The ghosts of the 20th century, the ones that haunt us today, wear swastikas. Our modern world is one misstep away from nuclear war. And it is a world born of violent conflict with German National Socialism. Our moral imaginations remain haunted by the specter of Nazi tyranny. Putin’s move to frame Russian aggression tookContinue reading “The Church’s Word in War”
Tag Archives: Jesus
Hope For, But Not In, Evangelicalism
I still believe the best days for Evangelicalism are ahead, not behind. But I say this well aware that Evangelicalism in the United States is experiencing a multi-faceted crisis of identity. We cannot reduce God to a movement, but our attempts to do just that are being exposed in the current crisis. So let’s beContinue reading “Hope For, But Not In, Evangelicalism”
An American Fourth In Britain
I’m sitting in our flat here in the UK. It’s a dreary morning. The mist hangs on the windows. I watch our three kids eat their breakfast. I’m thinking of William Stacy, someone like my fourth great uncle in 1775. When he heard about the British at Concord he grabbed his commission from the Crown.Continue reading “An American Fourth In Britain”
Truth From The Dark Places of Church
There’s a line from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness that I can’t shake. “This also has been one of the dark places of the earth.” The place? London. A place we often forget was once the wild frontier of the ancient Roman Empire. When I left my job as a pastor in the SBC forContinue reading “Truth From The Dark Places of Church”
A Modern Parable for American Evangelicalism
The sports world is still talking about the second title fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston in 1965. In all this, I believe, is a parable of modern American evangelicalism. We are throwing the fight of our generation, choosing power over Christ, and the world can tell. Neil Leifer famously captured Ali, standing overContinue reading “A Modern Parable for American Evangelicalism”
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”
A Theology of Culture War Christianity
Kaepernick took a knee, Trump took a photo op. These moments are seared in the collective American consciousness. And both moments are unavoidably religious. Each deals with sacred symbols: a flag, a book of faith. Both surface theological questions. Who or what do we worship? How should we live in this world? The irony ofContinue reading “A Theology of Culture War Christianity”
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”
The Problem With Purity
I’ve been following Formula One racing for the past few years. The “formula” stands for an ever-changing list of rules that every racing team agrees to follow. From the design of the car, to their pit stop strategy, the whole sport is governed by this formula of rules. Each year, the winning teams (besides havingContinue reading “The Problem With Purity”
Christian Presence As Politics
The winds of policy in the United States have turned in favor of abortion. Recently, President Biden signed an executive order repealing the Mexico City policy. The policy, put in place by Reagan in 1985, withholds Federal funds from overseas heath organizations who perform abortions. How ought Christians respond when the winds of policy change?Continue reading “Christian Presence As Politics”
Jared Stacy 