--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The church has been preoccupied with the…" description: "\"The church has been preoccupied with the question, 'What happens to your soul after you die?' AS IF THE REASON FOR JESUS COMING CAN BE SUMMED UP IN, 'J..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/brian-d-mclaren-8226_blow_the-church-has-been-preoccupied-with-the_1637375.jpg" --- # The church has been preoccupied with the question, 'What… ![“The church has been preoccupied with the question, 'What happens to your soul after you die?' AS IF THE REASON FOR JESUS COMING CAN BE SUMMED UP IN, 'JESUS IS TRYING TO HELP GET MORE SOULS INTO HEAVEN, AS OPPOSED TO HELL, AFTER THEY DIE.' I JUST THINK A FAIR READING OF THE GOSPELS BLOWS THAT OUT…” quote by Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/brian-d-mclaren-8226_blow_the-church-has-been-preoccupied-with-the_1637375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/brian-d-mclaren-8226_blow_the-church-has-been-preoccupied-with-the_1637375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/brian-d-mclaren-8226_blow_the-church-has-been-preoccupied-with-the_1637375.jpg) > “The church has been preoccupied with the question, 'What happens to your soul after you die?' AS IF THE REASON FOR JESUS COMING CAN BE SUMMED UP IN, 'JESUS IS TRYING TO HELP GET MORE SOULS INTO HEAVEN, AS OPPOSED TO HELL, AFTER THEY DIE.' I JUST THINK A FAIR READING OF THE GOSPELS BLOWS THAT OUT OF THE WATER. I don't think that the entire message and life of Jesus can be boiled down to that bottom line” [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. The quote critiques a narrow focus on afterlife salvation, urging a broader view of Jesus’ teachings beyond just soul‑saving. **In simple terms:** Jesus’ message is broader than just getting souls to heaven. Key Takeaway Consider the whole of Jesus’ teachings. Themes faith theology interpretation Mood thoughtful critical Type theological reflective When to use this quote - preaching - personal study - interfaith dialogue - ethical living Key Concepts salvation eternal life mission scripture Questions to Reflect On - How does a broader understanding of Jesus affect your faith? - What aspects of his teaching are often overlooked? A Different Perspective A single‑sentence focus may oversimplify complex doctrine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Bottom line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom-line/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-leaders/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Gospels Blows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospels-blows-536683/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-coming-345758/) [Jesus Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-trying-536682/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading Gospels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-gospels-536684/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-jesus-536681/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-soul/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing would please us more than to see our beloved children form the habit of reading the Gospels - not merely from time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-x/nothing-would-please-us-more-than-to-see-our-beloved-children-form/) [Pope Pius X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-x/) > [“Jesus was trying to present value of a life of vulnerability in which one would have practical and needed experience of the same. 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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/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/) [Brian D. 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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. 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