Jesus Was a Liberal: Reclaiming Christianity for All

"McLennan (Dean for Religious Life, Stanford Univ.; Finding Your Religion), ordained in the Unitarian Universalist faith, examines liberal Christianity, its definitions of relevant terms like God and faith, and its stand on issues as diverse as abortion, same-sex marriage, poverty, and war. He takes time to distinguish liberal Christianity from conservative Christianity on the one hand and atheism on the other, but this is not a combative book. Rather, McLennan focuses on the Christian call to a love of all humankind and the necessity of tolerance that this entails. McLennan's writing is that of a thoughtful scholar, not inaccessible but rigorously considered. He draws from the Bible and from a plethora of recent and classic authors. This book will reward any reader with an open mind and a curiosity about the breadth of the Christian faith." –Library Journal Reviews (Link to full review)

"At a time when political and religious liberals are taking refuge in the word 'progressive,'” McLennan (Finding Your Religion) presents an unapologetic case for liberal Christianity. Reporting that about 20% of Americans are liberal Christians, he states, 'Too many of them choose silence, afraid to use the word 'liberal' to describe where they stand.' He immediately tackles hot-button topics — abortion, science and same-sex marriage — then moves on to liberal perspectives on God, Jesus, the Trinity, the church and the Bible as well as feminist theology and living faithfully as a liberal Christian. Personal anecdotes from McLennan's own faith journey and advice for practitioners vary in effectiveness, but few liberal concerns about traditional Christianity go unaddressed. Dean for Religious Life at Stanford University, an inspiration for Doonesbury's Rev. Scott Sloan of comic strip fame and a Unitarian Universalist minister, McLennan and his theology may not always draw agreement from other Christians who consider themselves liberals, nor does the book engage postmodern 'emergent' theology. But McLennan's 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] timely and powerfully-reasoned argument that it's 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, Pulitzer Prize-winning 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 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

"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

“[Scotty] has written his opus on progressive Christianity without disparaging the conservative Christians or the public atheists to whose positions his book carefully responds. With his typical generosity of spirit, Scotty shares how much he respects and learns from those with whom he substantially disagrees, while using them to locate progressives in the center of the Christian tradition. Scotty is the real person behind the figure of Rev. Scot Sloan in Doonesbury, created by McLennan’s Yale roommate, Garry Trudeau. Contrary to his comic-strip caricature as the pastor of a nearly empty church, McLennan’s big audience will grow bigger with the launch of this new book. Jesus Was A Liberal is the best introduction to theologically and socially progressive Christianity that I’ve read in the past several years… In the cause of redeeming the faith, whether we use the word ‘liberal’ or ‘progressive,’ nobody stands taller – literally and figuratively - than Scotty McLennan." –Jim Burklo, Associate Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California, and author of  Birdlike and Barnless: Meditations, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians

"It's a great time to be a liberal Christian! Of all of the introductions to progressive Christianity I've read, I think I would most enjoy using Jesus Was a Liberal: Reclaiming Christianity for All by Rev. Scotty McLennan (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) with a book group that was held in a neutral, secular setting. McLennan is the Dean for Religious Life at Stanford University, and he was one of two inspirations for Rev. Scot Sloan in the Doonesbury comic strip. What makes his book unique is the rich pool of experience that he brings to his writing as an author, a professor, a chaplain, an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, an attorney, and more. Throughout the book, McLennan weaves together personal stories, quotes from a very wide spectrum of religious books (conservative Christian, atheist, Buddhist, Jewish, and many others), church and biblical history, theology, and his own musings to create a rich and beautiful tapestry. The title, Jesus Was a Liberal, would easily give a person who passed this book in a bookstore the idea that the focus is only on Jesus, [but] McLennan mostly leaves the scholarly exploration of the historical Jesus to other books. He takes his seasoned liberal faith and applies it to a wide number of topics, putting his cards on the table immediately by looking at science, abortion, and same-sex marriage before diving into the more expected fare of the Bible, God, the Church, and being in dialog with both atheists and conservative Christians. McLennan's exploration of each topic is concise and easy to follow. All of the major topics are beautifully summarized in a way that only a lifelong liberal Christian can, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, Communion, Sabbath, and the seasons of the Church year. The blend of hot-button topics, traditional religious themes and interests, and descriptions of the progressive Christian life make this a stand-out book and highly accessible reading for both those who are immersed in or only casually interested in the Christian faith. Jesus Was a Liberal is worth a liberal dose of your time!" –Tim Gossett, The Daily Voice

"If this book had been written about 5 or 6 years ago and I had read it at that time—a time when I was exploring the Christian faith—I might be a Christian today. The book is well written and easy to understand. While McLennan doesn’t shy away from biblical scholarship and discussions of abstract ideas, like the mathematical concept of infinity, he presents these things in ways that are understandable for the layperson.  Though the book is primarily intended for liberal Christians, I think that it’s an excellent read for both non-Christians and conservative Christians.  It’ll help non-Christians (especially the non-religious) realize that Christianity is not the exclusive domain of the ultra-conservative, and that Christianity has been and can continue to be an agent for positive change in the world. And conservative Christians will be able to develop a better understanding of the more liberal members of their faith. Perhaps they’ll even realize that just because someone is liberal doesn’t mean that they aren’t a “real” Christian." –Adam Snider,  Alberta Anthology (Link to Full Review)

 

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