On Tuesday the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) released the so-called Nashville Statement, “in the hope of serving Christ’s church and witnessing publicly to the good purposes of God for human sexuality revealed in Christian Scripture.” There were enough instantaneous hot takes as it was, so I thought I’d let the dust settle … More The Nashville Statement: Theology for the Age of Trump
As usual, things get quiet around here in mid-to-late August as I gear up for the start of another academic year. (Those scintillating syllabi won’t write themselves!) So while I managed to dash off a few thoughts on what happened in Charlottesville, I’ve not had a chance to reflect in any depth on the question … More How Historians Can Teach from Memorials
“This is not my country.” That’s what I wanted to believe yesterday, as I stumbled back from a week-long vacation in the Rocky Mountains into the ugly events transpiring in Charlottesville, Virginia. Having intentionally tried to avoid the news in order to savor time with my family, it was bewildering to check social media in … More On Charlottesville: “This Is Not My Country”
It’s hard to believe that it was just three days ago. I was in the car when I got a text from my pastor: “Did you see the news? There’s been an explosion and collapse of a building at Minnehaha.” Kyrie eleison, I wrote back once I saw the images. Christ, have mercy. By the … More How You Can Help Minnehaha Academy
One of my favorite things about blogging is that it gives me excuses to go far outside my fields of supposed expertise, to read widely about other disciplines and other fields within history. For example, his recent death from liver cancer made me realize how little I’d read from Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese dissident who … More “The Miraculous Triumph of Jesus Over Caesar”
Why is it imperative that Christians move beyond their “bubbles” and engage with their neighbors of other religions? In the first two chapters of From Bubble to Bridge, my Bethel colleagues Marion Larson and Sara Shady argue that interfaith engagement is both a civic and religious imperative. We’ll continue our series with the first. A Civic Imperative (ch. 1) Many … More From Bubble to Bridge: Interfaith Engagement as a Civic Imperative
If you’ve been reading this blog at all closely for the past year or so, you know that I’m no great fan of our current president. But even I was taken aback at this description of a recent Trump rally near Orlando, by a local Nazarene pastor named Joel Tooley: Call it what you will, but … More Is “Demonic Activity is Palpable” in American Politics?
“Everything feels so normal.” That’s what I remember thinking as I waited in line at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport this past Monday, about to reenter the country after being gone for three weeks. After all, we’d had a change in president since I last set foot in my native land. And not just any president, but one whose election … More On Banning Refugees
Before supper tonight, we prayed words that I’ve probably said more than 40,000 times now: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest And let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen Whether the gifts in question were this evening’s tacos and rice, some grander meal, or any of the other blessings that were on my mind at … More Come, Lord Jesus (really)
Let me talk to pastors for a moment. (Though their congregants might want to listen in.) Sisters and brothers – Now that candidate Trump has become president-elect Trump, I know that many of you are struggling with how you’re going to preach tomorrow morning. Unsettled yourselves, you know that you’ll soon look out at the expectant faces of people feeling … More “Tell It Like It Is”: How Pastors Can Respond to Election Day
The Pietist Schoolman 