to hell and back again

I count myself lucky, while I have been in and out of difficult periods with my faith, I've never really gotten too hung up on theories of heaven and hell. Sure, when I was younger I had a fascination with Revelations and its vivid language and harsh rhetoric, but I generally shied away from answering questions of was I or someone going to heaven or hell. I think deep down, I didn't feel it was any of my business to make a presumption of anyone's worthiness, especially my own. Having this kind of a background, reading Brian McLaren's latest book The Last Word and the Word After That was eye opening. While A New Kind of Christian, The Story We Find Ourselves In, and A Generous Orthodoxy were all view-changing, life-altering, faith-building experiences... to me this book offered more information than revelation (like More Ready Than You Realize). I found the background historical information about concepts of life after death throughout human history intriguing, and the evolution of Christianity's concept of heaven and hell to be enlightening. I suspect that McLaren's concern about causing division were sound, because the theology/theory concerning hell and the nature of reconciliation with God as presented in the book will not be easy for many people to swallow. However, for me the book more importantly offered examples of where to go next on my journey as a new kind of Christian. It showcased how someone just getting comfortable with new answers and rekindled faith can turn the corner and make a difference. Putting faith into action, connecting Christianity with the world, positive interaction among differing faith communities, and bringing even the smallest of gatherings into a closer communion with God were just some of the portrayals of vibrant faith that I took away from the book. While I didn't necessarily relate as well to the struggles that Pastor Dan goes through in this final book of the trilogy, I feel that I have identified with the phases of the journey he has been on and continues. For example, I never had an "only Brand A Christians go to heaven, and everybody else burns eternally" interpretation of God's judgment, I have wondered about what happens after we die and how I would answer someone else's question to that effect. I feel that by forcing ourselves to face these types of questions, we too can proceed a little further on our own journey which prepares us to help those striving to follow a similar path. Pastor Dan may be a fictional character, but I would wish him well on the rest of his journey and let him know that my friends and I are right behind him.