The Church’s Declining Influence

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

Darrin Patrick: There are really two ditches that churches fall into when it comes to entering into and challenging the political climate—and culture, generally: Unrighteous Activism Some churches are tempted to think, “Jesus is gone, it’s all on us.” It’s not that activism itself is wrong, but it becomes unrighteous when it’s done without God’s strength. It becomes unrighteous when sin is reduced to corporate injustice. Sometimes the theology of these churches is more like deism. God’s there, but he’s... Read more

Kingdom of God, Politics, and Romans 13

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

In a recent blog post, Greg Boyd, who endorsed my Kingdom Conspiracy, weighs in on why we dare not let kingdom of God be connected to politics. He provides 12 reasons and I endorse the thrust of his post — yet over and over we see folks using the expression “kingdom of God” for political activism and social justice activism shaped by political alliances. Kingdom of God, instead of aligning with already existing political powers, created a new kind of kingdom with a... Read more

Regent Redux: Making Peace with Church

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

Many Christians constantly wrestle with questions around church: why to go, how to choose one, how to deal with the imperfections and brokenness we see, and whether or not to abandon the whole thing together. I’ll be a panelist next week during a live discussion delving into these topics along with Hans Boersma, Darrell Johnson, and Erin Lane. We’re hoping it will be an important discussion for our current cultural moment and will provide a helpful framework to think through questions around church and hope for its... Read more

Addictions and Augustine, Bunyan and Edwards

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

Augustine, Bunyan, and Edwards on Addiction By David George Moore. Dave blogs at www.twocities.org. Fascinating new research http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/the-real-cause-of-addicti_b_6506936.html underscores what most of us already believed intuitively. Deep and long-lasting healing comes from being known and loved by others. There is no good substitute for this as we are undeniably social creatures who thrive in community and languish when alone. This got me thinking about two of my conversation partners: Augustine and Bunyan. Augustine is tagged, and understandably so, for inventing... Read more

Read the Whole Bible? (RJS)

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By RJS

I had the opportunity last fall to meet Amy Julia Becker at a BioLogos gathering. Amy Julia is author of a number of books, most recently Small Talk: Learning From My Children About What Matters Most. She has a blog Thin Places that touches on a number of different issues. She commented on her experience at the BioLogos meeting in a post last October, Are Faith and Science Compatible? Hanging out with Christian scientists taught me even more about the nature... Read more

Scripture, Church, Tradition

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

At its simplest, Protestants believe in Scripture alone and Roman Catholics believe in Scripture and Tradition. Postmodernity raised its hand in this discussion to remind Protestants that there is no pure “alone” and that all interpretations are mediated by both the individual interpreter and the context of that interpreter. That is, Protestants too have a Scripture and Tradition mode of actual interpretation. That is the simplified story. Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the relationship of the two... Read more

To My Preacher’s Kid, about Becoming a Man (Jason Micheli)

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

By Jason Micheli To My Preacher’s Kid (about) Becoming a Man Dear Son, It occurred to me recently that, as a preacher’s kid (PK), you hear me give guidance to others more often than I do for you. As a result, I thought I’d write you this ‘FYI’ even though it may be a bit premature. In the event I’m ever iced by an angry church member you’ll at least have these 2 cents on record. You’re still at the... Read more

How Science Works — Objecting to Evolution

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

How does science really work? Is it a game played behind closed doors by a special clan of credentialed folks who have created a society in which no one can criticize their central ideas? Or is it a game played on the open market for all to see? That is the question Denis Alexander is posing in his chapter called “Objection to Evolution” in the book Creation or Evolution: Do We Have to Choose? Regardless of what many say in public... Read more

Give us grace, O Lord

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

Give us grace, O Lord, To answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, That we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP Read more

Free Range Parents

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm By Scot McKnight

From CNN: (CNN)It’s starting to feel a little bit like Groundhog Day when it comes to parents under attack for letting their children do things on their own. The latest case? A Silver Spring, Maryland, couple is facing a neglect investigation for letting their 10-year-old son and 6-1/2-year-old daughter walk home from a playground, about a mile from their house, by themselves on a Saturday afternoon in late December. The story immediately brought to mind the South Carolina mom arrested for... Read more