Ever since the most recent Video Music Awards show aired, there has been a breathless competition online to see who can be more offended by Miley Cyrus’ highly sexualized performance. Yes, I watched it, and yes, much of it made me pretty uncomfortable. It was hard for me not to imagine my own daughter a dozen or so years from now, longing to replicate the gyrations and sexual gestures of another – but similarly overt – pop idol. Basically, it... Read more
Everyone is talking about what we should be doing in response to the discovery of the use of chemical weapons in Syria. But what no one seems to be acknowledging, from the most vocal advocates for peace to the staunchest hawks, is that our efforts are destined to fail, regardless of what we do. I understand the persistent calls for peace, and given the present situation, I would be among those in vocal opposition of intervention in Syria with any... Read more
Following is a reflection from my weekly Heretic’s Guide to the Bible lectionary study. For the full study, or for me about how to join the study. CLICK HERE or on the banners at the top or bottom of this post. My son, Mattias, wanted to do something special for the last day of summer before he went back to school. His mom and sister were going to the nail salon for pedicures, and that didn’t quite fit with what... Read more
Most Christians I know tend to shy away from the musical genre known as “Christian music.” partly, it’s because much of the theology points to an understanding of God and faith to which they don’t relate, but it’s also often because much of Christian music has been of a notoriously poor quality. So I asked my readers which albums we Christians should listen to, regardless of musical style or sacred-secular distinction. The recordings listed below are packed with great music,... Read more
I have never run short on bad church signs to share, but in honor of Labor Day (hey, why not?), I am actually including a couple of my favorite church sing wins. Enjoy! Read more
I had a series a while back about the Christian Cliches that we should drop from our lexicon, and since then I’ve had people ask what they should be saying instead. So here’s a list of handy phrases to help bring followers of Jesus into a post-Christendom, 21st-century world. “I’m Sorry.” – There’s plenty of hurt in the world related to Christianity, and even though we may not personally be responsible for that damage, it’s amazing how far an apology... Read more
25 Albums Christians Should Hear View more lists from Christian Piatt Read more
For the two and a half people in the world who have yet to see this amazing video by Macklemore, watch it NOW. It’s a great example of normalizing different expressions of love, and is also an illustration I use to point to an inspired “third way” to engage injustice, with the hope of Thy Kingdom Come in our midst, some day. Read more
Trey Pearson, front man and creative mind behind the band, Everyday Sunday, is in many ways the picture of a successful Contemporary Christian Music artist. He’s toured the world, played to thousands of fans at a time and sold hundreds of thousands of records. So I was intrigued when I sat down with him at the recent Wild Goose Festival in North Carolina to learn more about why this icon of Christian pop was going solo with his most recent... Read more
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King immortalized many phrases still used in the contemporary American lexicon. But it was on Dec. 17, 1963 in a talk at Western Michigan University when he noted that the “most segregated hour in this nation” is 11 a.m. on Sunday. Though many of King’s other famous quotes come from scripted speeches, the comment above actually was from part of a question-and-answer session with students and faculty about racial integration. He was asked if he believed... Read more
Christian Piatt
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