Christianity Has Never Not Been Progressive… For instance the Bible, it’s never not changing. I know we say that our concept of God, theologically speaking, is “immutable,” but let’s be honest, over the course of human history we’ve never even been able to decide on one single version of who or what God is, and this is only in the Church, let alone inter-religious dialogue. In fact, conservative evangelicalism’s version of Christianity is so progressive its concept of the soul... Read more
The church isn’t dying (I spoke about that here), it’s the first world’s conservative evangelical version of Church that is dying. Here in the U.S. we see churches being faced with the imposition of progression, such as Hillsong, strategically moving into the inner cities, and therefore diversifying their congregations, forcing questions on their oppressively exclusive doctrine on homosexuality, as POC are slowly yet steadily inching their way into positions of power and sway. Deborah Lee says in her recent book Rescuing Jesus: How People... Read more
I almost died. Not really, but kind of… If you by any chance follow me on Snapchat, and I say that mostly so you’ll follow me on Snapchat [itsandygill], then you know that this past week I was in the hospital. I went in for chest pains, shortness of breath, a racing heart, and a dull pain in my jaw; you know, all the signs in which would tell someone you’re about to die or, at my age, having a panic attack. Turns out, it was... Read more
“It’s worth remembeing that the wedge that splits the wood is what ultimately takes the brunt of the blows from the hammer.” – Jeff Yang If Larycia Hawkins is not fired I’ll be pissed. Pissed because it’ll just seem like this was all one big marketing ploy to keep Wheaton on the map; a scheme to boost their already declining numbers. Evangelicalism is a sinking ship it’s a train wreck that seems to happen over and over and over and over... Read more
The other day my doctor found out that I attended seminary, she was ecstatic telling me that she had a secret passion for theology and religious studies. We chatted for a while, and had a ton in common as she also identifies as a “none” (someone who does not affiliate with any particular religion, yet has grown up with a Christian background). Half way into our conversation she paused and slowly asked me what I thought about the bible. I told her... Read more
I live in the hood right now; they call it the badlands, “known for an abundance of open-air recreational drug markets and drug-related violence.”[1] The other night at about 3:00am I got up to use the bathroom only to hear 5 or 6 shots (or firecrackers?) go off. The first house I stayed in there was a hole in our window; you guessed it, that was put there by a bullet. While making lunch a couple days ago I again... Read more
If you’re someone that is outspoken on the issue of race chances are, at one point or another, you’ve had a conversation with a so-called “pacifist” who has cited MLK as a pacifistic example. They then use MLK’s life as a means in which you need to be exactly like. This quickly turns from a back and forth dialogue to a dead-end conversation. To say that the way in which Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Jesus, or Nelson Mandela are the only options in which the marginalized can choose from when... Read more
I think fighting injustice is, unfortunately, the willingness to step into the darkness, all while shining light into its depths. In this time, it’s far too easy to get lost, losing one’s ability to navigate and process their fear of this darkness before it turns into a divisive reactionary violence (e.g. verbal, physical, emotional, etc.). I must admit, it’s sometimes easier to react, rather than to slow down and allow one’s eyes, body, and temperament to adjust. I’ve found that in... Read more
I sat down with Alan Manning Chambers, the former president of Exodus International. He shut down the organization in 2013, in the interview he states that he came into the organization with the intention of shutting it down. Super interesting guy, very pastoral and down to earth – we chatted about why he chose to leave Exodus, the struggles he’s experienced since, and where he’s hoping to land in the future. You can listen below, and also follow... Read more
The biggest misunderstanding of white privilege is that simply because you are white, you then automatically possess more privilege than someone who is black, Asian, Latino, i.e. “nonwhite.” I’m beginning to think that white privilege is a myth, that it’s a means of inflating the ego of the light-skinned person, perpetuating a lie that another person is worth more based off of an arbitrary factor (i.e. race). All the while it’s deflating the ego of the nonwhite person, psychologically coercing... Read more
Andy Gill
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