One of two things has happened:

1. Brian McLaren’s toning down the controversial aspects of his writing.
2. I’ve grown more comfortable with the controversy.

Maybe it’s a mixture of both. I started reading McLaren’s New Kind of Christian books and was challenged, outraged, and enlightened. Now that he’s transplanted his theology from the world of fiction into the land of teaching he’s lost a bit of his zip.

This book is full of good material about Jesus and his agenda. McLaren situates Jesus in his culture, painting him as a Jewish revolutionary. If you’re new  to this way of understanding Jesus, McLaren’s book serves as a quick introduction to some of the major ideas.

If, on the other hand, you’ve read N. T. Wright, Walter Brueggemann, and Dallas Willard, you’ll find nothing new here: just a popularizing of their ideas.

Thanks to my parents for this Christmas gift.

McLaren, Brian. The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything. Thomas Nelson, 2007.