Disarming Scripture from Cherry-Picking Liberals & Violence-Loving Conservatives

December 1, 2014 By Kurt Willems

Derek Flood’s new book Disarming Scripture has just been released this week, and has already received endorsements and accolades from some pretty big names: Walter Brueggemann, Jim Wallis, Peter Enns, and Steve Chalke to name a few. Disarming Scripture deals with the problem of violence in Scripture, tackling a wide range of troubling passages–from commands to commit genocide and infanticide in the Old Testament to passages in the New Testament that have been used to justify slavery, child abuse, and... Read more

Christian Quotes that “Destroy” a Homeschool Mom’s Museum Demolition of Evolutionary Science

November 26, 2014 By Kurt Willems

Recently the internet has been abuzz with an interesting story (Here’s where I read about it: Watch a home-schooler mom go through a science museum and destroy evolution) [this isn’t an endoresemnt of the full content of that article, just an example of how this video has gone viral, etc.]. A homeschool mom [unfortunately, the reputation of Christian homeschool curriculum is that it is anti-scientific as it tends to be written from a fundamentalist perspective…this ISN’T to say that ALL homeschool... Read more

10 Podcasts on the Book of Revelation and Empire

November 18, 2014 By Kurt Willems

Revelation is a book of hope. Revelation is a book of sacrifice. Revelation is a book of gardens and cities. Revelation is a book that exposes violence. Revelation is a book that calls out empires. Revelation is a book that summons us into a better way of being human. Revelation is a book that features, front and center, a slaughtered lamb. Read more

Motherhood as a Source for Resistance in the African American Struggle: From Slavery to Rosa Parks

November 12, 2014 By Kurt Willems

I post this analysis at the risk of being completely ignorant. I mean that in a humble sense–as I seek to learn to care about the welfare of all people. Speaking of an oppressed culture, as one who lacks the ability to fully understand, is a risk. I post this reflection as part of my journey of understanding the African American struggle. This reflection focuses on an essay by African-American feminist scholar Delores Williams. Her essay moved me. I welcome insights. Please... Read more

Logos 6: Why I’m a Big Fan

November 7, 2014 By Kurt Willems

There are several ways to do bible study. The old fashion way, with a Bible, books, and journal works just fine. You can highlight, crease your favorite pages, and write notes. There’s something humanizing about this slow process of study. For those who are not worried about expediting study time, this post is probably not for you. However, if you want to get more out of your study times when it comes to prepping a sermon, researching a biblical or... Read more

There are No God Moments: Rethinking Divine Omnipresence

November 4, 2014 By Kurt Willems

By Jeff K. Clarke ————————– Let me say it up front – I don’t believe there is such a thing as a ‘God moment.’ By ‘God moment’ I refer to the phrase that speaks of those episodes when God is said to suddenly ‘show up.’ For Christians, the phrase would normally be used in the context of a church service, meeting or conference where God is expected to make an appearance. The mindset that produces this kind of top-down theology can... Read more

The End of Sacrifice: The Eucharist as Christ’s Nonviolent Presence

November 3, 2014 By Kurt Willems

In this post, I want to explore the connection between Rene Girard’s view of sacrifice and the nonviolent empowerment of the church through the Eucharist. Before I do, here are a couple of my assumptions. Christianity, in its ideal form, is absolutely committed to nonviolence. In Christendom (and some years prior) our fore-bearers gave into the temptation for power over the world and thus married the cross and the sword. The nonviolence taught by Jesus and the Apostles is by... Read more

Why Was Early Christianity So Diverse? – “Orthodoxy,” “Gnosticism” & Mexican Food

October 29, 2014 By Kurt Willems

Getting along is hard to do. People divide. That’s a fact of human nature. Division occurs when two divergent views emerge within seeming mutuality. Best friends quickly become enemies. Teammates become opponents. Royal siblings go to war over an inherited kingdom. A Church becomes churches? Well, that is the question at hand. In which way does early Christianity during the late first, second, and third centuries CE emerge and why does it become quite diverse? This essay will seek to... Read more

Mark Driscoll Resigned Today: According to Mars Hill

October 15, 2014 By Kurt Willems

From Religion News Service: (RNS) Mark Driscoll, the larger-than-life megachurch pastor who has been accused of plagiarism, bullying and an unhealthy ego that alienated his most devoted followers, resigned from his Seattle church Wednesday (Oct. 15), according to a document obtained by RNS. The divisive Seattle pastor had announced his plan to step aside for at least six weeks in August while his church investigated the charges against him. Driscoll’s resignation came shortly after the church concluded its investigation. “Recent months have proven... Read more

postCHRISTIAN: Why we need a new reformation in the church

September 25, 2014 By Kurt Willems

In this post, I chat with Christian Piatt about his most recent book, postCHRISTIAN: What’s Left? Can We Fix It? Do We Care?. He makes some important observations about the state of Christianity in a postmodern world. Whether you agree with everything he says or not, it’s important to allow his thoughts to provoke us to think and act differently! —————————————————————————————– What experiences led you to write this book and what would you say is the heart of the message? I’ve spent... Read more