Westminster will be hosting well-known Emergent Church leader Brian McLaren as a speaker in the Heritage Lecture Series on Sunday, February 26. He will speak at both 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. worship services and an adult Sunday School class at 10:00 a.m.
Born in 1956, McLaren graduated from the University of Maryland with both a BA and an MA in English. He holds honorary doctorates from Carey Theological Seminary in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal).
After teaching English and consulting in higher education, he became the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church, an innovative nondenominational congregation in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Subsequently, he mentored others starting new churches.
McLaren is a prolific writer. Since 1998, he has authored, co-authored, or contributed to over fifteen books, as well as written for periodicals such as Sojourners and Christianity Today. In 2005 McLaren was recognized as one of Time Magazine's25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.
He is also a speaker for campus groups, retreats, seminaries, and conferences both in the US and abroad. McLaren is a regular contributor to Sojourner's God's Politics blog, and offers a variety of resources through his website.
Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words is McLaren's latest book. In it, he seeks to help his readers on their spiritual journeys, whether they are just getting started or seeking to get over rough patches.
On February 24-25, immediately prior to his visit to Westminster, McLaren will be a keynote speaker at the 2012 Engaging Faith Conference at Furman University, co-sponsored by the Chaplain's Office and Nexus Center.
The Heritage Lecture Series seeks to expand the religious horizons of Westminster Presbyterian Church and the Greenville community by inviting guest lecturers to challenge and inspire us toward a deeper understanding of and renewed commitment to biblical teachings, our Judeo-Christian heritage and our responsibilities in the world.
Westminster will be hosting well-known Emergent Church leader 
