Has the Christian God Become Indistinguishable from Santa Claus? “Kids are being marketed to from the moment they’re born. And they’re not just being marketed products, they’re being marketed values … And the values are: “Things can make me cool; things define my self-worth.” — Susan Linn [1] We’ve all heard the comparison between God and Santa… but, it wasn’t until recently that I really sat back and considered all of the similarities: Keeps a list of who’s naughty or... Read more
An Irreprehensible Kind of Grace… Something that might disturb ss “law-abiding-conservative-Chik-Fil-A-eating-evangelical-folk”… I never fully understood grace. I grew up in a conservative evangelical church, and have worked in only conservative evangelical churches, where the gospel was assumed and not necessarily displayed or talked about at large… For Example: If you went to a rated “R” movie If you said a “That’s what she said” joke If you dated instead of courted If you even kissed a girl rather then kissed dating goodbye …then... Read more
Is Salvation Dependent Upon Belief? Richard Rohr: “It’s not correct to say Jesus is God.” “ROHR: It’s not correct to say Jesus is God. Now, don’t run and report me to the bishop, all right? It’s not correct to say that.” – Richard Rohr [1] Richard Rohr, he’s not wrong… Before you throw that electronic stone in the form of a comment or more passively, unfollowing me on Twitter, hear the both of us out… Remember when we were younger... Read more
Is Cursing a Sin? Here is Why it’s Not Necessarily… In my series of “Why Am I Even Addressing This…” I’m tackling basic level questions in which many of us haven’t seemed to gather credible answers for. Again, for most of us, the answer has been “obvious” but, that’s depending on which circle you’re operating within. If you google this question this website “gotquestions.org” comes up and, they say this: Answer: It is definitely a sin to swear (curse, cuss, etc.).... Read more
Is This the Future of Our Church? And, I mean, is it necessarily a bad thing? Before we begin here we need to differentiate between the Church and the institution we’ve labeled as the Church. It’s the cliche in which we’ve heard one too many times: Church isn’t a building. Seemingly, the racial and generational monopoly older whites refuse to relinquish over the Church is what will lead to the institution’s demise. While the next two generations to come along... Read more
The Subversive Part of Jesus All of us Have Seemed to Miss You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you... Read more
If Jesus Was a Republican… “It’s a story, a great story, really tremendous. Maybe the greatest story ever told, if you think about it. Bigly story, believe me.” – Jesus, probably [1] In my last post, I briefly posed the question, “Why is helping the poor considered ‘liberal’?” The question was rhetorical but, this video hilariously gives us an answer to it… “GOP Jesus” It’s one of those videos that’s hard for us to not passive-aggressively share with our GOP... Read more
What’s So “Progressive” About Me? When I meet up with folk that have maybe followed me for a while online or, have been loosely acquainted with me “in real life” (IRL) what surprises them the most is that after an hour or so of getting to know me they find that I’m not as “progressive” or “liberal” as they once thought of me. And, it’s honestly gotten me thinking… What even makes me so “liberal”? The assumptions are understandable, from... Read more
Does the Reformation Still Matter? 501 years ago today Martin Luther nailed a list of grievances to the church door in Wittenberg, a little town in the Holy Roman Empire. Luther expected a theological debate on the finer points of discipleship and purgatory. What he got was a history rupturing revolution. We are all today, Protestant or Catholic, beneficiaries of Luther’s legacy. But does that story still matter for us? Does the story of a German monk, a French lawyer,... Read more
The presence of grace does not imply the absence of cost; while, the presence of cost does not mean you need to tolerate abuse. Growing up I always felt like this verse was harsh: 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on... Read more
Andy Gill
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