REPRISE: Strong, Benevolent, Tolerant Faith ID—Brian McLaren

This episode is a REPRISE of an earlier broadcast of the Cosmic Citizen on October 6, 2012.  Please do not call in.  The electrons are dancing but not answering.  Back soon! :-)

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, philosopher, mega church pastor, and public theologian. Named by Time Magazine as one of the 25 most influential people. FR. Richard Rohr calls him a spiritual genius. McLaren's writings include his acclaimed trilogy, A New Kind of Christian, also A Generous Orthodoxy, and more recently, Naked Spirituality.

Brian joined us  to discuss his most Interfaith friendly book to date: Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed Cross the Road? Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World.

"It is not merely our differences that divide us, but a profound similarity--the oppositional way in which we build strong identities. It's an easy shortcut that takes us places we never intended to go."

This paradigm shifting book speaks with clarity to both laymen and clergy. It reaches a place of understanding inside each of us to expand the boundaries of our faith relationships and communities. It is relevant to people of all faith traditions or no faith tradition.

"I welcome this important contribution to showing the path through which all religions can become an emancipatory force for human liberation." Rabbi Michael Lerner

Dr. McLaren doesn't shy away from the difficult topics and questions that plague clergy in today's changing faith scene. He takes the most confusing personal faith questions and answers them with light hearted reason. His keen insights allow one to deeply consider important issues of faith while not taking oneself too seriously.  His ability to open himself up to his readers reveals his humility and sincerity in his own struggles with truth seeking.