It used to be that Christian institutions and systems of dogma sustained the spiritual life of Christians. Increasingly, spirituality itself is what sustains everything else. Alan Jones is a pioneer in reimagining a Christian faith that emerges from authentic spirituality. His work stimulates and encourages me deeply
Brian D. McLarenIโm sure I am wrong about many things, although Iโm not sure exactly which things Iโm wrong about. Iโm even sure Iโm wrong about what I think Iโm right about in at least some cases.
Brian D. McLarenTo be a Christian in a generously orthodox way is not to claim to have the truth captured, stuffed, and mounted on the wall
Brian D. McLarenThe church has been preoccupied with the question, 'What happens to your soul after you die?' AS IF THE REASON FOR JESUS COMING CAN BE SUMMED UP IN, 'JESUS IS TRYING TO HELP GET MORE SOULS INTO HEAVEN, AS OPPOSED TO HELL, AFTER THEY DIE.' I JUST THINK A FAIR READING OF THE GOSPELS BLOWS THAT OUT OF THE WATER. I don't think that the entire message and life of Jesus can be boiled down to that bottom line
Brian D. McLarenThe scarily brilliant Romantic poet and visionary William Blake dared to say what many of us have perhaps thought but kept to ourselves: โA good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and thereโs more conversation.
Brian D. McLarenThe church latched on to that old doctrine of original sin like a dog to a stick, and before you knew it, the whole gospel got twisted around it. Instead of being Godโs big message of saving love for the whole world, the gospel became a little bit of secret information on how to solve the pesky legal problem of original sin.
Brian D. McLarenIn the tradition of Julian of Norwich and St. Teresa of Avila and all the other mystics, we can learn to render ourselves vulnerable to the "favors of God" - those indescribable experiences that mock our dualisms and so saturate our imagination with abundance that they transcend our ability to convey joy and wonder. In the tradition of St. John of the Cross, we can learn to survive and derive benefits from the soul's dark night.
Brian D. McLaren