Brian McLaren is very honest in his book Life After Doom. This book isn't for everyone. He lets you know it is okay to take a break from it or skip certain chapters and go back. This is what I had to do because it is just so much. You do have to be in the right mindset to get through Life After Doom. It is definitely not for everyone.

I did like he has questions at the end of each chapter. They make you dive a little deeper into your thoughts and feelings. This would be a book to read with a group of friends so you have someone to discuss with.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart
by Brian D. McLaren

So at the moment the situation appears grim. And yet there are plenty of reasons to feel hopeful about the future. To name just a few: (NOTE TO EDITOR—Please insert some reasons to feel hopeful about the future, if you can think of any).
—Comedian Dave Barry

Brian D. McLaren begins the introduction to LIFE AFTER DOOM: WISDOM AND COURAGE FOR A WORLD FALLING APART with this and other amusing quotes. The book is a deeply insightful exploration of how to live with wisdom, resilience, and love in our turbulent times. This rich, thoughtful, and urgent book comes highly recommended.

"Riveting. Challenging. Brave. Devastating. Hopeful." —Rabbi Sharon Brous, IKAR, author of The Amen Effect

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.”

McLaren tells us to live boldly and authentically in a world that often stifles individuality and dissent.

He urges us to address climate change and its devastating impacts.

"Normal is so easy to take for granted," McLaren observes, pointing out how easily we become complacent in the face of looming crises. "Doom is a kind of pre-traumatic stress disorder that arises when our old normal is deteriorating and no new normal has come into view."

"These days, more and more of us are experiencing the stages of grief as a shared social experience," he notes, highlighting the collective trauma of living in a world in flux. "Our whole society seems to be ping-ponging back and forth between shock and denial and anger and bargaining and depression."

Full disclosure: I didn’t finish the book. But I will! The only reason I stopped is because McLaren had so thoroughly gained my trust that I took him at his word when he suggested (with great empathy), "If you are already on the edge of a narrow ledge of anxiety and depression because of personal challenges, grief, or illness, this book is not for you, at least not right now." And he’s right. I’m too deep in the collective trauma right now. I’m still in the painful cycles of grief.

Blending insights from philosophers, poets, scientists, and theologians, LIFE AFTER DOOM offers readers a roadmap for navigating an uncertain future with grace and dignity. McLaren's approach is both thought-provoking and deeply empathetic, providing a path forward in a world that often feels on the brink of collapse.

When I’m ready, I’ll pick the book up again and start down that path. One step at a time, one page after the other. Even in the darkest of times, what else can I do?

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for sending this book for review consideration. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#Christian #Religion #Spirituality #SelfHelp

Why is this considered Christian? I did not read any pages of prayers.

Not the type of book I usually read.

This is so depressing.

"The only rational explanation for our inaction, future historians will conclude, was that we are all victims of brainwashing - a combination of religious and economic brainwashing." McLaren starts out in this place of doom and gradually walks us through to living in hope. He looks at our worold through the lens of a Bible that is "the collective diary of an indigenous people who saw what the colonizer mindset was doing to humanity, to Earth, and to her creatures." He has suggestions for all of us. He has questions for each of us to answer individually and in groups. He points out the relationship between capitalism, racism, and environmental destruction. I urge you to read this book. Discuss it with others. I intend to recommend it to my church, my book group, and the Green Team where I live. Please read this.

I suppose when you choose to read a book with doom in the title, you have to be prepared for some dark and heavy content. I didn't need much convincing that we are facing a crisis on our planet. Author Brian McLaren lays out the potential scenarios for our future using comprehensive and detailed arguments. I suppose I wanted more of 'what can I do to help', which comes in the last chapter, and less of the case for 'doom'. Although very well written, I did have to start skimming through the doom to get to the 'where do we go from here' steps. In any case, it tackles the state of our planet, a call to awareness, and the need for change.

Many would acknowledge that we are currently living in a time of deep unease, uncertainty and strife. It can feel quite discouraging as people clash with one another, there are wars, elections, court cases, environmental issues and more to unsettle us. Some may call the overall resultant feeling doom.

The author of this entry in the Essentials series 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.” In this book, the author looks at this complex topic from a vareiety of perspectives. He offers a guide and reflection in these pages to what he calls “wisdom and courage for a world falling apart.”

Chapter title include Letting Go, Letting Be, Letting Come and Setting Free. There is much to think about and readers may see the world and their actions in it differently upon finishing. Look at the questions that the author provides for the reader to think about in each section.

This book does not offer an easy read. It does, however, provide an important one.

Note that the author is a pastor so writes from this perspective.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Brian McLaren never disappoints. His words tumble out, direct, honest, and uplifting. He's able to connect with his readers and guide them through hard times with love and kindness.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I have always felt we do not take care of this planet. This book puts it out there . It was unsettling to read.

When I picked up. this new work from McLaren I expected a book about how to navigate relationships with God and others in a post-COVID world. Something with some sage advice and hope. Instead I found myself plunged into a doomsday scenario diatribe from which I could not escape. While this piece reads a bit more like an environmentalist scare tactic, McLaren gives good research and many ways in which we can hope to steward our planet better. This is certainly not a work for the faint of heart.

Brian D. McLaren’s Life After Doom is a book about a world that is falling apart. McLaren opens each chapter with quotations, and at the end of each chapter are questions and prompts for the reader to think about. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this thought-provoking book about bringing about change to your family, community, and the world.

Life After Doom
by Brad D. McLaren
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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.
I found this book to be a highly readable, although he probably won't change the mind of skeptics. This is a must read for anyone who wants to seriously come to grips with the topics of climate control, the role of politics and what can be done to make a difference…. if it’s not already too late.

Brian McLaren has written a book with an unflinching description of the doom awaiting our civilization and planet. Then gives his best insights on how to move forward within the knowledge of this doom.

His discussion of hope is enlightening and the idea that our best action is to totally embrace each moment is inspiring.

While I am sure some might disagree with some of the particulars, I would recommend this book as a good point to anchor your thoughts and begin to live intentionally and enthusiastically in the present.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.

Brian D. McLaren's Life After Doom presents the climate crisis realistically. While the book includes too much philosophical and quasi- religious rumination and would've been better as a long, focused essay (or a shorter book) about practical preparations for and responses to likely scenarios, it does offer a few helpful takeaways. In the most pointed couple of chapters, McLaren identifies practical strategies for "safe landings and new beginnings," that underscore the need for imagination and integrity no matter where global climate change takes us. The footnotes are pretty good throughout. I wish the bibliography was more extensive, but it's a start. I found the appendices useful.

This book won't convince the skeptic. It does, however, have concrete suggestions and pragmatic resources for the already convinced.

3.5 stars

Another "Christian" book written by a post Christian person who sounds like an atheist. No mention of Jesus in this book but lots of talking points that align with the current cultural fads. Not for me.

Life After Doom is not for the faint of heart. The author gives fair warning and suggestions on how to read his book depending on if you are able to receive some of the information (Chapter 2) and I think that’s helpful and responsible of the author as a courtesy to the readers. I was not expecting to have a hard time with the material and actually was surprised when I had to skip most of Chapter 2 while reading. It’s heavy material about the state of Earth and our interaction with it now and in the future. I went into this book with a side eye, thinking I wouldn’t like it because I don’t like a lot of overtly religious books but the author kept his own person beliefs pretty in check which I appreciated (although I almost turned away completely at the Woody Allen quote in the beginning. The author is also a great writer. Usually with books like this, they can either swing to be completely vapid or completely dense but this was very easy to follow along with for the most part while also experiencing a range of emotions. I don’t know that I could recommend this book to everyone because it is pretty depressing but I thought overall it’s a read I will think about for a long time. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

Honestly this was a tough read for me. The author suggested maybe reading it with a friend and processing it. Not a bad recommendation. There are questions at the end of each chapter to work through. I love self help books and I kept reading it thinking there would be something positive I could hang onto. For me, it was not enough. Very interesting feep dive though into global warming and many other heavy topics. But give it a read and see if it's for you.

Life After Doom
Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart
by Brian D. McLaren
I did so much enjoy this book. It seems people may think some of these thoughts, but dare step out and make them heard. Bravo for being this person. I will keep the hardcover in my guest room.

Life After Doom raises the alarms about the condition of our world. Brian McLaren presents research and very plainly lays out alternatives we face and the outcomes for each of those alternatives. We have ravaged the resources in our world, polluted the water and air, and find ourselves on the precipice of running out of time to be able to turn things around. This is a must read for anyone who wants to seriously come to grips with the topics of climate control, the role of politics and what can be done to make a difference….if it’s not already too late. #lifeAfterDoom #netgalley

I had to hold this book at arm's length, because it was a little too realistic about the prospects of climate change. The author is frank about this is in the introduction and recommends some readers avoid it. Still, I think this is a valuable read as society wrestles with what we've done and where we can go from here.

While I have disagreed with Brian McLaren's theology, I have respected his intellect, so I went into this book hoping it focused on the social issues we're facing. I was encouraged in the Intro when he said he would keep his theology to a minimum, and only bring it in when it was helpful.

If only he had done that, this might have been a good book.

He made some great points about the world we're in, and the psychological factors that affect how we perceive it. He also dismissed the Garden of Eden to an ecological fable and took pages worth of shots at churches--none of which had anything to do with what the book purported to be. With good editing before the final release there's still potential, but the pre-release review copy was disappointing, and a book I can't recommend.