The Story We Find Ourselves In: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian Brian D. McLaren Jossey-Bass, 224 pages, $21.95
In this sequel to A New Kind of Christian, Brian McLaren again uses fiction functioning as nonfiction in a “dialogical essay” style to examine traditional Christian beliefs. Setting much of his narrative in the Galápagos Islands, where Neo (Neil Oliver) has become an ecotourism guide, McLaren supplies plenty of spiritual seekers to ply Neo with questions. When Neo’s dying Australian friend, Kerry Ellison, arrives at the home of Pastor Dan Poole and his wife Carol in the United States, it opens up more opportunities to discuss matters of faith.
McLaren, pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Maryland, writes, “I have always been clear that my confidence was in the Christian gospel (appropriately understood),” and Neo expresses belief in Jesus’ divinity. Through Neo, McLaren revisits other tenets of faith, including the Atonement and miracles.
Cindy Crosby is a frequent contributor to Publishers Weekly.
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Related Elsewhere
The Story We Find Ourselves In: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian is available at Amazon.com.
Christianity Today articles on A New Kind of Christian include:
The Postmodern Moment | Are Christians prepared for ministry after modernism’s failure? (June 18, 2002)
The Virtue of Unoriginality | The old kind of Christian is the best hope for church renewal. (April 4, 2002)
Christianity Today columnist Andy Crouch reviewed A New Kind of Christian for Christianity Today‘s sister publication Books & Culture.
For more book reviews, see Christianity Today’s archives.
