For many years, critics from various religious traditions have described Shawn McCraney as a “heretic.” In this conversation, Shawn responds directly to that label and explains why he openly accepts it.

According to Shawn, the concept of heresy has historically been defined by religious institutions that claim authority over doctrine and belief. In his view, orthodoxy is often shaped by those with institutional power rather than by the individual pursuit of truth found in scripture.

Shawn’s perspective challenges the idea that a centralized authority should determine what individuals must believe about God. Instead, he argues that faith is ultimately lived and experienced at the individual level, where liberty, love, and personal responsibility guide one’s relationship with God.

This conversation explores the tension between institutional orthodoxy and personal faith, and why debates about “heresy” continue to shape religious discourse today.