{"id":6015,"date":"2012-01-31T21:50:01","date_gmt":"2012-02-01T02:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?p=6015"},"modified":"2012-01-31T21:50:01","modified_gmt":"2012-02-01T02:50:01","slug":"right-and-wrong-about-the-slippery-slope-rachel-held-evans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2012\/01\/right-and-wrong-about-the-slippery-slope-rachel-held-evans.html","title":{"rendered":"Right and Wrong about the Slippery Slope (Rachel Held Evans)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Rachel Held Evans shared this wonderful reflection on things she was told about the \u201cdangers\u201d of the slippery slope<\/a>, and I think it deserves to be widely circulated, read, and reflected on:<\/p>\n

They said that if I questioned a 6,000-year-old earth, I would question whether other parts of Scripture should be read scientifically and historically. <\/strong><\/p>\n

They were right. \u00a0I did.<\/p>\n

They said that if I entertained the hope that those without access to the gospel might still be loved and saved by God, I would fall prey to the dangerous idea that God loves everyone, \u00a0that there is nothing God won\u2019t do to reconcile all things to Himself.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They were right. I have.<\/p>\n

They said that if I looked for Jesus beyond the party line, I could end up voting for liberals. <\/strong><\/p>\n

They were right. I do (sometimes).<\/p>\n

They said that if I listened to my gay and lesbian neighbors, if I made room for them in my church and in my life, I could let grace get out of hand. <\/strong><\/p>\n

They were right. \u00a0It has.<\/p>\n

They told me that this slippery slope would lead me away from God, that it would bring a swift end to my faith journey, that I\u2019d be lost forever.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But with that one, they were wrong. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, the slippery slope brought doubts. Yes, the slippery slope brought change. Yes, the slippery slope brought danger and risk and unknowns. I am indeed more exposed to the elements out here, and at times it is hard to find my footing.<\/p>\n

But when I decided I wanted to follow Jesus as myself, with both my head and heart intact, the slippery slope was the only place I could find him, the only place I could engage my faith honestly.<\/p>\n

So down I went.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It was easier before, when the path was wide and straight.<\/p>\n

But, truth be told, I was faking it. \u00a0I was pretending that things that didn\u2019t make sense made sense, that things that didn\u2019t feel right felt right. \u00a0To others, I appeared confident and in control, but faith felt as far away as friend who has grown distant and cold.<\/p>\n

Now, every day is a risk. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Now, I have no choice but to cling to faith and hope and love for dear life.<\/p>\n

Now, I have to keep a very close eye on Jesus, as he leads me through deep valleys and precarious peaks.<\/p>\n

But the view is better, and, for the first time in a long time, I am fully engaged in my faith.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am alive.<\/p>\n

I am dependent.<\/em><\/p>\n

I am following Jesus as\u00a0me<\/em>\u2014heart and head intact.<\/p>\n

And they were right. \u00a0All it took was a question or two to bring me here. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rachel Held Evans shared this wonderful reflection on things she was told about the \u201cdangers\u201d of the slippery slope, and I think it deserves to be widely circulated, read, and reflected on: They said that if I questioned a 6,000-year-old earth, I would question whether other parts of Scripture should be read scientifically and historically. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[131,139,101,108],"tags":[1140,9891,10169,11426,12508],"class_list":["post-6015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity-religion","category-fundamentalism-religion","category-theology","category-young-earth-creationism","tag-bible","tag-rachel-held-evans","tag-religion","tag-slippery-slope","tag-theology"],"yoast_head":"\nRight and Wrong about the Slippery Slope (Rachel Held Evans)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rachel Held Evans shared this wonderful reflection on things she was told about the "dangers" of the slippery slope, and I think it deserves to be widely\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2012\/01\/right-and-wrong-about-the-slippery-slope-rachel-held-evans.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Right and Wrong about the Slippery Slope (Rachel Held Evans)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rachel Held Evans shared this wonderful reflection on things she was told about the "dangers" of the slippery slope, and I think it deserves to be widely\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2012\/01\/right-and-wrong-about-the-slippery-slope-rachel-held-evans.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. 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