McLaren’s New Book – A New Kind of Year Long Church Curriculum

As readers discovered in yesterday’s post, Mennonites have supported the agenda of the contemplative spirituality and emerging church movements to teach and influence their children. Mennonites have even shown their support of Brian McLaren’s agenda to shape their entire families. In 2012, an announcement by MennoMedia Staff appeared on the Mennonite Church Canada website called Brian McLaren headlines Shaping Families line-up in December.[1] Shaping Families was a radio broadcast for three years but now remains as a faith-based resource website. Linked with Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite church Canada and Mennoninte Missions Network, it continues to offer various interviews that Third Way Media/MennoMedia produced in the last number of years. At Shaping Families, Brian McLaren remains as a family shaper on one of their resource pages.[2]

Since 2012, McLaren has been working very hard on his plan of re-imaging church curriculum. His new book, a retelling of the biblical story, will be released next month…

We Make the Road by Walking
A Year-Long Quest for Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Actiivation
On Sale Date: 06/10/2014

From critically acclaimed author Brian McLaren comes a brilliant retelling of the biblical story and a thrilling reintroduction to Christian faith.

This book offers everything you need to explore what a difference an honest, living, growing faith can make in our world today. It also puts tools in your hands to create a life-changing learning community in any home, restaurant, or other welcoming space.

The fifty-two (plus a few) weekly readings can each be read aloud in 10-12 minutes, and offer a simple curriculum of insightful reflections and transformative practices. Organized around the traditional church year, these readings give an overview of the whole Bible and guide an individual or a group of friends through a year of rich study, interactive learning, and personal growth.

Perfect for home churches, congregations, classes, or individual study…

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-d-mclaren/we-make-the-road-by-walking/9781455514007/

We Make the Road by Walking is praised by Phyllis Tickle, Rachel Held Evans, Rob Bell, and Tony Jones.

McLaren describes his new book on a series of walking youtube clips…

“an overview of the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation and a fresh re-orientation to the Christian faith…”

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“I grew up going to church…”

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“…even whole churches could use it as a kind of year long curriculum…”

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“None of our religions are finished…”

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The new church curriculum has been re-imagined, the Bible is being retold… let the undiscerning allow it to be introduced to their churches. The question is: will there be a children/youth version to follow, as promised? Will the Mennonites who find McLaren’s winds of doctrine very refreshing[3] allow more of his teachings to blow into their teaching establishments?

These are perilous times. Watchmen on the wall! Where art thou?

Endnotes:

[1] November 29, 2012, Mennonite Church Canada/MennoMedia http://news.mennonitechurch.ca/brian-mcLaren-shaping-families
[2] http://www.shapingfamilies.com/2012/12/1/Program/Brian+McLaren+on+Faith
[3] https://mennolite.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/cmu-student-found-refreshing-winds-very-cool/

Related:

Mennonites Teaching Contemplative Spirituality to Children https://mennolite.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/mennonites-teaching-contemplative-spirituality-to-children/

Muddy Emerging Convergence in Sunday School Curriculum http://muddystreams.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/muddy-emerging-convergence-in-sunday-school-curriculum