This post prepares us to answer the question, “When do masculinity and femininity become toxic?” (discussed in part 2). It highlights some challenges we face in defining masculinity and femininity. Among them is the tendency to confuse what is cultural normal with what is biblical normative Read more
In this post, I explain the interrelationship between 4 types of shame––shame as sensitivity, social, psychological, and sacred. Read more
The difficulty is not that Ten Elshof uses “shame” in an odd, unprecedented way. Rather, he reminds us of a basic idea underlying all definitions of shame. Read more
Rather than insist that shame is toxic, we should work to understand when shame is and is not healthy, then develop tools to regulate (not eliminate) shame. Read more
Today begins season 1 of “Doing Theology. Thinking Mission.”, the podcast that brings theology and mission into closer conversation. Read more
This post gives an overview of the final two stages of the contextualization process–– finding biblical meaning and cultural significance. Read more
In my previous post, I showed how the Bible and culture are inextricably tied together. Misunderstanding that relationship undermines the prospects of doing contextualization in a biblically faithful and culturally meaningful way. This post highlights a few key points from (what I consider to be) the most important chapter in One Gospel for All Nations. The discussion there deserved a lengthier explanation, but, alas, I had a word limit to keep. NOTE: The picture above is different from that seen in my… Read more
Many people only want to say the Bible transcends culture. However, the facts present us with a far more complex scenario. The Bible and culture have an organic relationship. Read more
All cultures, including the US, care about honor or status. This post notes 4 ways people confuse reputation or social status with quality education. Read more
This post turns attention to the ways that CRT (and similar ideologies) employ toxic shame (under the name “white guilt”) in ways that are destructive to black, American, and Christian identity. Read more
