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A New Kind of Christianity

(Chapter 18)

1. How much have you been exposed to “eschatology?” Share your experiences with the subject, and why you think it’s important.
2. Contrast the two diagrams in the chapter, and talk about what it would feel like to live “inside” each one.
3. Review the author’s proposed understandings of the importance of AD 70, the “parousia,” an open (as opposed to determined) future, and final judgment. How plausible do you find these alternative understandings?
4. Review the author’s reading of the Book of Jonah, and respond to the final quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jurgen Moltmann.

Additional Questions:

Questions for Reading Groups:

1. What one, two, or three passages or ideas in this chapter did you respond most strongly to? What was your response – what feelings and ideas did the idea(s) or passage(s) elicit? Why do you think you responded in this way?
2. What quotes, points, or questions from this chapter would you most like to talk about with your group? What would you like to ask your other group members about these quotes, points, or questions?
3. How would you complete this sentence: “For me, the most important take-aways from this chapter were …”

A Five-Step Reading Circle:

A convener invites a circle of friends to read the book. The convener proposes how many chapters will be read per week, and when, where, and for how long the group will meet. At each meeting, the convener reads these five steps as ground rules for the group, and intervenes to uphold these ground rules as necessary. The convener may also lead in a brief opening and closing activity – such as reciting the Lord’s Prayer, observing a period of silence, journaling, etc.

1. A volunteer reads a sentence or paragraph from the week’s reading that was important to him or her for some reason.
2. That group member then talks about the passage for an agreed-upon period of time without interruption. (Ten minutes would be a good maximum, but five or seven minutes might be better for groups of more than five people.) He or she shares why the passage is important, what the passage means to him or her, and how he or she responds to it. Other members seek to “listen the speaker into free speech” through their attentiveness. Again, no interruptions are allowed, and periods of silence are fine.
3. That group member invites others to ask further questions about his or her responses to the passage – for the purpose of understanding the group member (not debating, not critiquing, not agreeing or disagreeing – only seeking to understand the group member better). Or that group member may ask a question of fellow members to which they may respond.
4. Another group member volunteers (or is invited by the leader to go next), and the process continues around the circle.
5. If time permits, the group leader may invite each member to reflect on what they have learned or gained from one another during the gathering. The group confirms the next week’s readings and meeting details.

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2 Responses to “Brian McLaren: Q8 – The Future Question”

1. Brian McLaren, Tim King – End-Times & New Beginnings « zoecarnate Says:
   April 14th, 2010 at 12:19 pm

   [...] in an important sense, open-ended for divine-human empowerment? You can see the show notes for this segment and the entire interview here. You can download Brian’s fascinating free bonus chapter on [...]

2. Brian McLaren – Navigating Through A New Kind of Christianity | David Kenney Says:
   April 18th, 2010 at 12:45 pm

   [...] Question 8 – The Future Question [...]

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