A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties Title: A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN

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Customer Reviews:
A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties

I must have overlooked the part that was orthodox

I was highly disappointed by the title of this book. McLarin says a lot without saying anything. If you want to get on the fast track to universalism, grab a hold of this book. While none of the "conversational" emergents will outright deny core Christian doctrines (e.g.the substitutionary atonement of Christ), they don't outright say anything - if you follow their path of logic you will arrive at a place that is anything but Orthodox.
A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties

False Teacher

The book of Jude says, "...I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entusted to the saints", (1:3, NIV).

There is nothing orthodox about this book. It misses the mark of truth and borders on outright heresy. Proceed with caution with this author.

For a review of this author which exposes his errors, read "The Truth War: Fighting for Certinaity in an Age of Deception" by John MacArthur.

A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties

Perfect Timing!!

I found this book purely by accident(maybe) while searching for another. The title caught my eye first and upon closer inspection I decided this would be an interesting "read" given the place I was at in my own spiritual search. I found this book very educational and it is written as if I were listening to him personally. Brian did a great job of giving me insight into different religious beliefs(dogmas) and practices. This in turn helped me immensely by validating many of my own feelings on the practical ways of "living" my beliefs. He spent a little too much time apologizing at the beginning of the book but after finishing it I could understand the reasoning.
A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties

Ever argue with someone about relgion or spirituality?

Can a Catholic find meaning in Baptist traditions?
Can one find meaning in Protestant or Calvinistic interpretations?
Can Protestants learn something about God by the way Catholics do things?

If you have every thought these thoughts, you probably need to look at this book. Even if you haven't, it's worth the read. I don't know if I agree with everything he says in this book, but it has also been my experience that one gains understanding about one's own beliefs when he looks at the beliefs of others and converses with believers of different denominations or even different religions. Even if you disagree with someone, it can also make you look at things a bit differently. Sometimes it can cement your belief in something.

McLaren's journey into orthodoxy of many Christian denominations is such a conversation. Do any of these Christian denominations have the sole claim to absolute truth? Could we gain some insight into our relationship with God by looking how other look at God?

Read the book and see what you think.....
A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties

Share the ambivalence

The one thing I most appreciate about this book is how clearly MacLaren shares his own ambivalence and his own internal struggle over theological issues. His candor is something not always seen in members of the clergy, much less in people who are publishing about their faith.

If you don't like long, convoluted sentence structure (see Faulkner here), you'll likely have trouble taking much away from this book. I think it's unfortunate that his writing style does manage to make his ideas so much less accessible for some people.
A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Zondervan/Youth Specialties

Product Description

By celebrating strengths of many traditions in the church (and beyond), this book will seek to communicate a “generous orthodoxy.”