When evangelicalism was popular, virtually all denominations tried to emulate it, resulting in a loss of theological identity. Now that evangelicalism has lost its popularity, churches would do well to reform themselves and rediscover their theological traditions.
A major reason Evangelicals have become so disliked today is politics; specifically, their high level of support for Donald Trump. What, though, does that mean?
Christians today are hated not just for following Jesus--as He said they would be--but also for NOT following Him. Part I in a consideration of why, in a prominent social scientist's words, Evangelicals have become the "cultural other."
A prominent social scientist says that Evangelicals are so repugnant to the social elite that they have become "the Other." But the social elite usually says to "celebrate otherness," and critical theory champions "the Other." If Evangelicals are no longer "privileged" but "marginalized," what does that do to contemporary thought?
Many politicians who are strong advocates for abortion are Catholic or members of other pro-life church bodies (including Lutherans, Baptists, Pentecostals, other evangelicals). They rationalize their positions by invoking a distinction between their personal beliefs and policy, saying they can't impose their religion on others, focusing on women's health care, and saying that being pro-life involves bigger issues. An article completely demolishes those arguments.
The Bible says much about crosses: Christ's cross and the crosses that we bear. And the two are connected. Our sufferings, said Luther, "are the sufferings of Christ." And yet most Christian discussions of the problem of suffering leave Christ out of the conversation, as if God had not become incarnate.
The Swedish Lutheran bishop and novelist Bo Giertz cites three things that help us to have faith in the work of Christ for our salvation: the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and our personal failure.
John Ehrett, seeing the problems with the dominant political theologies, sees a way forward in the thought of the martyred Lutheran theologian from Ethiopia, Gudina Tumsa.
The number of COVID-19 infections has been dropping rapidly, and the vaccines are working far better than anyone expected. Though some observers are predicting another surge, due to the new variants, another expert says that the disease might be defeated by April. So in a few weeks, we should be able to see who is right.
Pro-lifers often concentrate on the supply side of abortion, trying to make the procedure less available. They have more success in addressing the demand side, persuading women not to get abortions. An activist argues that even in the hostile Biden administration, pro-lifers can successfully pursue this tactic.
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