'Spooky' Book Foresaw Current Crises

United Methodists Studying Brian McLaren's 2007 Book

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A United Methodist Insight Exclusive

Editor’s Note: In 2007, author, speaker, activist, and public theologian Brian D. McLaren wrote a book, “Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope.” The book outlined his views on the worldwide challenges facing Christians in the 21st century. As the world confronts the global coronavirus pandemic and America marches against racism, Dr. McLaren writes on his website that “it’s a little spooky how relevant the book was, thirteen years early.” United Methodist Insight emailed some questions to Dr. McLaren in late April regarding his perspective on “Everything Must Change,” and he replied with the following responses. This interview was updated by Mr. McLaren on July 21, 2020, and the changes are marked in italics.

Have your perspectives changed since you wrote "Everything Must Change"? If so, how?

When I wrote the book, I couldn't have foreseen how a reality TV star/real estate developer would begin using birtherism to further his own brand by appealing to white supremacist demons, nor could I have guessed how the American public would fall for such lies, based on their unacknowledged (and often unconscious) white supremacist leanings.

But now, it appears that if anything, I underestimated the gravity and urgency of the situation in 2007-2008. Obviously, what I called the crisis of the planet has gone largely unaddressed, especially since 2016, with climate deniers running too many nations in the world, including our own. Many people have come to understand the idea of "flattening the curve" in relation to the pandemic, and they understand that early actions save lives and expense. In relation to global warming, we are plunging headlong into a worst-case scenario with little time to stop it.

The crisis of poverty (which is a crisis of inequity leading to inequality) has also continued to run wild. Depending on who you ask, somewhere between six and twenty-one individuals now own as much wealth as half the world. That problem becomes even more disturbing when you realize how much power that wealth buys. The super-elites can own global media cartels. They can control social media bot farms. They can buy politicians in a thousand different ways. All this leaves the rest of us in more danger. I'm glad I named this problem in “Everything Must Change”; I wish I had been even more graphic in depicting its imminent danger.

But it's the crisis of peace that I would address most differently if I were writing the book today. I rightly focused on the proliferation of weapons in the book and the danger of conflict on many levels, but I didn't speak forcefully enough about the toxicity of racism and white supremacy, and about how demagogues around the world would use it to justify their aggressive and authoritarian ambitions. When I wrote the book, I was deeply disturbed about how a reality TV star/real estate developer was using birtherism to further his own brand by appealing to white supremacist demons, but I didn't foresee how the American public would fall for such lies, based on their unacknowledged (and often unconscious) supremacist leanings.

Sadly, too few of our clergy were willing to upset the apple cart by addressing these issues as theological implications of the good news of Jesus Christ. They lived in fear of major donors who were formed more by the Fox News of Rupert Murdoch than the good news of Jesus Christ. I'm happy to see a few more waking up now. I only hope that the majority will not wait until it's too late before they begin to rouse their courage.

What would you counsel Christians on how to cope with the pandemic?

Obviously, I think we need to listen to the scientists. The foolish resistance to science promoted by many religious communities has become more than embarrassment; it's actually a threat to our health and well-being. Beyond that, I am pleased to see how resilient churches have been – adapting to virtual gatherings, etc. I hope that as the restrictions are lifted, our churches won't revert to business as usual. I hope they will see that the agility they have just demonstrated is a form of spiritual immunity, helping them resist the disease of complacency ... what Leonard Sweet calls "hardening of the categories."

I don't think any of us know yet how bad future resurgences of the virus will be. Nor do we know how bad the economic impacts of the virus will be. So to slip back into complacency now could be a fatal mistake.

How do you think we must adapt spiritually to life after the initial crisis has passed?

The best thing that could happen, in my mind, would be this: we put everything on the table in order to achieve our one great aim: to form, build, and deploy genuine disciples of Jesus Christ ... people who are lifelong learners in the way of Jesus, people who join God's Spirit in the healing and nurturing of the world, people whose lives are all about love for God, neighbor, self, the earth ... and the enemy. Buildings, gatherings, clergy, pensions, titles, robes, choirs, sermons ... all of these things are means, not the end, and therefore they are negotiable. The formation of people who embody Jesus, and live Jesus' mission for the common good ... that is the one thing that matters. Everything else might be shaken, but that one unshakeable reality must remain central.

Editor’s Note: The Rev. Dr. Bo Sanders, pastor of Vermont Hills UMC in Portland, Ore., is leading a summer book discussion group about “Everything Must Change,” according to Brian McLaren’s website. For details, see Dr. Sanders’ website, Everything Just Changed. Email anEverydayTheology@gmail.com to join.

Brian D. McLaren describes himself as “a passionate advocate for ‘a new kind of Christianity’ – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good.” He is a faculty member of  The Living School, which is part of the Center for Action and Contemplation, and he co-leads the Common Good Messaging Team, which is part of Vote Common Good. His latest books are a 2019 release: “The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey” (UK title:”God Unbound: Theology in the Wild”) and a new children's book, “Cory and the Seventh Story.” His upcoming book “Faith After Doubt” will be released in January 2021.

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.