McLaren attended the University of Maryland where he received both a B.A. (1978) and M.A. (1981) [4][5] He holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Carey Theological Seminary, Vancouver. In 2010 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal).
From 1978-1986 McLaren taught college English. He helped form Cedar Ridge Community Church, a non-denominational church in Spencerville, Maryland, in 1982.[6] He was founding pastor and served in that capacity until 2006. The church eventually grew to include 500 members.[7]
In 2011, McLaren defended Rob Bell's controversial book Love Wins against critiques from figures such as Albert Mohler, who argued that Bell advocated universalism.[8]
In 2013, McLaren stated that he did not believe homosexual conduct to be sinful.[9]
In 2015, McLaren was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.[10]
McLaren is married and has four children and five grandchildren.[5][11] In September 2012, McLaren led a commitment ceremony for his son Trevor and partner Owen Ryan at the Audubon Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase, Maryland.[12]
Brian D. McLaren; Tony Campolo (2003). Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel. Emergent YS. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Andy Crouch; Michael Horton; Frederica Mathewes-Green; Brian D. McLaren; Erwin Raphael McManus (2003). Leoard Sweet (ed.). The Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives. Emergent YS. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I am a missional + evangelical + post/protestant + liberal/conservative + mystical/poetic + biblical + charismatic/contemplative + fundamentalist/Calvinist + anabaptist/Anglican + Methodist + catholic + green + incarnational + depressed-yet-hopeful + emergent + unfinished Christian. Emergent YS. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2006.
Brian D. McLaren; Chris Seay (2006). The Dust off Their Feet: Lessons from the First Church. The Voice. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Brian D. McLaren; Chris Seay (2007). The Voice of Luke: Not Even Sandals. The Voice. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Finding Faith: A Search for What is Real. Finding Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2007.
Finding Faith: A Search for What Makes Sense. Finding Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2007.
A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey. Jossey Bass Leadership Network. Hoboken: Jossey Bass. 2008.
The Last Word and the Word After That: A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity. Jossey Bass Leadership Network. Hoboken: Jossey Bass. 2008.
Brian D. McLaren; Phyllis Tickle (2010). Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices. Ancient Practices. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey. On Location. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. 2019.
Brian McLaren; Elisa Padilla; Ashley Bunting Seeber, eds. (2009). The Justice Project. Emersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith. Ada: Baker.
^"Author Brian McLaren to speak at summer worship series". Asheville Citizen. Asheville, NC. August 12, 2010.
^ abTucker, Abigail (April 27, 2005). "Fire without brimstone: Brian McLaren preaches tolerance and environmentalism, making him one of the country's more unusual yet influential evangelicals". Baltimore Sun.
