Life of Brian (or Random Thoughts on an Emergent Icon)

A few weeks ago over at the original Emergent-US blog, Brian Mclaren gave a three-part series that was supposed to be his response to his critics. Tony Jones gave him the space so he could clear up alot of the misunderstandings that have arisen because of his books, his beliefs, and the various critics thereof. The general hatred that appeared whenever he said or did anything had, apparently, been rather draining on the old boy. Now I don't mind telling you that I like Mclaren - I really do - and that I've enjoyed his books. But I was a little disappointed with his response, mainly because it turned into an autobiography (which I've read in his other books) and it didn't deal with the problems people had with him. Sure, he said that he had been misinterpreted and unfairly characterized, but he never actually got around to dealing with the specific arguments that people had with him. So I was a little frustrated after having finished it, even though I know that he had accomplished his purpose and given people a picture of himself.


I suppose what I really wanted was for him to tackle the issues. Some people have raised some very good questions about his beliefs and what he meant when he said such-and-such, and I had been curious as to what he would say. The dialogue section on his personal website is fairly sparse when it comes to actual explanations, although there is an awful lot of "I'm glad you read my books even though you disagree with me, and thank you for praying for my soul." And while I'm glad he's written the books he has and done so well at what he's trying to do, I can't help but feel that if some of the issues were dealt with and he actually, you know, told people where he stood on certain issues things would go a bit easier for emergent. It seems to me that many people associate his views with emergent's views, and as I continue to dialogue here on the Net I have been encountering an increasing number of people unfairly judge emergent based on something that Brian wrote. I am also curious for my own reasons. Not that it really matters where he stands - I am Christ's disciple, not his - I just would like to know.

So why the hesitation to take a stand? Why the reluctance to make statements that people can point to and say, "This is what Brian thinks"? I think perhaps it's because of the critics. It seems to me that before all this happened - before he became the incredibly popular guy he is now - he was alot more clear on what he thought. Perhaps the attacks of critics that came after his books became more popular spooked him, I don't know. I just know that now he seems a lot more gun-shy to stick his neck out. And who can blame him? If people thought I was the antichrist I'd probably lie low too.

What I find most perplexing about the hugely negative reaction to Brian is that he's not saying anything new. He admits he's not! He's not even saying it better than others can. Want a better discussion on the nature of truth? Read Os Guinness' (excellent last name, that)Time for Truth. Want a caring examination of certainty of faith? Read Daniel Taylor's The Myth of Certainty. Want to hear more about the possibility of salvation for the unevangelized? Read some C.S. Lewis, or if you're feeling ambitious pick up Dr. Terrance Theissan's Who Can Be Saved?. Feel like reading about disillusionment with the church and God? Read Philip Yancy's... well, basically anything by Philip Yancy. I had been hearing all these things for years from these authors, as well as from some friends I had been privileged to make in college who were both excellent professors and compassionate Christians.

Maybe the reason behind the popularity of Brian's books (despite the so-so writing and the recycled premises) is deeper than I originally thought. Maybe God is using those books to reach people and draw them into the conversation. Maybe He wanted people to find the "jumping-off point" in A New Kind of Christian and his other books and enter a world of service and worship that would have been beyond them before. And maybe now that they have reached this new understanding they will be able to effectivly engage the world around them and bring the hope of Christ into a hurting, broken, imperfect "post-modern" world.

True, A New Kind of Christian came at a very formative time for me, and if I hadn't read it... well, I may not be here right now. But having read it and come out of whatever funk I was in at the time, I'm ready to move on. I'm ready to pick up books by more learned people on these subjects. Brian's a good intro, and I'd encourage anyone who is unfamiliar with emergent or just starting to feel burned out to read him. But don't confuse him with emergent, and once you've read him, move on. No one wants him to be a guru - least of all him.