Righteous not ritual

"I can see a swath of sinners settin' yonder
And they're actin' like a pack of fools.
Gazin' into space lettin' their minds wander,
'Stead of studyin' the good Lord's rules.
You better pay attention,
Build your comprehension,
There's gonna be a quiz at your ascension.
Not to mention any threat of hell,
But if you're smart you'll learn your lessons well!"
Godspell (Stephen Schwartz & John-Michael Tebelak)

I'm currently reading A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren. It's an intriguing book. McLaren looks at many strands of Christianity and concludes - by emphasizing the best of them, and ignoring or redefining the worst of them - that he is all of them. My own approach has often been to conclude that I am none of them, but my method is much the same. Take the best. Ignore or adapt the best. Admit that you are unlikely to be right. Refuse to judge others or feel 'superior' about their theological errors.

One important thing strikes me from his book though. Jesus ministry was a practical expression of God's love. Yet all too often we can treat it as if we are cramming for a theory test.

...many orthodoxies have always and everywhere assumed that orthodox (right-thinking and opinion about the gospel) and orthopraxy (right practice of the gospel) could and should be separated. In that traditional setting orthodoxy could be articulated and debated by scholars who had little responsibility to actually live by or live out the orthodoxy they defended.

A generous orthodoxy (Brian McClaren)