Covid Vaccines and Exodus 23:1

April 8, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

It’s amazing to me. For some reason, when it comes to the internet and social media, too many people who call themselves “Christians” feel free to spread false information or misinformation. For those with college educations, what they would never cite in a paper without checking for truth and accuracy, they will happily share on social media. Yes, I know, social media isn’t an academic forum. Still, if one is going to share anything of substance, something important, something where… Read more

The Anarchy of Charity

March 29, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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I came across these three words (“anarchy of charity”) while re-reading David Bentley Hart’s seminal theological work, in the chapter on eschatology (Pg. 399). I immediately fell in love with those three words, even if I wasn’t completely sure why I felt that way, or what it was they conveyed. It was just a complete interruption to my reading. I was brought to a halt by their poetic power and what they stirred within me. The context for their use… Read more

Falun Gong and Evangelicals

March 19, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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Consider the evangelical who has fallen into the GQP, right-wing, conspiracy-minded, Trump worship of the last 4 years. If you have family or friends in that world, you will sense on their part a growing hostility and decidedly anti-China bent or persuasion. At some point, the former president turned against China, especially after Covid hit. There was a clear purpose behind using prejudiced designations like, “Kung-flu,” or the “China virus.” Perusing the social media of these evangelicals, we notice they… Read more

The End is the Beginning

March 15, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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From here we read: “In contrast, whenever the New Testament speaks of the universality of God’s salvation in Christ (47 times by Hart’s count) it does so in bald theological assertions (as in 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For just as in Adam all die, so also in the Anointed all will be given life”) which can be taken in no other way but literally.” Everything about modern, Western, enlightened, mathematical, and mapped out Christianity is linear. We have timelines. We start… Read more

Discipleship by Proxy

March 6, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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In regard to our present moment, when it comes to white evangelicalism and the political, in my view there are three types of evangelical pastors/leaders. The first is in complete agreement with a large percentage of their flock when it comes to the last four years and the events of January 6th in our nation’s capital. They agree the former president was wonderful, his election “stolen,” the insurrection either justified or a “false flag,” and are sympathetic toward conspiracy theories… Read more

Gossip, Rumor and Superstition

February 18, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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What are we to make of these reports: see here and here? What does it tell us about evangelical discipleship and training? What should the pastor of a typical or average evangelical church take away from these reports? How should it make them feel? Yes, I get it. What if the pastor/priest believes the same sort of nonsense? We live in a very peculiar time. We think, of course, we are modern people—and we are in a certain sense. We… Read more

The Privilege of Silence

February 6, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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This post is for those white evangelicals out there who are conflicted. They are politically and theologically conservative, registered Republicans or Independents, and serious about their civic duties and their faith.They are conflicted because they didn’t really like or support Trump, or did so very, very reluctantly. They knew he was the opposite of everything they were told to support in a political candidate, but he did support many policies and views they favored. They didn’t like his tone, his anger, his… Read more

Postmodernism Wasn’t the Problem

January 24, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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Some conservative evangelicals and other voices are trying to blame the last four years of people believing false stories/lies, fake news, and conspiracy theories on postmodernism. I suppose at this point, given their forever link to Trump’s disastrous presidency, many excuses will now be offered. This is just the first of many, I’m sure. What they should really be pondering is why a wide swath of conservative white evangelicals were eager to believe false stories, fake news, and conspiracy theories if it meant they could… Read more

Epistemology Via Urban Legends

January 14, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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I don’t remember where I heard or read it, but I do recall the rumor in the 1980s that the corporate logo (which they eventually dropped) used by the manufacturing giant Proctor & Gamble, was a satanic symbol with all the nefarious ramifications. For quite a while, it was an urban legend. It turns out the rumor, with no basis in fact, was promoted by rival competitors, namely some Amway people. However, it no doubt had some negative impact, and the… Read more

Frankenstein

January 9, 2021 By Darrell Lackey

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What we saw on January 6, 2021 lumbering from the President’s Park South toward the Capitol Building was a Frankenstein Monster finally put together after decades in the making. Just like the fictional creature, this monster will probably end up destroying its makers, and there are many. Just like it is hard to fault the fictional creature, who is, after all, brought into this world through unnatural and unethical means, I don’t place most of the blame on those who… Read more