A Daring Reads Conversation
Reading Brian D. McLaren's Life After Doom together
Several weeks ago, I picked up Brian McLaren’s Life After Doom. From the beginning, I knew this was a book I needed to read with other people. In fact, different people appeared to me as I worked through it, including people who don’t live nearby.
And as I thought through the season and all that we are dealing with, the less I wanted to host a “book study” where we talk through everything we’ve read. What I wanted was something closer to a gathering of people on a journey together, who can “check-in” to see what is going on with us.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, I hosted an in-person book group that I called Daring Reads. The point was to read books that pushed us a little bit, inviting us to examine life and faith in ways we weren’t used to. In a sense, this is the ultimate Daring Read. And I wanted to extend the invitation to others join me on this journey.
What to Expect
Life After Doom is an emotional rollercoaster, inviting us to ride through the highs and lows of what it means to be human at a time when our understanding of climate change has brought us to some of the most difficult challenges we have ever faced — and the specter that our most difficult challenges as a species may yet be ahead of us.
So, at any point that you want to opt out, feel free. The book will be there when you’re ready. And others will be here to talk with you then. McLaren also suggests that some might choose to skip ahead in the book to part three if that works for you.
McLaren has written this book with the reader’s development in mind. So as you read, please keep a journal of quotes or thoughts as you read. And take particular note of the shaded boxes at the end of each chapter. Here, McLaren offers questions for reflection. These are often great prompts for journaling and will form the basis for my reflections and our optional “check-ins.”
Over the next twelve weeks, we’ll read two chapters per week, which is around 20 pages. It is a light enough pace and McLaren’s writing is accessible so this should fit into nearly any schedule. So if you’re up for it, go get the book and join me right here. I’ll share some of my reflections each week and I’d love to hear yours.
If you want to join us for the Zoom check-in (nearly) each week, you can find the schedule below with a link here to join this special gathering. We’ll want to keep this a safe space, so be generous to each other. We’ll try to keep these check-ins simple, with introductions and sharing our journal reflections and finish with any housekeeping we might need to take care of.
If you live in the Terre Haute area, I do office hours at Bear’s Coffee + Roasting on Thursdays (1 pm to 3 pm). That would be a great time to have a conversation!
Schedule
Over the next few weeks, we’ll have Zoom check-ins at 6 pm Eastern Time. Our first will be Standard Time and then after, Daylight Saving Time. Starting in April, things get weird because of calendars (including spring break and Holy Week) so notice no check-ins and a unique Wednesday check-in on the 9th. Then we return to Thursdays for the rest of the time together.
Thursday, March 6 @6pm — Intro & Ch. 1
Thursday, March 13 @6pm — Ch. 2 & 3
Thursday, March 20 @6pm — Ch. 4 & 5
Thursday, March 27 @6pm — Ch. 6 & 7
No Check in April 3 — Ch. 8 & 9
Wednesday, April 9 @6pm — Ch. 10 & 11
No Check in — Ch. 12 & 13
Thursday, April 24 @6pm — Ch. 14 & 15
Thursday, May 1 @6pm — Ch. 16 & 17
Thursday, May 8 @6pm — Ch. 18 & 19
Thursday, May 15 @6pm — Ch. 20 & 21
Thursday, May 22 @6pm — Afterward, Appendices, and Review
You’re Not Alone
This is why I wanted to share this book with you. Because we need each other.
And at some point you’ll get the weird feeling of gathering online to talk about this. Maybe it will be at the first session or the sixth. But it will almost feel absurd to do it this way. I kept second-guessing myself, these thoughts, this way of connecting — it needs to be local. Yes. And. Not all of us have someone yet. Someone to talk about this stuff with, to read with. Not everyone has that community. Heck, I’ve run the aforementioned book studies with three or four people who spend a lot of time wondering how to share this with other people.
Today, this is how. And if you are up for it, I’d love to have you join us.
Get the book.
Keep a journal.
Join the Zoom check-ins.
Find others who are exploring what starts after we deal with the thing that stops us from doing anything.
I am excited to hear what you think!
Be Well!
Drew