tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10455024.post3875991384123255470..comments2023-06-23T02:45:39.638-07:00Comments on Bilbo's World: Bilbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12904580918080106725noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10455024.post-83588309644655038482007-02-09T10:56:00.000-08:002007-02-09T10:56:00.000-08:00My sentiments exactly Dave...Personally, I don't e...My sentiments exactly Dave...Personally, I don't expect to learn anything I haven't heard before, but I do want to keep an open mind. I'm just excited to a part of a group who is willing to discuss something besides affirmation a particular brand of Christianity, if you know what I mean. I was greatly encouraged by the discussion group last week. It seems the folks at the Congregational Church I am now attending are all over the map theologically and after talking to the pastor she and everyone else seems quite content to live with the various perspectives and tension associated with a wide difference of opinions. It's quite refreshing to see a more inclusive spirit in action. I never thought I would see such happenings in Bakersfield....Regarding Mclaren...I think Mclaren consciously, or subconsciously is writing for the next generation of Christians who seem somewhat disallusioned by the faith of their parents and the Evangelical subculture at large. Personally, I don't care but I do appreciate the fact that "he" is trying to create dialogue and that is more than I can say for the vast majority of other Christian leaders and churches I am familiar with....Bilbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12904580918080106725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10455024.post-59837270097968956122007-02-09T07:45:00.000-08:002007-02-09T07:45:00.000-08:00McLaren bites off a big mouthful in titling his bo...McLaren bites off a big mouthful in titling his book "Secret Message of Jesus." After all these centuries of close scrutiny and analysis, it's kind of audacious to claim that there are undiscovered secrets in Jesus' message! But I can see how people who've been fed a certain conventional view of things could still have a new epiphany, so I'll cut BMc some slack.<BR/><BR/>Don't be too disappointed though if the eventual "secret message" fails to knock your socks off! Still, it's a good book worth reading and especially discussing. I've enjoyed the chances I've had to talk about McLaren's books in a few different groups over the years. One thing that he does have a gift for is writing stuff that is accessible to a broad cross-section of Christians, including those who are a bit more on the progressive/liberal side of evangelicalism, a small group, admittedly, but one that really needs the encouragement to speak up more clearly!David Blakesleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12167200509158903679noreply@blogger.com