Brian McLaren

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian known for his contributions to contemporary Christianity. McLaren was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. His work has been featured in TIME Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, The New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN. He played a significant role in the emerging church movement and has addressed issues of justice, doubt, and spiritual renewal within Christian communities.

Before focusing on writing and speaking, McLaren worked in academia and pastoral ministry. He taught writing and literature at colleges and universities in the Washington, D.C., area and helped form Cedar Ridge Community Church, a nondenominational congregation in Spencerville, Maryland. McLaren served as the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church, which became known for its leadership among emerging missional congregations. He has received honorary doctorates in divinity from Carey Theological Seminary in Vancouver, Canada, and Virginia Theological Seminary.

McLaren is the author of more than 20 books that have influenced conversations about faith, doubt, and the future of Christianity. His first work of teaching fiction, "A New Kind of Christian," received Christianity Today's Award of Merit and is considered a pivotal text for Emergence Christianity. He continued with a trilogy concluding with "The Last Word and the Word After That," which explores questions of hell and final judgment. His book "The Great Spiritual Migration" examines shifts in Christian belief and practice. "Faith After Doubt" presents a four-stage model of faith development, emphasizing the role of questions and doubt in spiritual growth. Other titles include "Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart" and "The Last Voyage," the first in a science fiction trilogy. His books have been translated into multiple languages, including Korean, Chinese, French, Swedish, Norwegian, German, and Spanish.

In addition to writing, McLaren is a frequent speaker and educator, participating in conferences and leadership gatherings across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. His public speaking addresses topics such as postmodern thought, Biblical studies, church leadership, spiritual formation, pastoral well-being, inter-religious dialogue, contemplative spirituality, activism, and global challenges. McLaren serves as a faculty member and Dean of Faculty for the Centre for Action and Contemplation. He is also a podcaster with "Learning How to See" and co-hosts "Southern Lights." McLaren's work continues to engage with issues of faith, justice, and the evolving landscape of Christianity.