Ron Cole : off the map...navigating life.

transformation...

I do dimly percieve that whilst everything around me is ever changing, ever dying, there is underlying all that change a Living Power that is changeless, that holds all together, that creates, dissolves and re-creates. That informing Power or Spirit of God. and since nothing else I see merely through the senses can or will persist, He is alone.

And is this Power benevolent or malevolent? I see it as purely benevolent, for I can see that in the midst of death life persists, in the midst of untruth truth persists, in the midst of darkness light persists. Hence I gather that God is Life, Truth, Light. He is Love. He is the supreme good.

But he is no God who merely satisfies the intellect, if he ever can. God to be God must rule the heart and transform it. This can only be done through a definite realization. more real than the five senses can ever produce. It is not proved by extraneous evidence but in the transformed living and character of those who have felt the presence of God within.

(The Essential Ghandi...pg 18)

God's Economy...the redemptive imagination of the Kingdom

The tactics of Jesus have the power to liberate our imaginations and inspire creative subversions of the status quo. They carve out a space where we can ask questions we never knew we could ask:

What if it's possible to live as citizens of

God's abundant kingdom no matter

what government we live under?

What if it's possible to work against the

principalities and powers of this age

without being captive to them ourselves?

What if it's possible to live God's good life

here and now, no matter what economic

situation we find ourselves in?

What if another world is possible?

What if it's already here?

To interupt the logic of scarcity by trusting Jesus in our homes, churches, and communities is to proclaim the only true economy --- the Kingdom that has broken into this world and will one day utterly consume it in a new heaven and earth. ( God's Economy: Redefining the Health and Wealth Gospel by Jonathon Wilson-Hartgrove; pg 75 )

Putting Away Childish Things :: Marcus Borg

I received a copy of Marcus Borg's latest book " Putting Away Childish Things " last Thursday from Harper One to read and review. I finished it last evening. This is Marcus Borg's first novel, a work of fiction, but, something he calls  " didactic " novel. I love the subtitle, " A TALE OF MODERN FAITH ", because I think it captures the essence of the book. The story, it's characters are fictional, yet Borg weaves reference material through out its pages.

My sincere hope is that many people will not dismiss this book because of Marcus Borgs controversial background. We was a fellow of the mid-eighties " Jesus Seminar ", and still one of the most influential voices in " Progressive Christianity ", which characterized by willingness to question tradition, acceptance of human diversity with a strong emphasis on social justice or care for the poor and the oppressed and environmental stewardship of the Earth. Progressive Christians have a deep belief in the centrality of the instruction to " love one another" (John 15:17) within the teaching of Jesus . This leads to a focus on compassion, promoting justice and mercy, tolerance, and working towards solving the societal problems of poverty, discrimination, and environmental issues.

So it is important to understand that this novel flows out of Marcus Borg's life engaged in that contest of living out his faith. This book is extremely important because Christianity is becoming more polarized between the voices of conservatism, liberalism and left and right. As numbers, and churches decline in North America a survival mode mentality becomes the driving force where fundamentalism focuses in on belief more than faithful living.

It will take a special voice, and a different way of writing to engage a polarized faith, to provide a space where we can talk. It will take a story teller. This is a story in which I believe we can all see ourselves, and also the sacred cows that we are unwilling to let roam free.

The story's main character Kate Riley is a popular religious studies professor in a small mid-western liberal arts college. Through the story, and its characters Marcus Borg weaves in the important issues that are dividing and polarizing the Christian faith today. The reader becomes engaged in the deep questions of what does the Bible really teach? Who is Jesus, the historical pre-easter version, and the post-easter Christ version? And, what is the nature of faith today?

One of the dominant strands that weaves its way through the story is " truth ", the postmodern view as truth being relative, shifting sand rubbing against the conservative literal view etched in granite. It is the polarization of truth...factuality is the evidence, verifying something as " true." Or, if evidence can not be excavated like an archaeologist, then truth becomes belief...something different than faith.

In a radio interview Kate is questioned around the gospel stories of Jesus birth, where she claims truth and factuality are not the same thing.

The host spoke again. " So, with these differences --- and some sounding like contradictions---are you saying that these stories aren't historically factual? I think most Christians believe they are---that these things did happen. But if they didn't happen this way, why should people take them seriously?"

" Well," Kate answered, " that depends upon how we see these stories. If we see their purpose as historical reporting, to tell us what happened, then the matter of factuality matters a great deal. People often get fixated on factuality: either things happened this way, or these stories aren't true. ( page 25 )

Through Kate, Borg introduces many of the gospel stories are overtures or parables. Like an overture to a symphony typically introduces the central themes of the symphony as a whole, the birth stories in the gospels are an overture to the grand themes of the good news and Kingdom that follow.

" Parables are about meaning, not factuality. And the truth of a parable is its meaning. Parables can be truthful, truth-filled, even while not being historically factual. And I apply this to the birth stories: we best understand them when we see them as parables and overtures, and when we don't argue about whether they're factual." ( page 26 )

Borg through the voice of Kate offers us a middle way, between the the fortified walls of liberalism and conservatism...where profound divine truth might be found between the arguing, and fighting voices for literalism, and that of a pious fable. Where truth is found in meaning, that place where the Psalmist says deep calls to deep...or to Jesus saying the Kingdom can be found in faith as small as a mustard seed.

In Marcus Borg's book he engages us in the current conversation of religion and politics. Kate believes the separation of religion and politics is un biblical. Reading the gospel stories one can not miss the clash of Roman Empire theology, and that of Jesus Kingdom. This is the reality that made the Jesus so subversive. The Kingdom was a threat to the empire. Jesus death was political as much as it was spiritual. The book draws into the conversation where we must honestly face politics and faith together not as separate entities. The faith of Jesus confronted the politics of the day..." Putting Away Childish things " reminds us, we need do the same.

As I found myself coming to the closing pages of the book, something profound percolated to surface of my mind...what makes a Christian. In our current landscape, it is all over the map...everyone fighting for territory. Stake our claim, and then fight to try and dominate and expand our borders.

In the closing chapters is a seminary in a quandary, about to receive a generous endowment for a chair in evangelical thought. The faculty meets but before they can pursue potential applicants there is great discussion on how the label is applied.

“It seems to me that there isn’t a general sense of agreement about what makes an evangelical… Would it be enough if those under consideration identify themselves as evangelicals? Or does it mean that they have to meet certain standards, such as professing a belief in the inerrancy of Scripture, confessing Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation, having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, or counting the Bible as the ultimate basis for their beliefs rather than experience or tradition?” (149)

Some may be mystified by Marcus Borg's change of direction to a fictional novel. But, sometimes you need a story teller to help you see a new way. I highly recommend this book. It is my hope it will draw us all to a place of humble hospitality where grace abounds. To a place where there is always an open table an empty chair to accommodate everyone. We need more than ever to rediscover the faith that Jesus lived and spoke, Putting Away Childish Things brings us to place to talk about what that is.

Jesus Manifesto...or ultimatum

This would not be the first time something hasn't lived up to its billing. Two great authors, a very cool title...possibly borrowed, or. So it was with a sense of expectation I waited the arrival of " Jesus Manifesto." If you have been indoctrinated into the Christian culture this book will not reveal anything you don't already know. That's not a bad thing, reminders as to the fundamentals of faith are always worth revisiting. The book reaffirms the centrality of Jesus to the Christian faith. In many cases the church has lost its anchor in that truth and drifts, tossed around by what ever it can attach itself for some kind of relevance. Len Sweet and Frank Viola remind us constantly that Christianity is not a religion lived out by principles, but that it is a " living faith " in which Jesus dwells within us. We live faith out of that mysterious truth, and reality.

My problem is how the Jesus Manifesto is presented. More than a manifesto, it is an ultimatum as to a belief in a theological formulation presented by the authors. All through the book I was challenged by the thought of, " if I don't believe exactly what these guys believe, I'm not in." Does one subscribe to all of their manifesto, or bits and pieces?

And if your really looking at the centrality of Jesus as to faithful living, then your vision of Jesus should be uncompromisingly clear. I am in no way doubting the supremacy of Jesus, but when you pluck him from the messiness of the gospels it creates a sterile one dimensional Jesus.

In there constant reminder of being " In " Christ, the present reality that now Jesus dwells with in you. We live out of that truth, that we can live our lives as Jesus. Am I correct, or am I missing something? If this is the central pinning of faith...how is it " lived out " in the context of the Kingdom now, and God's passion for Justice and Mercy. How is the Manifesto lived out in the radical scandalous redemptive imagination of God's grace as seen in Jesus.

By the time I came to the closing paragraphs of the book I was left with the Manifesto being nothing more than correct belief...that right belief was for important the right living. I read the gospels time and time again, and I am constantly confronted with a Jesus that is far more concerned with a faith lived out. He didn't rent some classroom space in the local temple where he taught doctrine and theology about himself. He immersed them into the brokenness of life where they discovered God's passion for grace, justice and mercy. They discovered that in Jesus is the fullness of God, the redemptive imagination of God come to life...in word, and action. This book seems to minimize this reality, with statements like this;

" the social and political reform of the world through the powers than be has never been the agenda of the body of Christ. Caesar sought to change the hearts of men by laws and institutions. Jesus changes the hearts of men and women and brings them into a new society, the church...pg 111 "

I wonder if Jesus had spent three years  in a classroom of the disciples taking notes, power point presentations, quizzes and final exams if they would have discovered the " real " Jesus. I don't think you can know Jesus unless you jump overboard into the ocean of humanity, and follow him through the ebb and flow of "all " life...not just "in" the church. 

Can there be faith with out living it out. This " Christ with in ", can we know " him " without letting him live our lives. It seems to me, the disciples always seemed to discover their greatest reality of Jesus through the thin broken windows of life...a woman at a well, a prostitute washing his feet with tears, eating with sinners, rubbing spit and mud in a blind mans eyes, washing feet...and listening to wild scandalously beautiful stories about God's Kingdom.

We can only discover the living Christ looking and living through the same broken window. If faith is reduced to mere belief, it will always be reduced to something that needs to be defended instead of lived.

In the end what really bothered me about Jesus Manifesto was the authors insistence that so many theological tensions are not complex relationships between interpretations and implications, there is no living in between...it's all reduced to a zero-sum game. You can teach on how to live by faith, wrestling out the tensions of living out the reality of the parables in everyday life, or you can teach Christ, but not both.( page 13 ) For the authors...it is teach " Christ " only.

You can learn theology, wrestling out its truths in everyday living, or you can worship " Christ ", but not both.( page 19 ) For the authors...it is worship " Christ " only. You can strive to imitate Jesus in living out your faith, or you can invite " Christ " to indwell in you, but not both. ( page 68 ). For the authors...it is the indwelling " Christ ", but it is nothing more than downloading theological truths. You can be interested in " causes ", or the praxis of faith, or worship " Christ ", but not both. For the authors it is the ritual, the act of worship that trumps praxis.

In the end it becomes glaringly clear that excessive focus on any of these things would reduce ones Christianity to a pious veneer, a top coat of exterior paint to one's life.

I'm reminded in the end of the story of the transfiguration, the disciples see Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah and the urge to build something static, something they could always come back to and worship. I find in the gospels little evidence of Jesus concern that the disciples should worship him. In the end, after three years with the disciples, time is running out in the upper room. More than anything the Master must make it clear what faith is all about. So he washes there feet, and tells them to do like wise. It really is summed up by loving God with all your heart, soul and strength...and to love your neighbor. There, is the tension of worship and practice. They are inseparable. Sadly this is what Jesus Manifesto has tried to do...taking faith out of the context of life, and removing Jesus from his humanness.

Is the book worth reading, yes. But beware, it presents only one dimension of Jesus, and one dimension of faith.

In the light of my review, a great article in the National Catholic Reporter, Claiborne and Rohr, " Uninformed Future ", In Search of the Emerging Church.

Kester Brewin...a must read

Has What Emerged Retreated? | Returning to Institutions [3]

Read the whole post ... HERE.

Brian McLaren live...dig deep

 

I thought, and I fought long and hard. I love Brian McLaren, I own, and have read every book Brian has written. I have wrestled with his musings on theology, and missiology...it has had a profound effect on my journey. But, the " live " Brian I can't afford at the moment, or really justify spending that much. Others in conversation this week have expressed the same comments.

Brian is coming to Victoria BC, to Christ Church Cathedral May 29th as keynote speaker on a conference titled, " Evangelism and Transformation in a Secular Society." I would have hoped that the conference organizers would have made the conference a little more progressive in terms of technology. Creating a site and live streaming the conference could have made the conference more accessible and affordable to a greater number of people.( Theology after Google streamed all their talks live...for free, and most recently Transform was free and posted the video talks to anyone interested in the conversation) In know in the past of having Brian on the island, by the time you add Ferry costs, and hotel, and meals...it's expensive. I know Brian is an advocate of using technology to increase the scope of accessibility to his teaching.

Evangelism is about critical mass...somehow if organizers had a greater imagination on connecting using the tools of the secular society they are trying to engage they could create more gravity.

Anyways, I'm not putting down Brian, in a church that struggles to find it's way in postmodernism and post Christendom he is a voice of wisdom, a voice that stretches and encourages. He calls all to an open table of conversation in humility, hospitality and grace. So, if you have 100$ hidden in the recesses of you pockets...go see Brian. Prepare to be challenged.

Be blessed Brian, maybe, in wild act of fate we'll bump into each other on the street.

It's really all about God...

For years, I've been talking about the three monotheistic religions to nonbelievers. And here is what I here : " At best, Jews, Christians and Muslims look like three religious stooges in a slapstick comedy. At worst, they look like three brothers with hands clasped in prayer and soaked in blood." We have littered history with incredible amounts of stupidity, injustice and suffering.

In every relationship, there comes a threshold when mere apologies will not do anymore. It seems we have crossed that line.

The world has simply had it with us. Nobody is listening anymore. Until we embrace the limitations of our own creaturehood, we have nothing more to say or do to make the difference we were meant to make in the world.

The mission is over. Monotheism will either die or evolve.

If you read one book this year, read Samir Selmanovic's " It's Really All About God " It is a game changer, he raises the stakes of all religion. Finally a voice comes offering hope at the collision of religions in the intersection of life.

An ancient recipe, with a new label...A New Kind of Christianity

I've reached the mid point in Brian McLaren's latest musings, " A New Kind of Christianity." So this is likely a good place to pull over to the side of the road and digest, and put some thoughts to paper. My first thought is this book will get a lot of people navigating towards it just because of its title  " A New Kind of." If anything, it was marvelous marketing strategy. To attract the fundamentalist, so they know what there up against; and the emerging conversation so they get a glimpse of what may be on the horizon. But the reality...it may be more old school, than new school.

I think his musings will be shocking for much of Christendom that still lives in the corridor of modernity, and will be seen as heretical by much of the North American Evangelical church. But, I think Brian McLaren draws a lot of his so called newness from an ancient well of wisdom of historic Christianity that the Evangelical church oblivious to. He draws from the apophatic theological influences in Christianity such as Miester Eckart, that drew – not only from Gospel and Pauline narratives, Peter Rollins draws a lot of wisdom from this well in his writings. Also from Neoplatonism, influential thinkers such as Plotinus, Pseudo-Dionysius and John Scotus Eriugena. And also from a writer Percy Walker, his influence and interest in philosophy and semiotics. 

So the fact all may not be " new " is ok, because I think Brian McLaren, in his musings takes us on an important journey to renewed paradox, tension, mystery, non-dualistic thinking...and profound redemptive imagination. In a moment where we find ourselves at the edge of religion, and science, if anything Brian McLaren helps us to re-imagine hope...a way out of the box of religion.

So., lets quickly look at the contents of Book One, " UNLOCKING AND OPENING." It is broken down into 5 questions, The Narrative Question; The Authority Question; The God Question; The Jesus Question; and the Gospel Question.

In the Narrative Question we discover the unspoken story line of the Bible that we explicitly taught- or implicitly taught that could be diagrammed by 6 lines. (1) Eden, (2) Fall, (3) Condemnation, (4) Hell, Damnation, (5) Salvation, (6) Heaven. He also talks about the Greco-Roman Narrative this mindset that gives us a skewed image of God that Brian McLaren says is similar in many ways to the Greek god Zeus. He calls him Theos who loves spirit, state and beings, and hates matter, story and becoming, since once again the latter involves change, and the only way to move from perfection is down ward towards decay. Anything that drops out of state of perfection must be destroyed, or made to suffer. Hence our six line reading of the biblical narrative. Brian, tells us it's time to exit the Greco-Roman narrative to quietly and courageously walk out the door and leave it's six lines behind. Then Brian takes us through setting the stage for Biblical narrative. The protagonist of Genesis bearing with a rebellious and foolish humanity time and time again. It's a stage where humanity seems to rise in steps of worldly influence and power, but with each gain, humanity descends into loss. I think what will upset many is Brian Mclarens musings around Adam, Eve and the apple...

Notice the text does not say they will be condemned to hell, be " spiritually separated from God," be pronounced " fallen " or " condemned ", or be tainted with something called the " original sin " that will be passed on to their children. There is only one consequence indicated in the text: they will die - not spiritually die, not relationally die, not ontologically die, but simply die.

For Brian McLaren, the Biblical narrative, God's unfolding drama is nota narrative shaped by the 6 lines of the Greco-Roman scheme of perfection, fall, condemnation, salvation and heavenly perfection or eternal perdition. It is a narrative about the downside of " progress "- a story of human foolishness and God's faithfulness, the human turn toward rebellion, and God's turn towards reconciliation, the human intention towards evil and God;s intention to overcome evil with good. We might say it's a story of goodness being created and re-created.Is this Pelagianism, shadows of Charles Finney, Asa Mahan, or Winkie Pratney. I applaud this bold, imaginative reading of the narrative. For some it will be a huge leap,a non-duality interpretation might be too much paradox, to much mystery. But, in it there is a redemptive imagination that will attract the mind of all humanity, not just the religious.

Brian McLaren then asks the Jesus Question. I think a lot of people are going to find his image of Jesus is too toned down. Not being as powerfully portrayed in the creeds, and as in some of the Pauline narrative, people may be confused by where Brian is going. It is all narrative, Brian attempts to sew the eternal mystery, that incarnational thread that is Jesus from beginning to end. Jesus is the center, or backbone of the story. Jesus holds the story, and all creation together. Brian McLaren's Jesus is seen in the Genesis story of creation and reconciliation; the Exodus story of liberation and formation; and the Isaiah story of new creation and a peace-making Kingdom...and as NT Wright says, the inauguration as seen in the gospels. Is Brian McLaren's Jesus too small...

In this light, Jesus' offers of " life of the ages " and " life abundant " sparkle with new significance. When Jesus promises " life of the ages " ( a better translation of the Greek zoein aionian, I believe, than, " eternal life ", the meaning of which is poorly framed in many minds be the 6 line narrative ), he's not promising " life after death ", or " life in eternal heaven instead of eternal hell." Instead Jesus is promising a life that transcends " life in the present age " an age that is soon going to end in tumult. Being " born of God " and " born again " or " born from above " would in this light mean being born into this new creation. So again, Jesus is offering life in the new Genesis, the new creation that is " of the ages "...meaning it is part of God's original creation...( page 130 )

But even these few examples, selected from so many more, make it clear that Jesus, contrary to my dear loyal critic's assertion, did not come to save souls from hell. No, he came to launch a new Genesis, to lead a new Exodus, and to announce, embody, and inaugurate a new Kingdom as the Prince of Peace. ( page 135 )

So is Brian McLaren's vision of the Kingdom verses heaven drastically different from Bishop NT Wright's in Surprised by Hope,... christians wrong about heaven, says bishop.

For Brian McLaren, it is absolutely clear, the gospels, the good news is about " the Kingdom." But readers will be challenged by the openness of the " New Kind of Christianity " Kingdom message, for many it may be to pluralistic, almost bordering " universalism." 

Beyond that, I always assumed that " kingdom of God " meant " kingdom of heaven ", which meant " going to heaven after you die ", which required believing the message of Paul's letter to the Romans, which I understood to teach the theory of atonement called " penal substitution ", which was the basis for a formula of forgiveness of original sin called, " justification by grace through faith." ( page 138 )

An increasing number of us, when freed from the constraints of the 6 line Greco-Roman narrative and associated constitutional reading of the Bible, gain courage to speak what has become joyfully clear to us in this fresh reading of the gospels: Jesus did not come to start a new religion to replace first Judaism and then all other religions, whether by pen, the pulpit, the sword, or the apocalypse. ...

Instead, he came to announce a new kingdom, a new way of life, a new way of peace that carried the good news to all people of every religion. A new kingdom is much bigger than a new religion, and in fact it has room for many religious traditions with in it. ( page 139 )

Even with in the context of the 6 line Greco-Roman narrative, I've always been mystified that the redemptive story seems to go back as far the Exodus story, where God liberates his people. But in the context of the Genesis story, to the original sin which initiates the first line, this is the embryonic origin of humanity void of any religious label. So even in a narrative reading as Brian lays out, and even in the 6 lines...Jesus should be seen as liberator, reconciler for all humanity...outside the context, and inside the context of all religions. So Brian McLaren's offers a hope for all humanity, a redemptive imagination that should rekindle hope, and a way forward beyond religious exclusiveness. 

Christian universalism musings are not new, there have been many passionate followers of Jesus that have explored this theological understanding. Brian McLaren just awakens us again to it's redemptive imagination. 

So I know pull back out onto the road and read Part Two, and I look in the rear view mirror and exhale. Many in the church will be repulsed by " A New Kind of Christianity ", but I wonder how many who have left the church in the last 10-15 years will be attracted by this message. I think Brian has given us nothing new, it comes from depth of ancient wisdom... he gives us a breath taking image of an ongoing relationship between God and humanity.

My friend Al and I have been getting together every week at Spiral Cafe in Vic West, I managed to get a couple of copies of the book to review together. It was decided we would read the book in 2 chunks, Book One and Book 2, in 2 weeks. We would post our thoughts reviewing the book and then get together for coffee, that way we wouldn't be influencing each others thoughts. You can check out Al's review of Book One...here.

I also encourage you to follow the video conversations with Spencer Burke and Brian McLaren over at Ooze TV. Over ten weeks they will be engaging in the 10 Questions found in " A New Kind of Christianity."

critique...finding hope in the suspension between questions, and answers

I was going to write something around the recent public discourse around Brian McLaren's new book, " A New Kind of Christianity." But then I got the heads-up from Mike Morrell over his thoughts on the recent deterioration of critique around what was once an open table of humble thought provoking conversation.

Anyways, Mike, I think sums up how many of us are feeling. I said this in the comments to Mike...

So much of what I’m reading is beyond good critique, it’s almost character assassination…jumping on the band wagon, bordering mob mentality. My book just arrived, so I’m barely into it. Am I being stretched…you bet. Brian doesn’t expect everyone to drink the KOOL AID, he expects critique. The hope is not to win or even to convert the other to your perspective, but for both to be transformed through the engagement.The hope is not to defeat, condemn to beat up on each other, the hope is in some kind of reconciliation, not avoiding differences but seeing them as an expression of a God so large, so gracious…whose love will conquer anything. Is it possible to critique with out an attempt to wound, hurt…and stomp the conversation out like crushing a cigarette butt. I’m really beginning to wonder.

Anyways, below are Mikes thoughts and encouragement to move us to place where we can stretch each other...as friends.

 

( image courtesy Andrew Jones )

 

It’s a new year; A New Kind of Christianity is out. I highly recommend it; it’s a fantastically thought-provoking book. Not everyone would agree, though – which is perfectly fine. Iron sharpening iron and all that. But it’s not just content-disagreement; it’s becoming increasingly fashionable to bash Brian McLaren these days. This has been the case for years actually in certain quarters, but in the last few months it’s become common for folks who might’be happily displayed a ‘Friend of Emergent’ badge on their blog a couple of years ago – folks for whom Emergent has become either too ‘establishment’ or (more common) too ‘liberal.’ I deliberately haven’t posted at all on the latest spate of ‘breaking up with emergent’ posts here because, frankly, they depress the hell out of me. But you can find a roundup of the points and counter-points here on my Delicious bookmarks. At the end of the day, I think some valid critiques have been raised, for sure, but the overall tenor of dismissal is rather debilitating, to be honest ... ... ... 

Read the complete post ... Here.

Something is on the way out and something else is being painfully born. It is as if something were crumbling, decaying, exhausting itself, while something else, still indistinct, were arising from the rubble...we are in a phase when one age is succeeding another, when everything is possible. ( Vaclav Havel )

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love ( Mother Tersa ). Wise words from saint, wisdom for a way forward.

I purposely have not included links, I think a lot of it is attention seeking...and there is no sense in feeding the bad dogs in the neighborhood.

Friend of Questians...

My good friend Bill Dahl, in a recent interview with Brian McLaren has been receiving a ton of traffic, and an over loaded e-mail in box. People are really anticipating the very soon release of Brian's new book on February 9th 2010.

Bill has been telling me there have been too many e-mails to count from readers of the interview who want further clarification on the " Friend of Questians " symbol he asked Brian about in the interview in reference to " Question # 10."

                                                 

Below is an excerpt of the interview question where Bill raised the " Friend of Questians " symbol issues relevance to Brian - and Brian's response.

You can read the conversational exchange between Bill and Brian... here.