Can Compassion Become Complicity? — Letters From Outside the Camp by Brian McLaren

About this sermon

In this video, Brian McLaren responds to questions submitted by attendees to the CAC’s virtual event “How Can We Reclaim Jesus from Empire?” This teaching, the fourth in a series, addresses questions raised by members of our community. Although emerging from a recent gathering, these questions resonate with many of us; touching on the challenges of preaching, the tension between compassion and complicity, and difficulty of shifting perspectives. Brian responds to these questions with straightforward responses that invite further study and application in your own context. If this type of conversation is in your wheelhouse, subscribe to the podcast Learning How To See with Brian McLaren as this theme will surface in season ten (available mid-September 2026). A question to consider or (kindly) reflect upon in the comments; when met with resistance to how you see the teachings of Jesus, how do you respond? LETTERS FROM OUTSIDE THE CAMP Letters from Outside the Camp is a space where contemplative voices reflect in real time on the world we’re actually living in — faith and doubt, culture and power, grief and hope, and the ordinary work of becoming human. We imagine this Substack as a public commons, a place for contemplative reflection, honest dialogue, and courageous questions. These essays or videos aren’t meant to offer final answers. They are invitations to slow down, look again, and consider how spiritual wisdom might meet the realities of daily life. Find us on Substack: https://lfoc.substack.com/subscribe CENTER FOR ACTION AND CONTEMPLATION The Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) is an educational nonprofit introducing seekers to the contemplative Christian path of transformation. Founded by Richard Rohr in 1987, our programs and resources are designed to help deepen prayer practice and strengthen compassionate engagement in the world. https://cac.org Subscribe: https://bit.ly/3QypRgu  Learn more about Who We Are: https://bit.ly/3D8TtdU Learn more about What We Do: https://bit.ly/3qrYFGc Learn more about Richard Rohr: https://bit.ly/3ozYdmP Learn more about Contemplation: https://bit.ly/3wNojGF

Topics

• Love & Compassion