Synopses & Reviews
For the millions of people who identify as liberal Christians. In McLennan's bold call to reclaim ownership of Christianity, he advocates a sense of religion based not on doctrinal readings of scripture but on the humanity behind Christ's teachings. He addresses such topics as intelligent design, abortion, same sex marriage, war. torture and much, much more. As he says in the Preface, "We liberal Christians know in our hearts that there is much more to life than seems to meet the rational eye of atheists; yet we find it hard to support supernatural claims about religion that fly in the face of scientific evidence."
Review
Praise for
Finding Your Religion: When the Faith You Grew Up with Has Lost Its Meaning:"This is an entertaining, gentle and affirming book."--Publishers Weekly "McLennan offers wise commentary and anecdotes that gently guide the individual seeker toward finding a religious home."
--Cleveland Plain Dealer
"If blind belief has driven you to blind disbelief, or if you feel your life is in spiritual disarray, or if you simply want to read something thoughtful and sensitive, try this book. Scotty McLennan is an experienced guide on a variety of paths leading to what we all need--a greater spiritual awareness." --Reverend William Sloane Coffin, author of A Passion for the Possible
Review
Praise for
Jesus Was a Liberal:
Reclaiming Christianity for All: "McLennan's writing is that of a thoughtful scholar. . .This book will reward any reader with an open mind and a curiosity about the breadth of the Christian faith.” --
Library Journal "McLennans presentation is remarkably thoughtful, respectful, and balanced as he argues that liberal Christianity is a vital expression of faith.” --
Publishers Weekly “His book is a manifesto of sorts for those who are both unapologetically Christian and
liberal. He takes readers through the major concerns of
liberal Christianity, both theological and social, and draws conclusions that are sure to both enrage and amuse those who don't share them.”--
Chicago Sun-Times “Rev. Scotty McLennan is reasonable and humane. . . he makes religion sound like a valuable tool for humanity, the kind of social movement that could bring us peace, understanding, tolerance and love.”--
The National Post (Canada)
“[A] time'y and powerfully reasoned argument that its time for liberals to reclaim ownership of Christ as he was—an outlier, a passionate but rationalist revolutionary who spoke to the best in us.”—Garry Trudeau, author of Doonesbury
"An immensely readable book that reclaims the honorable word 'liberal' for a vision of Christianity that is persuasive, compelling, and faithful." - Marcus J. Borg, author of The Heart of Christianity and Jesus: The Life, Teaching and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary
"A wonderfully readable and very timely book. It makes Jesus available again, as he has been at many times in history, to a much wider spectrum of people, and not just ‘liberals. Will be appreciated by those who want to ‘conserve what he stood for, taught and died for." - Harvey Cox, author of When Jesus Came to Harvard and The Future of Faith"A clear-eyed, hopeful manifesto of belief, written with style and integrity. At last - the progressive case for faith, powerfully made."--James Carroll, author of Practicing Catholic Praise for Finding Your Religion: When the Faith You Grew Up with Has Lost Its Meaning:"This is an entertaining, gentle and affirming book."--Publishers Weekly "McLennan offers wise commentary and anecdotes that gently guide the individual seeker toward finding a religious home."--Cleveland Plain Dealer
"If blind belief has driven you to blind disbelief, or if you feel your life is in spiritual disarray, or if you simply want to read something thoughtful and sensitive, try this book. Scotty McLennan is an experienced guide on a variety of paths leading to what we all need--a greater spiritual awareness." --Reverend William Sloane Coffin, author of A Passion for the Possible
Review
Praise for
Jesus Was a Liberal:
Reclaiming Christianity for All: "McLennan's writing is that of a thoughtful scholar. . .This book will reward any reader with an open mind and a curiosity about the breadth of the Christian faith.” --
Library Journal "McLennans presentation is remarkably thoughtful, respectful, and balanced as he argues that liberal Christianity is a vital expression of faith.” --
Publishers Weekly “His book is a manifesto of sorts for those who are both unapologetically Christian and
liberal. He takes readers through the major concerns of
liberal Christianity, both theological and social, and draws conclusions that are sure to both enrage and amuse those who don't share them.”--
Chicago Sun-Times
"An immensely readable book that reclaims the honorable word 'liberal' for a vision of Christianity that is persuasive, compelling, and faithful." – Marcus J. Borg, author of The Heart of Christianity and Jesus: The Life, Teaching and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary
"A wonderfully readable and very timely book. It makes Jesus available again, as he has been at many times in history, to a much wider spectrum of people, and not just ‘liberals. Will be appreciated by those who want to ‘conserve what he stood for, taught and died for." – Harvey Cox, author of When Jesus Came to Harvard and The Future of Faith"A clear-eyed, hopeful manifesto of belief, written with style and integrity. At last - the progressive case for faith, powerfully made."--James Carroll, author of Practicing Catholic Praise for Finding Your Religion: When the Faith You Grew Up with Has Lost Its Meaning:"This is an entertaining, gentle and affirming book."--Publishers Weekly "McLennan offers wise commentary and anecdotes that gently guide the individual seeker toward finding a religious home."--Cleveland Plain Dealer
"If blind belief has driven you to blind disbelief, or if you feel your life is in spiritual disarray, or if you simply want to read something thoughtful and sensitive, try this book. Scotty McLennan is an experienced guide on a variety of paths leading to what we all need--a greater spiritual awareness." --Reverend William Sloane Coffin, author of A Passion for the Possible
Jessica Wang - Paul Corner, Professor of European History, University of Siena - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Michael Stern - Edmund Carlevale - Martin Sieff - Paul Corner, Professor of European History, University of Siena - Jessica Wang - Jessica Wang - Jessica Wang - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Peter Bergen - Gilles Kepel - John Gray - Paul Corner, Professor of European History, University of Siena - Paul Corner, Professor of European History, University of Siena - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - American Historical Review - American Historical Review - American Historical Review - Publishers Weekly - The Washington Times - The Boston Globe - The American Lawyer - New Statesman - Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam - Holy War, Inc. - American Historical Review
Synopsis
In McLennan's bold call to reclaim ownership of Christianity, he advocates a sense of religion based not on doctrinal readings of scripture but on the humanity behind Christ's teachings.
About the Author
The Rev. Scotty McLennan is the dean for religious life at Stanford University. He was the university Chaplain at Tufts University from 1984 to 2000, and senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School for ten of those years. McLennan received his B.A. from Yale University in 1970 as a Scholar of the House working in the area of computers and the mind. He received his M.Div. and J.D. degrees from Harvard Divinity and Law Schools in 1975. In 1975, he was also ordained to the ministry (Unitarian Universalist) and admitted to the Massachusetts bar as an attorney. He is the author of Finding Your Religion and was the inspiration for Doonesbury's Rev. Scott Sloan.