new mclaren stuff

so brian mclaren has a new book coming out called the secret message of jesus

and well, the book isnt out, all ive read is the publicists remarks... but...

i have to say that it really seems like he is just repackaging other people stuff, adding some coment and making it more accessible. i love the guy, his stuff has really cahnged my life, but really this book to me, looks like it will be N.T Wright repackaged. So maybe it would just be best to read the challenge of jesus, which might i add is an awesome book that will make you think an awful lot. now... in general mclaren seems to steer away from being too (too too) liberal, but i wouldnt be surprised if he hits on the themes of Marcus Borg in there too, which i can say meeting jesus again for the first time, is worth reading - but i dont subscribe to most of his thoughts, but see the worth in them, and some have actually helped my understanding of my faith (does that make me one of these guys? i dont think so). and lastly, for a great discussion of the cutting edge - the two guys Wright and Borg actually argue (in a spirit of friendship) in the meaning of jesus - which for anyone out there really wanting to explore who jesus was - from both sides of the argument (or the most scholarly arguments anyways) this book is for you.
anyways. back to mclaren...

on his site, he mentions another book he is working on another book called "the way of the ancient practices". and well i wonder if we look back a few years whether richard foster's celebration of discipline would be similar? and well... if we look a little more recently... Tony Jones's the sacred way pretty much covers the same content (by the looks of the new book anyway).

a fair amount of the content from the story we find ourselves in, (the whole theistic/deistic evolution position) a generous orthodoxy (again see richard foster) and the last word and the word after that (again i felt like i was reading a sumary of NT Wright or Walter Brueggemann in parts), is all repackaging. how long will this go on???

the books mclaren has his own authority on come down to experience in my opinion. a new kind of christian (an amazing work) is like the great sample bag of postmodern/emerging/whatever-theology and really seems to show his struggles in a fresh vulnerable light. i would also think that the church on the other side, finding faith and definately more ready than you realise (which i also highly recomend)are all much more packed with his own stuff...

having said all this. mclaren has a way with words, an amazing way with words that i can compare to few others personally (only eugene peterson comes to mind). i imagine his takes on these subject areas will change people, will certainly be more accessible than those he sources, and will probably spend a fair bit of time (in the apendixes) giving credit to those who deserve it.

all i can say is that mclaren is great, but maybe there are other great writers out there too. ones that arent really getting the credit they deserve due to a louder voice sharing their opinions. having said that, is it better for your ideas to get out there shared by someone else, or to not get out there at all? mclaren has a way of impacting people, and surely use other peoples stuff to do that cant be bad thing... can it?