A reader writes: up all night with twins and still reading

Since reading “A New Kind of Christianity” I have deconstructed a lot of my beliefs about the ‘salvation story’. And I like the way you view Scripture – ‘an inspired community library’. Yet, in some of the Christian circles I travel in those explanations don’t fly. This book feels so exciting to me, because I feel like I could pass it along to people who still see the Bible as a ‘constitution’. Maybe there is something in me that still sees it that way which is why this is giving me some more ground to stand on – even though I’ve already changed my theology on the doctrine of hell. I think I’ve also been in perplexity for so long because of some of the deconstruction I’ve gone through, I’ve had a hard time knowing if any sort of eternity is a real thing, and something about this book is pushing me up into harmony and into hope again. I think that God is growing the people of this world to understand the love God has for us all and I feel so excited about that too. Let’s just say I’m up all night with baby twins and once they are back to sleep, I still can’t shut the kindle off 🙂
Also – we’ve had the wonderful privilege of getting to know xxx, as he has spoken at our church a few times and become a friend of our family. We had the chance to talk to him about hell etc. and were surprised to find out how conservative he still is in this regard. I’m the kind of person who has a hard time keeping out of debates and knowing when to talk and when not to. 🙂 He said he’s stayed up late with you a few times talking through all of these things. And I thought to myself, Okay, if eloquent, intelligent and kind Brian McLaren can’t shift his theology on this, loud mouthed, fiery me won’t be able to either. 🙂 But I have thought of passing this book along to him as I think it might speak to him. Anyways – thanks, I’m feeling so excited about this.

Thanks for writing. I do hope you’ll pass on the book to our mutual friend. I’m not sure he has actually read any of my books yet, as he’s been pretty busy writing his own. But maybe if you recommend it …