Heading home again …
Today I'll be on a flight home after some great days in the UK with the good people of Oasis, Faithworks, and church.co.uk. We had the book release for A New Kind of Christianity, and it was great to see many folks with books in hand.
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asking a favor of all readers of my books …
I imagine that critical reviews on the new book and its author will heat up in the coming weeks. Can I ask everyone who appreciates what I'm trying to do to help me avoid unhelpful responses to criticism? Please - even if you think someone is being unfair or uncharitable to the book or its author, try to be kind in your response, if you respond at all.
What would probably help the cause and message of the book the most would be to avoid criticizing the reviewer in any way, calling them "judgmental," "negative," etc., etc. They'll probably interpret this as you being judgmental and negative. Instead, you can share your more positive response to the book and why you think it has some value. Simply saying, "I respond to the book differently ..."
Then you might say, "OK, I can see that you don't like McLaren's response to the authority question (or whatever). How would you answer the question?" Then, you can try to model in your response to their answer (if you don't find it terribly satisfying) what you wish they had modeled in their response to mine.
It might help to remember that for some people, "hot" responses, including hell-fire and damnation language and demonization, aren't intended to be as mean-spirited as they sound to the rest of us. That's just the traditional way that religious conversations take place in certain religious tribes. If you criticize their traditional way of communicating, they'll tend to treat you to a dose of it, which won't be pleasant for you, and which will only reinforce those communication habits in them. We really have the chance to grow and practice some new ways of communication in this milieu ... may God's Spirit help us make the most of the opportunity.
If you'd like to read more about responding to harsh criticism, Andrew Sullivan links to some good advice here.
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A New Kind of Christianity … from a potential church planter
Here's the Q:
Hey Brian, just finished the book and I love it. I'm there. I'm with you. Here's the problem: [Our church] is due to plant a [daughter] church...
More after the jump...
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Geek confession …
When I was with the good people of Andover Newton Seminary a few weeks back, Dr. Sarah Drummond mentioned two science-fiction shows, Battlestar Galactica and Caprica that explore some interesting theological themes. Other friends had been telling me these were among the best shows on TV. Then, Sarah gave me BG Season 1 on DVD, and yes, now I'm hooked. (Thanks, Sarah!) I've also caught up on Caprica, which is in its first season. Like Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and other SyFy hits of the past, these shows are exploring some pretty interesting territory, including monotheism, polytheism, dualism, anthropology, and so on.
Also, on a geeky note, here's a fascinating show from radiolab on human-ape interactions.
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For folks who think about the future of seminaries …
I think this article will be stimulating. (Thanks, Bob C!)
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