The Wittenburg Door Interview: Brian McLaren

Posted by Kendall Harmon

DOOR: How come so many liberal clergy never talk about Jesus? It's like they're afraid to say His name.

MCLAREN: I think a lot of them are reacting to fundamentalism and the Religious Right. Enough angry folks have hurled the word "Jesus" around like an insult that other folks don't want to say His name at all. It almost feels to them like a racist or a hate crime statement sometimes because "Jesus" is used to legitimize all kinds of fear and intimidation. Another reason goes back farther in history of liberalism where I think people were seeking to speak in more theistic, deistic, universal, non-particular, nonspecific ways. They had reasons for this in the 17th and 18th centuries, with all the religious wars in Europe, but I think that tide is going to change because of the work of people like N. T. Wright and Steve Chalke, who are helping us get a new vision of what the message of Jesus is. I think if we could get that back, people are going to be very excited to talk about Jesus again.

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Filed under: * Christian Life / Church Life • Parish Ministry • * Culture-Watch • Religion & Culture

4 Comments
Posted July 26, 2007 at 6:08 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Hoskyns wrote:

Chalke and Wright have not exactly bathed their fellow evangelical critics in rhetorical sweetness and light.

July 26, 6:58 am | [comment link]
2. MikeS wrote:

Wright, probably, yes.  But Chalke would not be my choice of someone who is helping us gain a new vision of Jesus’ message for our day and age.

What McClaren goes to great pains to defend—a multi-faceted view of the atonement—Chalke apparently has gone to great pains to belittle by accusing God of cosmic child abuse.  Not helpful, eh?

July 26, 9:38 am | [comment link]
3. libraryjim wrote:

“The Door” is still doing intervews??? COOL!!!

July 26, 12:09 pm | [comment link]
4. Harvey wrote:

I believe Jesus to be the same yesterday, today, and forever.  I am always wary of anyone who speaks of a “new” or “modern” Jesus thing.  Some of this tripe was brought forth in the days of the Apostles.  Paul warned us of those who would stray from the Gospel message.  Some things, even after nearly 2,000 years, don’t change

July 27, 5:32 pm | [comment link]
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