If small church becomes extinct in the next generation, it will not be because preachers failed to promote work-life balance. It will not be because younger Christians lack faith. It will be because capitalism killed it. Source: Melissa Florer-Bixler: Capitalism is killing the small church | Faith and Leadership
Tag: christianity
Romans 13 and American Appeals to Authority of the Government
Good read on the historical uses of Romans 13 in American history to justify obedience to the government in light of our Attorney General's use of that text today to defend the deplorable and immoral and utterly un-Christian internment camps we're setting up along the Mexican border for children that we're forcibly separating children from … Continue reading Romans 13 and American Appeals to Authority of the Government
What the Foreskin of Jesus Can Teach Us All
The long-standing popularity of relics can also be understood in terms of today’s two big cultural obsessions — professional sports and celebrities — where fans often seek out a connection with their favorite teams or stars (including their discarded jerseys and other possessions). The relic system, says Farley, also “acted as an instrument of tribalism” … Continue reading What the Foreskin of Jesus Can Teach Us All
“Catholic in nature”
In a letter dated May 10, 2018 to Baker, church leaders say the congregation voted 131 to 40 to take down the work because community members view it as "Catholic in nature." "We understand that this is not a Catholic icon, however, people perceive it in these terms," the letter said, "As a result, it is … Continue reading “Catholic in nature”
Siri and Incarnation
The theological lens through which we might view these questions is incarnation. In an age of increased engagement with disembodied digital assistants, what might it mean for the church to counterweight this with insisting on and facilitating in-person fellowship? In an era of disembodied conversation, my prayer is that the church might be a contrast … Continue reading Siri and Incarnation
Bible Domains
When the society — which lists several conservative Christian “founding partners” on the get.bible website — first applied for the rights to .bible, it pledged to provide wide access to “all qualified parties” interested in Bible issues. Soon after acquiring the domain name, though, ABS barred publication of material it defined as “antithetical to New Testament … Continue reading Bible Domains
Thinking Religion 115 and Hermeneutics
Thomas is in Philadelphia this week but we still managed to sneak in a podcast episode. We start by going over the very important but often-overlooked general idea of hermeneutics and why we should take them seriously in the Age Of Trump (AOT from here on out). Then we hop into the Bible Bracket Challenge. … Continue reading Thinking Religion 115 and Hermeneutics
This Isn’t What Jesus Had In Mind, Guys
"Chelsea and her husband Clint, who asked that I use only their first names, belong to a small subculture of religious couples who practice “Christian Domestic Discipline,” a lifestyle that calls for a wife to be completely submissive to her husband. Referred to as CDD by its followers, the practice often includes spanking and other … Continue reading This Isn’t What Jesus Had In Mind, Guys
Is the Original New Testament Lost?
House of Cards is fun, but take a few mins to watch something a little more substantive this weekend (like this): As you might expect, I argue that even though we have thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament, we do not have many *early* ones — and hardly any *really* early ones. That is … Continue reading Is the Original New Testament Lost?