2/07/2008

How much must change? Everything!

In January I read Brian McLaren's book Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope. (Robin blogged about it here.) I finished it while back East helping my mom to move. On the way home, I had a four-hour layover in JFK, and so I took the time to write down some of my favorite sections of the book. I think I can give the following two quotes and two lists and remain within fair use; especially because I highly recommend you read the book yourself!

Three favorite quotes:
  1. "We don't have an environmental crisis; we have an overconsumption crisis." (page 260)

  2. The underlying problem is a disease of ideology. (p. 50) [not sure of the exact words, and I can't check because I returned the book to the library]

  3. "If we disbelieve the dominant framing story and instead believe Jesus’ good news of the kingdom of God, we will suddenly find ourselves making new personal decisions – not because we have to, as a duty, but because we want to." (p. 297)

The Theocapitalist Religion (p. 190)
"Theocapitalism" does for its adherents what any religion does [quoting Tom Beaudoin]:
  1. gives an identity
  2. helps one belong to a community
  3. develops trust
  4. allows one to experience ecstasy
  5. communicates transcendence
  6. provides conversion to a new way of life
  7. promises rest for the heart

Four Spiritual Laws of Theocapitalism:
  1. Law of Progress through Rapid Growth
  2. Law of Serenity through Possession and Consumption
  3. Law of Salvation through Competition Alone*
  4. Freedom to Prosper through Unaccountable Corporations
* including people who don’t accept Darwinian evolution in nature, but who are fervid believers in social Darwinism!

I have more material already typed up -- including the response of Jesus to the rules of theocapitalism -- and will post that when I can.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fascinating. Yes, it seems like more and more people are talking about the general "dominant framing story" by listening to the voices of the marginalized.

I haven't read your book, but I get the same message from Alice Walker's work. And Outsiders Within. Maybe we can have a book exchange?

ShaneBertou said...

Hey, I noticed that you're reading Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change. A few of us are planning to read the book together and blog our thoughts as a sort of online reading collaboration. Any interest?

http://www.shanebertou.com

quakerboy said...

Howdy Friend Chris! I attended Brian McLaren's "Deep Shift" conference in Charlotte a couple of weekends back. Awesome! I pray that this is the future of evangelicalism.