About Shawn McCraney
Founder of The Great News Network
Shawn McCraney is the founder of The Great News Network, Christian Ultra Libertarians for Truth, and Heart Of The Matter. He is author of several books, offered at this website, and his research and lifelong pursuit of an authentic knowledge of God has been publicly recorded and substantiates the majority of content offered on The Great News Network.
In order of his nature, Shawn McCraney is an artist, a seeker of Truth and authentic expression, an iconoclast and a punk who maintains a large dose of suspicion for cultures, institutions, and consumerism and the marketing that surrounds it. He is an admitted Christian Anarchist who allows only Christ to serve as King in his life and rejects most of the demands that come from society, government, cultures and organized religion. He diligently seeks the Father in spirit and truth and everything he does is a reflection of these authentic heart-felt aims. In the last twenty years of his life he has become an independent student of the biblical narrative.
Shawn McCraney has dedicated his life to pursuing an authentic relationship with God and teaching others what he has learned along the way. His lifelong and prolific body of research can be found at this website, and is continually being built into navigable resources here at ShawnMcCraney.com. To find information on any of Shawn’s work, including and not limited to his teachings, shows, podcasts, books, and art, browse the pages below.
To learn more about Shawn, we encourage you to visit his website ShawnMcCraney.com, or continue reading below.
Overview
About Shawn McCraney
Shawn Aaron McCraney is an independent American religious philosopher, artist and founder of The Great News Network. He is best known for his controversial position on faith that he coined as “Subjective Christianity.” He hosts and produces the live call-in television show Heart Of The Matter, and has written dozens of books related to his work, most notably Born-Again Mormon, Revelations on Revelation: A 22-Volume Commentary on Revelation, and Knife To A Gunfight.
Early Life and Education
Shawn McCraney was born on October 2, 1961 in Whittier, California to Lucille McCraney and William Edgar McCraney. He was the fourth of six children raised in Huntington Beach, California. He and his family were active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, through which he went on to complete a full-time mission from 1982 to 1984 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he was assistant to the president. Beyond that, he cheated his way to graduate fromBrigham Young University, but that diploma was shortly after rescinded by the institution. McCraney’s formative years were marked by a conflict between his burgeoning interest in faith and his native sensitivity to and distaste for the obligatory, authoritative structure and culture of organized religion (sensibilities often characterized by the punk movement.)
In his postgraduate years, Shawn progressed in authority in the LDS church while working several jobs and raising his family. Most notably from 1991-2001 he was a stockbroker for several brokerage firms. In 1997, the accumulation of his conflicting proclivities boiled into a radical born again experience which led to him coining the term “Born-Again Mormon.” Shawn continued in the LDS church maintaining this identity for a few more years, eventually asking for excommunication from the church in 2001 to begin a ministry based on the premise. In 2003, he completed the Calvary Chapel School of Ministry in Costa Mesa, California, where he studied under pastor Chuck Smith.
Career
Beginning in 2002, Shawn left his brokerage jobs to pursue research and ministry, sustaining himself with odd jobs along the way. Upon self-publishing his first book Born-Again Mormon, Shawn was invited to be a guest on a local Utah KTWM (TV20) show. The great response from viewers led KTMW to offer McCraney his own hour-long live call-in show which he named Heart Of The Matter: Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity. Each week, McCraney presented a provocative message on the distinctions between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity, clarifying his unique position that the issue of doctrinal demand is trumped by the question of spiritual certainty; he often prompted listeners with the question “have you been born-again?” to contend that a change of heart toward a direct, unencumbered relationship with God was essential to a fulfilled and liberated life. McCraney received immediate notoriety and a substantial following for his uninhibited, charismatic and impassioned delivery and relationship with often antagonistic callers. He served as the writer, producer, and on-air host on the full-power television station from 2006-2013. In January 2013, Heart Of The Matter was abruptly canceled under pressure from local Evangelical pastors who feared McCraney would discuss and possibly criticize them and their methods. He continued the broadcast across independent channels from 2013-2021, and in May of 2024 revived a new segment called Heart Of The Matter: Full Circle.
In 2006, Heart Of The Matter was folded into McCraney’s organization Alathea Ministries (sic), which facilitated the concurrent authorship of more books, art, events and, most significantly, his Sunday teachings from his ongoing research. McCraney proceeded to teach on the linguistic, historical and exegetical context surrounding the Bible in two hour-long sessions every Sunday. He entitled the meetings Christian Anarchists Meeting Prayerfully To Understand Scripture (C.A.M.P.U.S.) to describe the non-institutional and highly subjective approach to gathering and study. In these in-person and live-streamed meetings, Shawn would present his findings in a verse-by-verse fashion followed by a question and answer session. The teachings were explicitly non-institutional, open invite, and remained untethered to any pre-conceived or organized approach to faith or biblical interpretation. McCraney, in his publicly presented research, pursued a deeply personal and contextual knowledge of the Bible. In the process, McCraney coined the term “Subjective Christianity” to denote his disposition toward doctrine. Since 2006, McCraney has taught verse by verse through the entire Apostolic Record (see New Testament), and teachings through the Old Testament still continue today under the name Verse By Verse Teachings.
From his studies, McCraney has authored a number of monumental books, notably including Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face To Face: An A to Z Comparative Between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity and Knife to a Gunfight. He has also released two segments of his ongoing Bible commentary entitled the Transversional Apostolic Record. First, in 2021, his book Revelations on Revelation: Footnotes on the Book of Revelation, paired with a 22-volume set of chapter commentaries, derived from his two-year long study on the Book of Revelation. And second, in 2023, completed a Gospel of John Commentary.
As McCraney completed his study through the Apostolic Record, he proceeded to collect his findings into an online university entitled Christian Ultra Libertarians for Truth (CULT), where he presents a range of courses that give individuals a comprehensive overview of the approach of fulfilled theology, its justifications, and its effect on religion and believers today. The content is intended to help individual seekers of truth come to a liberating relationship with God that ultimately contributes to heightened agape love over all dogma.
In 2023, to encapsulate the breadth of his life’s work, McCraney founded The Great News Network, which includes his original and continued work with Heart Of The Matter, Verse By Verse Teachings, and CULT, but also includes additional efforts including the seeker outreach program Yeshuans, his father-daughter podcast I Don’t Get The Bible, and his two initiatives The Christian Peace Initiative dedicated to uniting all Christ-affirming individuals in agape love, and A United Front dedicated to uniting all faith-having individuals in agape love.
Beyond his ministerial work, Shawn is an artist. He has written and produced a number of scripts and screenplays, and has developed a unique approach to intaglio with solid acrylic panels. Some of his pieces can be found at The Gym, and Beehive Legal in Salt Lake City. Most recently, in 2023 he donated his piece Ontology of God to the Salt Lake City Cystic Fibrosis Foundation where it sold at auction for $9,000.
Views
Known for his iconoclastic and punk sensibilities, McCraney has critiqued mainstream Christian doctrines and challenged established evangelical beliefs. His work often reflects his suspicion of cultural and institutional influences and the bondage they place on individuals. McCraney identifies as a Christian Anarchist, not to be mistakenly associated with any political stance, but instead advocating for a life where only Christ serves as King of our hearts, and rejecting the demands imposed by organized religion. His independent study of the biblical narrative over the past twenty years has informed his approach to teaching and spiritual exploration.
McCraney’s contributions to religious philosophy are marked by his critical stance on conventional practices and doctrines. Through his work, McCraney has sparked significant debate and controversy within the evangelical community. His focus on personal spirituality and critique of institutional Christianity has resonated with those seeking alternative perspectives on faith. Over the years, he has become most regarded and criticized for his unique view on eschatology, sin, death, Satan, Hell and ecclesiology, all redefined within his perspective on Biblical Fulfillment. He also has unique and controversial perspectives on the ontology of God and Jesus Christ.
Biblical Fulfillment
McCraney’s biblical interpretation and entire perspective on faith strongly hinge on the premise of Biblical Fulfillment, or Fulfilled Eschatology. The perspective posits that Christianity’s long anticipated Second Coming of Jesus, which has substantiated the rituals, practices and doctrines of modern denominations since Jesus’ existence, previously occurred in and around the events transpired in 70 C.E. at the Siege of Jerusalem. McCraney suggests that the Bible both prophesies of and indicates the fulfillment of the facts that Jesus, the Messiah for the Nation of Israel, was born, sacrificed, resurrected, and then returned a generation later (around 70 C.E.) to rescue the faithful of that day from the prophesied Destruction of Jerusalem. The subsequent aspects that both characterized and burdened the Nation of Israel in that “age of material religion” were also fulfilled, ushering in a radical change in the way God interacts with individuals.
McCraney suggests through his writing and teaching on Fulfilled Eschatology that if the return of Jesus already occurred, then, as indicated also by the Bible, those aspects burdening the Nation of Israel, like Sin, Death, Satan and Eternal Punishment (Hell), are also fulfilled. He posits that while the Nation of Israel was in fact under those burdens, that Jesus’ return (as supported by many historical and exegetical evidences), leave us in a new ecclesiological state that radically and vehemently rejects any and all claims to authority in the name of God and any brick-and-mortar attempts at organizing or institutionalizing faith. McCraney is considered an extreme heretic by most Christian institutions and leaders, heavily criticized for this position as it existentially threatens their claims to authority, current church practices, membership requirements (i.e. tithing and attendance).
In the biblical interpretation that substantiates Fulfilled Eschatology, the end of the age of material religion that came at the return of Jesus in 70 C.E. opened up the start of the age that we exist in today. In this age, through the finished and fulfilled work of Jesus, God dwells in the hearts of individuals rather than through the mechanisms of the institution (law given to the Nation of Israel by Moses). Individuals have the choice to engage with God to allow or not allow Him to work in their lives. Jesus’ work has covered all sin, regardless of repentance or acceptance, to the degree that it is no longer a factor that burdens believers. Hell, as McCraney describes, has been “cast into the Lake of Fire,” and done away with. What exists is vaguely described in The Book of Revelation as the New Jerusalem, which is surrounded by four walls with gates that perpetually remain open. Individuals upon death experience a personal resurrection to either the inside or outside the walls, and it’s suggested by McCraney that they might likely have the opportunity to move into and outside of these walls forevermore. Beyond that, we live by the principles of Subjective Christianity (described below), according to McCraney.
Most of the specific facets of Biblical Fulfillment are not founded by McCraney (which include facets of Full Preterism), but very unique to McCraney is the conglomeration of the disparate facets into this specific and comprehensive perspective on the Bible. Of the numerous points substantiating McCraney’s book Revelations on Revelation: Footnotes on the Book of Revelation, which unpacks these details in greater depth, some of the strongest justifications for this position are: the alignment of secular historical reports with the events described in the Book of Revelation, the urgently and increasingly prescient language articulating the return of Jesus in original translations, along with a wide range of findings noticing the intention of biblical letters to specific people in that specific time.
Subjective Christianity
McCraney’s Subjective Christianity, heavily supported and reliant upon his study of Fulfilled Eschatology, suggests that individuals today operate within a new faith economy that exclusively focuses on agape love alone. It proposes that God, who is defined as agape love, no longer relates to individuals through law, but that God dwells in individuals, adapting to their specific circumstance, culture, religion or lack of religion. Individuals have the chosen opportunity to seek a greater or lesser relationship with the Spirit dwelling in them, without the threat of punishment, and that the only single factor to gauge this relationship for oneself is the extent of agape love enacted by the individual, where agape love is a specific love uniquely defined by its selfless, sacrificial and insufferable nature. Subjective Christianity suggests that this relationship between individuals and God is an ever-evolving process that cannot be determined by other individuals or institutions, and that given our inability to completely access truth, the priority for believers in God today is to: have faith that God has covered and is working with individuals personally in the precise way they need, and to practice agape love among the differences encountered within the journey.
The Bible
While McCraney deeply values its principles, and believes and teaches the story of God’s victory across history described in and through the text, he understands the Bible to be a deeply misapplied and dangerous weapon incorrectly wielded upon individuals today, specifically the New Testament, or the Apostolic Record as he calls it. McCraney believes that the Apostolic Record was written to believers concurrent with the writings themselves to equip them best in preparation for the coming terror that they would face at the return of Jesus that occurred in 70 C.E. upon the historical Destruction of Jerusalem. Additionally, he heavily questions the manipulation inflicted upon its origins and translations over the years. McCraney finds that the Bible is useful today as long as it results in its intended overarching purpose: to produce greater faith and agape love within and through its reader.
Ontology of God
In addition to his perspective on Biblical Fulfillment, McCraney’s holistic and contextual understanding of the Bible comes with unique philosophies on the Ontology of God. McCraney teaches his understanding of God as a “perfect plural”, part masculine and part feminine creating a “singular plural”. He is heavily and famously criticized for his rejection of the doctrine of classical Trinitarianism, which he grounds on a combination of a lack of biblical evidence for several rigid aspects of the doctrine, (most especially the existence of the three distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit since the start of Creation), and a rejection of the remaining evidence based on the known translational tampering inflicted by the King James translators. While Trinitarians understand Jesus to be both fully man and fully God, and the Holy Spirit to also be a distinct and co-equal part of the Trinity, Shawn finds this teaching to lean polytheistic, and explicitly rejects this construct as a fatal error delivered by the Council of Nicaea. He teaches that there is one singular God; the Spirit, for McCraney, is God’s life-giving breath, Yeshua was God’s logos, or words, made flesh, and both are expressions of God, rather than distinct and co-equal beings. McCraney strongly emphasizes that the living God is unchanging in His nature and characteristics, but constantly changes in the methods He uses to reach human beings. He also teaches that the Holy Spirit of the Old Testament was significantly altered by the incarnation of Christ bringing it into greater compatibility with man. Additionally, McCraney understands the tetragrammaton, the name of God in the Hebrew Bible, to be pronounced as YAHAVAH, unlike Christian denominations today who suggest “Yahweh” or “Jehovah” is an appropriate pronunciation. He bases this on both exegetical scriptural evidence combined with a suspicion of the discrepancies found over the course of history in the production of modern Bibles.
McCraney’s work reflects his dedication to seeking Truth and authentic expression. His emphasis on an individual relationship with God and his rejection of societal and religious norms have made him a notable figure among those questioning traditional religious structures. His research and teachings are continually updated and available on his website TheGreatNewsNetwork.com where he shares his extensive body of work with a broader audience.
Influences
Shawn McCraney attributes his approach to faith and life to a number of artists and thinkers. Most notably, he credits Søren Kierkegaard, Hermann Hesse, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Eric Hoffer, Victor Frankl, Rollo May, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Robert Persig, Jean Paul Sartre, Vernon J McGee, Sigmund Freud, Renee Descartes, Ludwig von Mises, Victor Hugo, Glenn Hill, Karl Marx, Ayn Rand, Exene Cervenka, Bad Religion, Tool, Puscifer, Mike Patton, and Devo.
Recognition
McCraney has been featured in Sunstone, Herald in Cache Valley Utah and the Salt Lake City Weekly. He has also been interviewed on a number of notable podcasts.
Criticism
McCraney is heavily critiqued, most often by staunch religious leaders whose teachings and institutions are threatened by his position and its growing relevance. Generally speaking, his harshest criticism comes from proponents of Calvinism. See References below.
The Man Behind the Vision
Shawn McCraney’s life is a testament to the power of authenticity and the pursuit of truth. Born in Los Angeles in 1961 to parents deeply entrenched in the Mormon faith, Shawn’s upbringing was a blend of religious indoctrination and a yearning for something more profound.
A Journey of Rebellion and Discovery
From a young age, Shawn possessed an artist’s temperament, inherited from his father. Despite the rigid structure of Mormonism, Shawn found solace in the nascent punk movement of Los Angeles and Orange County. Punk ethos resonated deeply with Shawn, offering him a sense of authenticity and self-expression that he couldn’t find within the confines of organized religion.
The Road to Transformation
Shawn’s discontent with Mormonism led to seventeen years of soul-searching. Despite embracing various ideologies and philosophies, he found himself hollowed out and devoid of hope. It wasn’t until a chance encounter with a Christian radio broadcast in 1997 that Shawn experienced a profound transformation.
Embracing Faith and Authenticity
Realizing the futility of self-redemption, Shawn embraced a new identity rooted in faith. He became an independent student of the biblical narrative, seeking to understand and embody the teachings of Christ in their purest form.
The Birth of The Great News Network
In 2006, Shawn’s vision culminated in the creation of The Great News Network. Through meticulous research and unwavering dedication, Shawn and his team bridged the gap left by failing religious institutions and faltering theological justifications. The network’s mission? To provide sincere and contextual knowledge of YAHAVA and His Word, offering individuals the freedom to pursue or not pursue God on their personal journey.
The Channels
At the core of The Great News Network are seven channels, each catering to diverse needs and levels of understanding:
Heart of the Matter
As the host and writer of this live weekly call-in show, Shawn deconstructs Mormonism and Evangelicalism, offering a fresh perspective on complex theological issues.
Verse by Verse (Formerly C.A.M.P.U.S.)
In this channel, Shawn serves as the main teacher, parsing and contextualizing Biblical texts verse by verse, providing invaluable insights into scripture.
Christian Ultra Libertarians for Truth
Through a self-guided educational course, Shawn empowers individuals to find liberty in Christ, challenging conventional religious paradigms.
Yeshuans
A community content platform fostering faith and love, where Shawn collaborates with spiritually intelligent colleagues to create authentic, thought-provoking content.
I Don't Get The Bible
In this bi-weekly beginner’s survey of the Bible, Shawn answers questions in a conversational podcast format, making scripture accessible to all.
The Christian Peace Initiative
As the organizer of this channel, Shawn champions love and unity among Christians, fostering a spirit of reconciliation and understanding.
A United Front
In this channel, Shawn extends an invitation for love among all faiths, promoting dialogue and cooperation across religious boundaries.
Shawn McCraney: A Living Testimony to Faith and Authenticity
For over two decades, Shawn has dedicated his life to sharing the transformative power of faith. From hosting television programs to presenting over 2000 hours of online and television presentations on the biblical faith, Shawn continues to inspire and educate.
Embracing Authenticity, Pursuing Truth
Join Shawn McCraney and The Great News Network on a journey of discovery, authenticity, and spiritual enlightenment. Together, we cultivate agape love in individuals and the world, one truth-seeker at a time.
Shawn's Relevant Experience
Missionary
1982 - 1984 · 2 yrs
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States · On-site
From 1982 – 1984, Shawn served a 24-month volunteer service where LDS Church members devote themselves to full-time proselytizing and humanitarian assistance or service with the intent to convert individuals to Mormonism. In this short time, Shawn excelled in the calling, rising to levels of leadership among his peers.
Ministerial Licensing
2004 - 2006 · 15 yrs
Calvary Chapel School of Ministry
Costa Mesa, California, United States
Shawn pursued full-time school of ministry where he and his cohort were personally trained in exegesis and biblical languages by Pastor Chuck Smith.
Founder, Teacher
2006 - 2021 · 15 yrs
Alathea Ministries
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Alathea Ministries teaches the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ through media, including but not limited to television, publications, art and events
Founder, Teacher
2006 - 2021 · 15 yrs
C.A.M.P.U.S.
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
C.A.M.P.U.S. stands for Christian Anarchists Meeting Prayerfully To Understand Scripture. Meeting weekly for live-broadcasted teachings, members met weekly to listen to Shawn’s research through each verse of biblical text taught in a verse-by-verse manner. The teachings unpacked linguistic, exegetical and contextual information about the text, and were followed with Q&A discussion.
Writer, Producer, On Air Host
2006 - 2021 · 15 yrs
Heart of the Matter
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Heart of the Matter was a weekly hour-long live call-in broadcast comparing and contrasting Mormonism with tenants of biblical Christianity. This show was hosted on full-power television station KTMW (TV20) from 2006-2013, and then across independent channels from 2013-2021.
Author
2006 - 2021 · 15 yrs
Bjorn Books
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Shawn is the author of dozens of publications about organized religion and spirituality. His work is entirely derived from a robust body of research around the manipulation of liberty in modern religion; each work ranges in depth, complexity, and abstractness. Most notable of his publications are Born-Again Mormon, Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face: An A to Z Doctrinal Comparative between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity, Knife to a Gun Fight, Don’t F**k With Jesus, and Revelations on Revelation: Footnotes on the Book of Revelation.
Shawn's Interviews and Key Teachings
Researcher on Sociopathy and Anti-Social Personality Disorder Matthew Bywater interviews Shawn McCraney to reveal the efficacy of the perspective of The Great News in a believer’s life.
Shawn’s seminar on The End of Material Religion. And, according to us, its the best 90 minutes a Christian can spend.
From Mormon Stories: “Continuing our theme of interviewing past guests from some of our most popular and impactful interviews, we interview Shawn McCraney who first appeared on Mormon Stories in February 2010 to discuss his experience as a “Born-Again Mormon.” Shawn currently leads a church in Murray, Utah called C.A.M.P.U.S and has continued the ministry through a weekly streaming service, called Heart of the Matter. Shawn is widely known for his bold and sometimes bare-knuckled approach when comparing Mormonism to Christianity, and given his reputation as an animated and articulate speaker, this interview will keep you entertained and perhaps inspired.”
From Mormon Stories: “Street Epistemology week continues with Anthony Magnabosco and special guest exMormon Christian pastor Shawn McCraney. After building the foundation of SE with episodes 1-3, in part 4, Shawn is kind enough to play our interlocutor as Anthony questions him about the roots of his religious beliefs. You’ll likely be very surprised with the way this interview progresses as Anthony does his best to display Street Epistemology in the Mormon Stories studio!”