--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A generous orthodoxy is like that. It…" description: "\"“A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the possibility of our deepest repentance and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg" --- # A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that… ![“A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the possibility of our deepest repentance and God’s opening for our most profound healing. It remembers Jesus’ parable that wherever God sows good seed, “an enemy” will sow weed seeds. It…” quote by Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg) > ““A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the possibility of our deepest repentance and God’s opening for our most profound healing. It remembers Jesus’ parable that wherever God sows good seed, “an enemy” will sow weed seeds. It realizes that you can’t pull up the bad without uprooting the good too, and so it refrains from judging. It just rejoices wherever good seed grows.”” [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It teaches humility, recognizing human brokenness while trusting divine grace to heal, and urges non‑judgmental celebration of growth. **In simple terms:** Accept messiness, trust healing, avoid judgment. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and celebrate good. Themes humility grace non‑judgment healing faith Mood reflective hopeful compassionate Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - church leadership - personal reflection - community building Key Concepts theology spiritual growth redemption Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance grace with responsibility? - When should judgment be applied? A Different Perspective It may overlook accountability for harmful actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Orthodoxy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodoxy/) ## Related quotes > [We must never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God, whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when-talking-about/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Orthodoxy is like an abyss of beauty that's just endless. I have read the Bible many times. But after fasting, and being baptized Orthodox,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-polamalu/orthodoxy-is-like-an-abyss-of-beauty-that-s-just-endless-i-have-read/) [Troy Polamalu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-polamalu/) > [Surely the better way is to pursue a generous orthodoxy, seeing disagreements in the context of the greater agreements which bind us together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/surely-the-better-way-is-to-pursue-a-generous-orthodoxy-seeing/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [“Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deept trust, a free act of love- but sometimes it was so hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/faith-in-god-is-an-opening-up-a-letting-go-a-deept-trust-a-free-act/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [It really comes down to God opening the doors for me, and I'm trying to walk through them doing the best I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zobrist/it-really-comes-down-to-god-opening-the-doors-for-me-and-i-m-trying/) [Ben Zobrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zobrist/) > [“Maybe God doesn't care if we get all dressed up and sit in the pew every Sunday, as Diana believes. Instead, maybe God comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-cantrell/maybe-god-doesn-t-care-if-we-get-all-dressed-up-and-sit-in-the-pew/) [Julie Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-cantrell/) > [Grace is more than God opening the door to salvation; it’s God bringing people in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-s-smith/grace-is-more-than-god-opening-the-door-to-salvation-it-s-god/) [Colin S. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-s-smith/) > [“The idea of God opening up my life, and seeing all the secrets of my heart, the heart that I know all too well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/the-idea-of-god-opening-up-my-life-and-seeing-all-the-secrets-of-my/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [“Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love—but sometimes it was so hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/faith-in-god-is-an-opening-up-a-letting-go-a-deep-trust-a-free-act-of-4/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love - but sometimes it was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/faith-in-god-is-an-opening-up-a-letting-go-a-deep-trust-a-free-act-of-3/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/faith-in-god-is-an-opening-up-a-letting-go-a-deep-trust-a-free-act-of-2/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“Walt's face lit up. "Sadie, Ptah was more than the craftsman god, right? Didn't they call him the God of Opening?" "Um...Possibly." "I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/walt-s-face-lit-up-sadie-ptah-was-more-than-the-craftsman-god-right/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“As we have seen, prayer, celebration of the religious offices, alms, consoling the afflicted, the cultivation of a little piece of ground, fraternity, frugality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/as-we-have-seen-prayer-celebration-of-the-religious-offices-alms/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [There is nothing more ugly than an orthodoxy without understanding or compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/there-is-nothing-more-ugly-than-an-orthodoxy-without-understanding-or/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [“ACT20.21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act20-21-testifying-both-to-the-jews-and-also-to-the-greeks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Brian D. McLaren > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“I have a confession to make.121 Almost every time I tune in to religious radio or TV, I want to change my religion. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-have-a-confession-to-make-121-almost-every-time-i-tune-in-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“If, for you, orthodox means finally “getting it right” or “getting it straight,” mine is a pretty disappointing, curvy orthodoxy. But if, for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/if-for-you-orthodox-means-finally-getting-it-right-or-getting-it/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we're seeking to align our wills with God's will, our dreams with God's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/that-in-itself-is-an-act-of-peacemaking-because-we-re-seeking-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“The wise preacher of Ecclesiastes might say, “There is a time for everything—a time to be laid-back and a time to be outraged; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/the-wise-preacher-of-ecclesiastes-might-say-there-is-a-time-for/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Since I was introduced to the practice of God's presence, which in turn led me into the contemplative way, I have nearly always felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/since-i-was-introduced-to-the-practice-of-god-s-presence-which-in/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“There’s a lot of dirty theology out there, the religious counterpart to dirty politics and dirty business, I suppose. You might call it spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/there-s-a-lot-of-dirty-theology-out-there-the-religious-counterpart/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“For me, Carol, we can't be faithful to God unless we're faithful to the facts, faithful to the data if you will. And so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/for-me-carol-we-can-t-be-faithful-to-god-unless-we-re-faithful-to-the/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [The scarily brilliant Romantic poet and visionary William Blake dared to say what many of us have perhaps thought but kept to ourselves: “A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/the-scarily-brilliant-romantic-poet-and-visionary-william-blake-dared/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“Why is it that the choice among churches always seems to be the choice between intelligence on ice and ignorance on fire? —as quoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/why-is-it-that-the-choice-among-churches-always-seems-to-be-the-2/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“globalism (for better or worse) transforms personal and ethnic identities, creating hyphenated and cosmopolitan identities—in which people consider themselves first and foremost citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/globalism-for-better-or-worse-transforms-personal-and-ethnic/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [We must never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God, whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when-talking-about/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“We must, therefore, never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God—whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-therefore-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [You know what, the thing that breaks my heart is that there's no way I can answer it without hurting someone on either side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/you-know-what-the-thing-that-breaks-my-heart-is-that-there-s-no-way-i/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“This is a book about getting naked—not physically, but spiritually. It’s about stripping away the symbols and status of public religion—the Sunday-dress version people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/this-is-a-book-about-getting-naked-not-physically-but-spiritually-it/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) [Explore all 82 Brian D. McLaren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) ## More Orthodoxy quotes > [“And we cannot keep our balance. Myth gives way to Reason. Revelation to Orthodoxy. We must dance or go mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cheetham/and-we-cannot-keep-our-balance-myth-gives-way-to-reason-revelation-to/) Tom Cheetham > [Heresy is only another word for freedom of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/heresy-is-only-another-word-for-freedom-of-thought/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“He realized how easy it was to present an appearance of orthodoxy while having no grasp whatever of what orthodoxy meant. In a way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/he-realized-how-easy-it-was-to-present-an-appearance-of-orthodoxy/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“If, for you, orthodox means finally “getting it right” or “getting it straight,” mine is a pretty disappointing, curvy orthodoxy. But if, for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/if-for-you-orthodox-means-finally-getting-it-right-or-getting-it/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, not heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism - no, but the kind of orthodoxy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-greatest-danger-to-christianity-is-i-contend-not-heresies-not/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“The huge modern heresy is to alter the human soul to fit modern social conditions, instead of altering modern social conditions to fit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-huge-modern-heresy-is-to-alter-the-human-soul-to-fit-modern/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Orthodoxy is the grave of intelligence, no matter what orthodoxy it may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/orthodoxy-is-the-grave-of-intelligence-no-matter-what-orthodoxy-it/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Heresy is usually quite sophisticated, actually has a meaning, and is to be taken very seriously. It is therefore to be carefully distinguished from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/heresy-is-usually-quite-sophisticated-actually-has-a-meaning-and-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As I ponder my pilgrim’s progress to Orthodoxy, however, I realize that I didn’t make the trip alone, but in a two-seater. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederica-mathewes-green/as-i-ponder-my-pilgrim-s-progress-to-orthodoxy-however-i-realize-that/) [Frederica Mathewes-Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederica-mathewes-green/) > [Harvard and Yale concentrated with venture capitalists that got the best calls and brainpower. Very few firms made most of the money, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/harvard-and-yale-concentrated-with-venture-capitalists-that-got-the/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [“If I do not feel a sense of joy in God's creation, if I forget to offer the world back to God with thankfulness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kallistos-ware/if-i-do-not-feel-a-sense-of-joy-in-god-s-creation-if-i-forget-to/) [Kallistos Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kallistos-ware/) > [Contradictions if well understood and managed can spark off the fires of invention. Orthodoxy whether of the right or of the left is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/contradictions-if-well-understood-and-managed-can-spark-off-the-fires/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I am no disbeliever in spiritual purpose and no vague believer. I see from the standpoint of Christian orthodoxy. This means that for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/i-am-no-disbeliever-in-spiritual-purpose-and-no-vague-believer-i-see/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Orthodoxy is the wide open field within which successful breeding can take place. If one maintains that Jesus was an eater of magic mushrooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-radcliffe/orthodoxy-is-the-wide-open-field-within-which-successful-breeding-can/) [Timothy Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-radcliffe/) > [Let's start with some of the reasons that the press holds its tongue and some of the things that you don't know because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneva-overholser/let-s-start-with-some-of-the-reasons-that-the-press-holds-its-tongue/) Geneva Overholser [Browse all 326 Orthodoxy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodoxy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the possibility of our deepest repentance and God’s opening for our most profound healing. It remembers Jesus’ parable that wherever God sows good seed, “an enemy” will sow weed seeds. It realizes that you can’t pull up the bad without uprooting the good too, and so it refrains from judging. It just rejoices wherever good seed grows.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian D. McLaren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Orthodoxy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/brian-d-mclaren-8226_orthodoxy_a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-ack_278091.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the…” — Brian D. McLaren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brian D. McLaren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A generous orthodoxy is like that....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```