Life after doom Wisdom and courage for a world falling apart

Brian D. McLaren, 1956-

Book - 2024

""A book of rare wisdom, genuinely profound in depth and scope." -Diana Butler Bass, author of Christianity After Religion "As rich and thoughtful as all of Brian McLaren's work, but with a particular urgency!" -Bill McKibben A deeply insightful exploration of how to live with wisdom, resilience and love in our turbulent times For the last quarter-century, author and activist Brian D. McLaren has been writing at the intersection of religious faith and contemporary culture. In Life After Doom, he engages with the catastrophic failure of both our religious and political leaders to address the dominant realities of our time: ecological overshoot, economic injustice, and the increasing likelihood of civilizational ...collapse. McLaren defines doom as the "un-peaceful, uneasy, unwanted feeling" that "we humans have made a mess of our civilization and our planet, and not enough of us seem to care enough to change deeply enough or quickly enough to save ourselves." Blending insights from philosophers, poets, scientists, and theologians, Life After Doom explores the complexity of hope, the necessity of grief, and the need for new ways of thinking, becoming, and belonging in turbulent times. If you want to help yourself, your family, and the communities to which you belong to find courage and resilience for the deeply challenging times that are upon us - this is the book you need right now"--

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Subjects
Genres
Religious materials
Self-help publications
Published
New York : St. Martin's Essentials 2024.
Language
English
Main Author
Brian D. McLaren, 1956- (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
vi, 290 pages ; 25 cm
ISBN
9781250893277
  • Introduction: That Unpeaceful, Uneasy, Unwanted Feeling
  • Part 1. Letting Go: A Path of Descent
  • 1. I Am Waking Up
  • 2. Welcome to Reality
  • 3. Mind Your Mind
  • 4. Send in the Poets
  • 5. When the Story Does Harm, Step Away
  • 6. Hope Is Complicated
  • Part 2. Letting Be: A Place of Insight
  • 7. Learn to See
  • 8. Seek Indigenous Wisdom
  • 9. Don't Read the Bible (in the Same Old Way)
  • 10. Maybe It's Good. Maybe It's Not.
  • 11. I Am a Candle
  • 12. Start with Step One
  • Part 3. Letting Come: A Path of Resilience
  • 13. We Are Not the First Ones Here
  • 14. Imagine Safe Landings and New Beginnings
  • 15. It Only Takes Two or Three
  • 16. When Life Gets Tough, We Get Tougher
  • Part 4. Setting Free: A Path of Agile Engagement
  • 17. Beauty Abounds
  • 18. What a Time to Be Alive
  • 19. Tell Them About the Dream
  • 20. Find Your Light and Shine It
  • 21. We Make the Way by Walking
  • Afterword
  • Acknowledgments
  • Appendices
  • 1. Best Resources on Our Predicament
  • 2. Using This Book for Small Groups, Classes, Sermon Series, and Retreats
  • 3. Three Conversation Starters for Courageous Conversations
  • 4. Your Plan
  • 5. Talking to Children About Our Current Situation
  • 6. A Short List of Biases
Review by Booklist Review

Former pastor McLaren opens his book with several possible paths forward as we face the consequences of climate change. All are bad because he doesn't see any chance for us to redeem ourselves in time to change the drastic outcomes. Energy sources will eventually dry up. Weather will become more extreme. People will turn on each other to fight for survival. So how do we face the future with no overall plan and no hope? McLaren offers the realization that we're living in important times, and that we have an important mission. Our job is to face reality, save what we can, love who we can, and make our lives matter. Individual actions (moving to electric vehicles, eliminating single-use plastic, eating plant-based diets) can help. But combining with others (voting for pro-environment politicians, cleaning up beaches, supporting each other, spreading love) can help even more. McLaren encourages readers to look to Indigenous civilizations and nature for wisdom and courage. Each chapter ends with a "Dear Reader" portion intended to prompt journaling or group conversations. These are not easy conditions to face, but McLaren's candor, insights, and guidance will inspire readers to speak out and make positive changes.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this bracing study, theologian McLaren (Faith After Doubt) challenges readers to recognize "the dangerous future into which we are presently plunging ourselves, our descendants, and our fellow creatures." He casts aside capitalism and "socially disengaged and anti-ecological" Christian theology as tools for tackling climate collapse in favor of a "creative path of resistance" that prioritizes sacrifice, courage, kindness, and wisdom gleaned from "indigenous leaders" and the Bible. (In McLaren's telling, Jesus is as an Indigenous prophet who challenged the "supremacy" of the day's dominant civilizations with values of love.) While the emphasis isn't on action items (suggestions include connecting with neighbors and friends over shared fears, as well as reading a list of books by Indigenous authors), McLaren motivates without resorting to panic and provides insight on why it's hard to come to grips with an existential threat as one's brain ricochets between immediate, primal survival instincts, higher-order risk assessment, and concerns about friends and family. It's a valuable resource for believers concerned about climate change. (Apr.)

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