Asking if Jesus was “nice” or “mean”, whether he mocked his opponents or was winsome, is a proxy war. We are trafficking in baptized concepts of male domination and female domestication which themselves must be dismantled and reimagined in light of the gospel. In an interview this week Ken Harrison, who is the CEO ofContinue reading ““Was Jesus Nice?” Is The Wrong Question”
Tag Archives: Christianity
A (New) Lost Generation
In the classic World War I novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Remarque described the effect of the Great War on the men who fought it: “It is the common fate of our generation…We’ve been cut off from real action, from getting on, from progress. We don’t believe in those things any more;Continue reading “A (New) Lost Generation”
Why We Better Call Saul
The series “Better Call Saul” wraps this week on AMC. Over the last 6 seasons “Better Call Saul”—with its tale of Jimmy McGill turned con-man lawyer Saul Goodman—took on a life of its own. It was more than a spin off of the original “Breaking Bad”. It steps out from the shadow of Walter WhiteContinue reading “Why We Better Call Saul”
Are Evangelicals A Threat To Democracy Today?
This week, The Atlantic published a piece on how politics have poisoned American evangelicalism. It’s a good read, and I don’t see an end to this sort of analysis anytime soon. One quote stuck out: The Church is not a victim of America’s civic strife. Instead, it is one of the principal catalysts. Tim Alberta,Continue reading “Are Evangelicals A Threat To Democracy Today?”
Not So Biblical Manhood
The popular evangelical vision of Biblical manhood is not as Biblical as it might appear. Before I stepped away from pastoring in American evangelical spaces, it wasn’t uncommon to hear manhood attached to cultural expressions (hunting, guns, emotional suppression) and yet it was always cast as “Biblical”. But the vision sure is lucrative. From studiesContinue reading “Not So Biblical Manhood”
Beyond the Culture Wars
This is the final article in a series reflecting on American Culture Wars & Christianity. Here are parts one, two, and three. Culture War Christianity must end. Christians should be the ones to end it. Like Moses, whose first attempt to bring about change left an Egyptian dead in the sand, so Culture Warring ChristianityContinue reading “Beyond the Culture Wars”
In The Shadow of Bonhoeffer
76 years ago today, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed by Nazi Germany. His final known words were reported later by a captured RAF pilot: “Today is the end. For me, the beginning of life.” Sometimes, I wonder. What must’ve been on Bonhoeffer’s mind, walking to the gallows that day? His last words hint at his deepestContinue reading “In The Shadow of Bonhoeffer”
The Danger of Faith
Resurrection faith is dangerous. On a day of hope, we need a fresh reminder of the danger inherent in an embrace of Christian faith. It’s true. The risen Jesus offers hope beyond the pangs of death. But the risen Jesus also invites a living confrontation with death. Our life for his. Our ends for his.Continue reading “The Danger of Faith”
Grief, Guns, and Christian Nationalism
I was sickened reading the news coming out of Boulder, Colorado. This just after the violence perpetrated against Asian Americans last week in Atlanta; where we now know the shooter purchased his gun the same day. Today, we are each faced with a decision, one of choosing cynicism & status quo over crying out &Continue reading “Grief, Guns, and Christian Nationalism”
The Corporate Gospel
“It all comes down to the three ‘B’s — buildings, budgets, and butts.” This is an old saying I’ve heard more than a few times in ministry. American business in the American church can sometimes seem inseparable. The relationship between the two absolutely exerts influence over faith & practice. Is the Church a business? AContinue reading “The Corporate Gospel”
Jared Stacy 