Boots On The Ground, by Mike Glenn The old preachers tell a story about a little boy whose mother told him to go outside and get something from the back yard shed. The little boy asked his mother to go with him because he was scared of the dark. The little boy’s mother reminded him that God was everywhere, and he shouldn’t be afraid. The little boy answered, “I need somebody with skin on.” One of the great doctrines of... Read more
What about the paradigmatic text of all? Genesis? Andrew Bartlett, in his new book Men and Women in Christ (MWiC), explores Genesis 1-3 and beyond. I don’t agree with Bartlett on everything but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a book on such a volatile topic so dispassionately presented. 1. The complementarian interpretation of Genesis 1-3, which argues for male leadership authority, lacks explicit support in the biblical text. It depends on implications which are at best uncertain. None of them is... Read more
[Abstract of this review by Geoff Holsclaw] My fundamental concern is that our humanity is at stake—our dignity (not just our freedom). And this is the reason moderates—and progressives—should reject David Bentley Hart’s universalism: he loses the unique beauty (and disaster) of the human person in his relentless pursuit of metaphysical clarity and coherence. There are several reasons why a person like me would be interested in David Bentley Hart’s new book universalism, That All Shall Be Saved. And I’m... Read more
How can you be a Christian? In my experience there are three big subtexts to this question these days, science, women, and sexuality. Other questions are important as well … but these are the showstoppers. How can you be a Christian when it is antiscience, oppresses women, and is homophobic? Rebecca McLaughlin addresses these as seven, eight, and nine in her book Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion. We’ve looked at the first two of these,... Read more
Pastors are straddled with expectations. Some come from their past, some from their education and seminary ideals, some from books they read about pastoring, some from pastors conferences they attend, some from ideal pastors they want to be like, and others — perhaps most demanding — from the congregation they serve. Pastoring, I’ve come to observe, is a complicated calling, complicated because it is the congruence and incongruence of the pastor’s gifting and the congregation’s needs as well as the... Read more
By Ruth Tucker This post relates to Renée of France, but first things first: Michael Servetus burned at the stake. It’s a long story, and Calviin’s defenders have gone to great lengths to prove him innocent. True, Servetus was a pig-headed nuisance who challenged the doctrine of the Trinity. But did he deserve such an awful execution? Calvin had made his position clear. The writings of Servetus were “prodigious blasphemies against God” and “Those who would spare heretics and blasphemers... Read more
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP Read more
Our Cubs come to the end of the season before the playoffs begin. A disappointing season for us so we enter the offseason with hope that we can come back next season with a better showing. Madeleine Kearns on plastics: We’ve been thinking about it an awful lot since then. The mass production of plastic products began during the Second World War and has skyrocketed ever after. At this point, the industry is predicted to double in the next 20 years.... Read more
By Mike Glenn A few years ago, TED Talks, the platform developed to encourage conversations about culture, technology and countless other interesting topics, held an event in Nashville. One of the great things about living in the Nashville area is incredible speakers are always coming to town for some event, and if you’re on top of things, you can bring some top-notch thinkers to your staff and church leadership. When I found out TED was in town, I contacted one... Read more
Jesus Creed
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In