Christianity is Many Things

Learning How to See with Brian McLaren

Center for Action and Contemplation

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 748 Ratings

🗓️ 20 May 2022

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What does “Christianity” mean to you? Do you see it as a force for good in the world? How much harm has it caused? Do you want to stay Christian? And if so, what kind—and how? In this first episode from season three of Learning How to See, host Brian McLaren goes straight to the heart of these questions and more. Joined by scholar and historian of Christianity Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., and CAC staff member Mike Petrow, Ph.D., these theologians discuss the diverse experiences they have with Christianity. Informed by Brian’s new book Do I Stay Christian?, season three of Learning How to See will challenge listeners to relearn how they see Christianity by embracing exploration over explanation and dialogue over dogma. From transcending toxic theology embedded in childhood to applying ancient wisdom to modern life, this first episode sets the trajectory for an enlightening and transformative season. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Brian's new book, Do I Stay Christian? can be found here Diana's book, Freeing Jesus can be found here. Everyone who purchases a copy of Brian's new book Do I Stay Christian? from our online bookstore will be invited to participate in an exclusive Community Read-Along on Facebook! There will be discussion questions, prompts, and shared practices as we move through the book each week. The Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) is an educational nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen compassionate engagement in the world. When you purchase this or any other book from our online bookstore you help us to introduce seekers from around the world to the contemplative Christian path of transformation. (Everyone who purchases a copy of Do I Stay Christian? will receive a URL to join the discussion group via email.) Connect with us: We’d love to hear your thoughts, comments or feedback. Send us an email at podcasts@cac.org Center for Action and Contemplation: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Brian McLaren: Website| Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Diana Butler Bass: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at cac.org/podcastsupport Thank you!

Transcript

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0:00.0	In seasons one and two of learning how to see, we looked at bias.
0:06.0	We explored our built-in obstacles to seeing.
0:10.0	We explored how contemplative practice can help us think about our thinking to observe our biases so we aren't quite so controlled by them.
0:22.0	Since the series began in 2021, the largest number of questions we've received have to do
0:28.3	with people deconstructing their faith.
0:32.1	They've seen how faith can easily become a product of confirmation bias, community bias, confidence bias, and other
0:39.8	biases we discussed.
0:42.4	They've wondered if there's another way to see, approach, experience, practice, Christianity.
0:50.7	The subject of faith deconstruction isn't new to me. I began writing about this subject back in
0:56.7	1998, and my 2001 book, A New Kind of Christian, was seen as a kind of portal into the deconstruction
1:04.7	process. Now, over 20 years later, new waves of people of all ages are taking a second look at Christianity.
1:13.6	That's why our theme for Season 3 is learning how to see Christianity.
1:19.6	If you were born into Christian faith, you may resonate with this passage from my upcoming book,
1:26.6	Do I Stay Christian? I felt like a boy who
1:31.1	was born into a loving family. His parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins were close-knit and fiercely
1:39.2	protective of one another, and the whole extended family was successful and prosperous. The boy's childhood was
1:47.1	filled with delicious food, spacious homes, new cars, great vacations, exciting entertainment,
1:54.2	everything that anyone could wish for. Family is everything, his dad said at every holiday,
2:03.6	and there is no family like our family. The little boy felt in his bones that his father's words were true.
2:08.6	In his teenage years, however, the boy began discovering that his family had secrets.
2:16.6	One discovery led to another until the boy realized his happy, close-knit family, was part of something
2:25.5	called the Mafia.
	...

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