Don’t believe the LIE that your sin separates you from God. Jesus proves otherwise. The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden 1426-27. Fresco, 208 x 88 cm. Cappella Brancacci, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence Evangelical teachers instruct their students to imagine a great chasm between themselves and God, which can only be bridged by the cross. Gospel tracts usually depict the fires of hell at the bottom of the chasm. The message is your sin separates you from God,... Read more
Trans and nonbinary people are changing their pronouns–what if God is, too? As part of their transition, the trans people in my life have changed their pronouns. They’ve come to a new understanding of themselves, and want others to know the new person, too. That’s why they introduce themselves by their chosen name rather than their name assigned at birth (what many call a “dead-name”). It’s also why they often tell you their pronouns–so you’ll make the transition along with... Read more
Many White American Evangelicals consider themselves modern-day Daniels. Heroes in their own minds, they love the narrative of how they were forbidden to pray, yet they remained faithful. This is because it underscores their persecution narrative. Kennedy On June 27, Evangelicals celebrated the victory for prayer, given by the 6-3 decision of the US Supreme Court. High school football coach Joe Kennedy was removed from his position when he refused to obey the athletic director’s order to stop praying on... Read more
Contemplative prayer is beginning with the ending. Most of us end our prayers with the simple word, amen. Instead of spending your time asking for things, contemplative prayer is all about the amen. This is the final article in a series on using Lectio Divina to hear from God when you’re deconstructing. In my first article, “Lectio Divina: Hearing from God When You’re Deconstructing,” I discuss Benedict of Nursia’s ancient practice of Lectio, which is soaking in scripture to hear... Read more
Christians who deconstruct their faith often feel so overwhelmed with questions without answers that prayer becomes difficult. Sometimes it seems that there is no God listening to your prayers. At other times you may feel God’s presence intimately but have no idea what to say. For all these prayer problems, Lectio Divina offers an answer. Lectio Divina Centuries ago, Benedict of Nursia introduced to his desert monks a practice called Lectio Divina that is perfect for people going through the... Read more
Mantra meditation can be an effective way for Christians to hear from God when they are in process of deconstruction. Lectio Divina: Step Two—Meditatio In my last article, Lectio Divina: Hearing from God When You’re Deconstructing, I discussed the difficulty growing in your spirituality while at the same time questioning your faith. You find yourself so full of doubt and questions that everything seems to lose its meaning. The deconstructing mind seems to go everywhere. Each doctrine or aspect of faith... Read more
During the deconstruction process, Christians often say it’s difficult to hear from God. All the ways that they used to feel intimate with God are now called into question. They often say that the Bible has gone stale for them and want to know how it can come alive again. The Bible If you were raised Evangelical, you were probably told that the Bible is the primary way that God speaks to people today. Many conservative churches teach that at... Read more
The phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” contains a hidden spiritual truth that most have never seen. At face value, this phrase means that each individual perceives beauty differently. What’s beautiful to one is ugly to another. Beauty is subjective rather than objective. The common interpretation of this phrase is socially, spiritually, and artistically profound. It keeps us from limiting the concept of beauty to predefined characteristics. It allows beauty to possess an elusive and mysterious quality... Read more
“I feel convicted that I need to give to support that missionary.” “I feel convicted that I need to give up chocolate for Lent.” “I feel convicted about that lie I told my boss.” I hear these phrases in Evangelical circles all the time. And the more I think about it, the more I feel convicted we need to stop saying that. As the Gavel Falls I’m drafting this article while sitting in court, waiting for my client’s case to be presented. As a behavioral... Read more
Why do Christians find it necessary to prove God, or to defend God, to other people? Natural disasters, pandemics, wars, political unrest, and personal tragedies often cause believers to question God. These same events can also give unbelievers reason for their claims that there is no God. The problem of evil and suffering causes some to doubt. Others double down on faith—and even feel the need to protect God from being misunderstood. But are Christians really called to be God’s... Read more
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