My initial thoughts from reading McLaren's new book The Last Word and the Word After That were not what I expected coming into the book. I got two important thoughts from the book, neither of which had much to do with the concept of hell.
First, I saw the blatant need for Christians to focus on the here and now, rather than believing in pie-in-the-sky faith. McLaren brings up issues of justice and the fact that Western-yuppie-middle-class-Christians don't have to worry about those kinds of things and consequently became interested only in how they can get into heaven, steering clear of hell. Instead of asking people "Do you want to go to Heaven when you die," the post-evangelical believer can ask something along the lines of "Do you want to live a life of meaning?" or even "Are you interested in living life to the full?" Of course this means we have to begin doing this, choosing not to be so heaven-bound that we are no earthly good.
Secondly, I was reminded of the need to have a group of people surrounding us who are seeking God in a similar fashion. McLaren refers to having people whom we can "know with." I realize I have some friends (some of whom read this blog) who fit into this description, and we need to be more intentional about getting together every so often to continue knowing with each other, learning, sharing, questioning and praying together. I know it's not healthy to only surround yourself with people who think the same and read the same books, but at the same time it's just as unhealthy to never spend quality time with those people discussing church, life and God. That sounds like a new goal for me to put these times together...
Peace,
Matt
Currently reading: the newest issues of Mother Jones and Sojourners magazines.
3 comments:
Son of Martin,
When you throw one of your know-with parties, can I be invited? I promise I will look up the meaning of "orthopraxy" by then.
Son of Peter
Paul Peterson would DEFINITELY be invited to a know-with party!
I was talking to a guy today about his job, and he was talking about how he didn't really like it because people he worked with didn't "have the same morals" as he did. I told him that those are the best people to hang out with! Sometimes people who are stoned in the contemporary sense are more real and understandable than those who are "morally right". just me talking out me bum.
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