to acknowledge Jesus as Lord rather than Caesar as Lord.

As I read through Everything Must Change, I'm struck by something impossible to avoid. No, it's not the epistemologic issues. And yes, the ecclectic, synchretistic theology does bother me (as it should). But what I find most striking is his desire to revive the positive of Christianity (and Islam, etc.). He wants the positive results, the positive message, everything that not only reinforces good feelings but also motivates us to good works for the benefit of others.

As I read it, I couldn't help but reflect on some 19th c. theology that I read recently in The Golden Dawn, or Light on the Great Future. What McLaren is asking for is not at all unlike the pre-WWI, pre-Moody, postmillennial wishes for a better world, a successful place for all, a Christianity where everything is done, if not right, as best we can possibly do it. But I think this is naive. The postivists of two centuries ago rode the wave of modernity. Today's postmodern wants to maintian the Positive without the Modern. I won't hold my breath. I see McLaren's outlook as the ultimate in post-postive positivism. You can't resurrect a dead horse.

One thing that McLaren implicitly requests is that Christianity become an initiator of positive change. Some of what he asks for is doable and practical. Some of it we already do, but could do more of and more often. But other matters would require a degree of political ascent, and that's what got us into 1500 years of problems as it was. So, while I appreciate some of his sentiments, I actually don't think he is going far enough with his framework. There is a degree of separation from modernity that will help us. I wish he would consider some additional steps and then evaluate them for more consistency.

Despite his dependence on that unstated theonomy necessary to implement this type of social change, he does confront the Christian with dependence on the current world system. The section on theocapitalism is especially worth the time to read. Nevertheless one cannot help but see that his views are tainted by an overly-optimistic outlook. The secularists, and many of us within evangelicalism, have had quite enough of misused politics. McLaren is proposing another politic, and I don't know that the world is ready for such an alternative. His (apparently) postmillennial outlook is consumed with social justice with a good deal of need for a mechanism to implement it.

I like some of his core principles but am disturbed by his responsiveness first to needs and complaints instead of first responding to Scripture.

Do I recommend this book? Yes. I find his arguments weak but his critique of the church, though it has errors, to be clearly-stated and useful. There is always something to learn from our critics. Brian McLaren's work makes a useful mirror for us to reflect upon, but not to gaze upon.

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