Will you condemn David Duke and say that you don’t want his vote or that of other white supremacists in this election? That was the question CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Donald Trump over the weekend. Trump, who has had no problem condemning Muslims and Mexicans throughout his campaign, failed to condemn white supremacists. He responded, Well, just so you understand, I don’t know anything about David Duke, okay. I don’t know anything that you’re talking about with white supremacy or... Read more
Spotlight has deservedly won the 2015 Academy Award for Best Picture. It’s a movie that Maria Montessori, the twentieth century’s most ardent defender of children’s rights, would have praised for its frank acknowledgment that children suffer silently while adults fight among themselves. Even when adults claim to be going to battle on behalf of children, the truth is less flattering and more damaging to children than we imagine. The Urge to Scapegoat Spotlight also wins praise from us at Teaching... Read more
This is a guest post by Matthew Distefano. You can read more of Matthew’s work at his website All Set Free and his book All Set Free: How God is Revealed in Jesus Christ and Why That is Really Good News. There are certain theological assumptions within American Christianity that you just don’t touch. Over the past few years, however, I believe I have touched them all. Well, perhaps not all. I still have some work to do. And while this hasn’t... Read more
One of the biggest debates among Christians revolves around the resurrection. Did Jesus literally resurrect in bodily form? Liberal and progressive Christians generally argue that the resurrection wasn’t about Jesus’ physical body, but about the spirit of Jesus resurrecting in the hearts of his disciples. Conservative and evangelical Christians generally argue that Jesus’ body literally resurrected and his disciples saw his physical, resurrected body. I hope I can keep my progressive creds, because I believe in the bodily resurrection of... Read more
Pastors have a frequent question when they begin to discover mimetic theory. “That’s great. But how does it preach?” Reverend Tom Truby shows that mimetic theory is a powerful tool that enables pastors to preach the Gospel in a way that is meaningful and refreshing to the modern world. Each Wednesday, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight Tom’s sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, Tom explores the cross as a revelation of what humans... Read more
As February began, I wondered how best to observe Black History Month with my 6-year-old daughter. I have discussed race with her before, yet these infrequent conversations are not enough. I know that intentional, age-appropriate education is essential to raising aware, compassionate children who can create positive change. I am hoping my husband and I can use this month to lay some groundwork for ongoing conversations about race with our children. Knowing where and how to begin, though, is a... Read more
Even the Pope is going after Donald! Pope Francis took a clear shot at him yesterday – A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the Gospel. Pope Francis is right. Christians shouldn’t be building walls that divide us from them. We should build bridges that unite us and them. There’s no doubt in my mind that that’s true. But then Donald went on the attack,... Read more
In the wake of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia death last Saturday, I’d like to put politics aside for a moment and talk about friendship. That’s because if anything good came from his untimely death, it is the fact that we are learning about his friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It is a friendship that gives me hope. But before I tell you about that hope, I’m going to confess to you my resentment. Deep down, I’m scandalized by their... Read more
Pastors have a frequent question when they begin to discover mimetic theory. “That’s great. But how does it preach?” Reverend Tom Truby shows that mimetic theory is a powerful tool that enables pastors to preach the Gospel in a way that is meaningful and refreshing to the modern world. Each Wednesday, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight Tom’s sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, Tom explore Jesus’ experience with the devil in the wilderness.... Read more
In high school, I had to do the dreaded senior project. Shivers still run down my spine. *shiver* It meant that I had to follow someone in my community for 30 hours and write a paper on my experience. I could have followed a businessman or a banker or a doctor or a lawyer or even a horse trainer. But I didn’t care about any of those careers. In fact, a career was far from my mind during the spring... Read more
Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
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