I have just finished Brian McLaren's book "A Generous Orthodoxy", it was one of the best books I have read in years. I have been itching to post some quotes from it to give the flavor, and I think, give a picture of the author's heart.The following two posts reveal his heart as well as anything in the book I think.
“If through Christ, God risks all for us, then we must do the same for people of other religions. They are our neighbors, and everything Jesus said about neighbors applies to them. Even if they approach us as enemies, to be faithful to Jesus we must love them and never let their status as non-Christians reduce them to non-neighbors…….
As a generous orthodox Christian, I consider myself not above Buddhists and Muslims and others, but below them as a servant. Better, I consider myself with them as a neighbor and a brother.
I am here to love them, to seek to understand them, and to share with them everything of value that I have found or received that they would like to receive as well. I am here to receive their gifts with equal joy – to enjoy life in God’s world with them, to laugh and eat and work with them, so we play with one another’s children and hold one another’s babies and dance at one another’s weddings and savor one another’s hospitality.
I am her to be their neighbor according to the teaching of my Lord, and if I am not a good one, my Lord says they have no reason to believe or even respect my message”.
Photo from the Internet
4 comments:
If this is what that book is like, it will be one of my favorites. I can't wait! There are nervous knots of anxious anticipation roiling in my belly already!
"As a generous orthodox Christian, I consider myself not above Buddhists and Muslims and others, but below them as a servant. Better, I consider myself with them as a neighbor and a brother."
That is scrumptious....
Greetings...thanks for stopping by a few weeks ago. Sorry it took so long to get back to you.
I have no worries about Forks becoming commonplace...I lived in Phoenix for 10 yrs after a vacation there. If it wasn't for my parents getting older I'd still be there! Now my heart has gone from the desert to the forest & I want to follow it. :-)
Thanks for the compliments on the Christmas ornaments. Your photos are just as impressive. Loved the book shelves...would love to spend hours looking thru the books!
Hi Mel,
I think this post does give the general flavor, but it is many faceted and like it or hate it, it leaves you changed.
God bless, Fred
Hi Ljeanh,
Greetings back at you, I'm glad you came by. Wow, such a contrast the desert to the forest, but having camped at the desert as a boy I can still remember the wonderful memories of its stillness, and understated beauty.
Truly each area has it's unique intrigue and beauty.
God bless,
Fred
Hi Fred :)
Very inspiring and thought provoking quote.
Jesus himself brought the message to Jews first and when they rejected HIM, HE went to the gentiles.
Here in India, we live amicably with all religions and we have no problem. Hindus come and pray in Christian Churches and there are Christians who participate in Hindu festivals.
India has been a cradle of many religions and generally Hindu religion is very tolerant of other religions. In some pockets there are problems because of fanatics. Fanatics are just like terrorists.
Many thanks for the lovely post and photo.
Best wishes :)
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