I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Emerging Church forefather Doug Pagitt. Doug reflected on his early days with the Emerging Church and where he thinks the Church stands today. We also discussed Doug’s new project: The Common Good, and the impact that is having on communities throughout the United States. Finally, we have a question and answer session with him and we get some of his thoughts on progressive Christianity. A great interview you will not want... Read more
In my article Deconstruction Part One: Church and Scripture, I discussed my personal deconstruction process through the Church and Scripture. This article will focus on Jesus – the God/man at the center of Christianity. Perhaps no act of deconstruction has influenced my theology more than that of deconstructing Jesus. Christology is the most significant theological locus because the mere existence of Jesus requires that we confront the reality of what it means when we perform any Christian act. Through all... Read more
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is among many groups considering the efficacy of Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a way to educate their constituents on the issue of racism. Not surprisingly the SBC was quick to dismiss CRT as leftist political hokum that “has no place in the Baptist faith and tradition.” The leader of the SBC, Al Mohler, has gone as far as to say that it’s “anti-biblical”. These sentiments caused many African American pastors within the SBC to... Read more
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with best-selling author and Patheos columnist Matthew Distefano. We discussed his recent “coming out” as bisexual and the overall reaction that people have had to the news. We also discussed universalism and Matt’s affinity for other religions. You can view the conversation on YouTube and listen to it on Podbean, just follow the links below. You can view my UNenlightenment YouTube Channel HERE You can view my UNenlightenment Podcast HERE You... Read more
For a long time, it remained a mystery to me as to why evangelicals have so much disdain toward the idea of deconstruction. After all, what could be so wrong with critically thinking through one’s faith? In general, evangelicals are not opposed to critical thinking, are they? Is it because most people who find themselves in a state of deconstruction eventually leave evangelicalism? Maybe it’s not as much about disdain for deconstruction itself as it is skepticism towards the evangelical... Read more
The amount of time dedicated to the issue of the roles of women in Church and society is incalculable. By now it seems like everything that can and should be said about the issue has been discussed, debated, and discussed some more. No doubt this begs the question, “Do we really need another article addressing this topic?” Yes. Why? Because many of our sisters are still disenfranchised in many churches around the world. Therefore, some things need to be said,... Read more
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Author and Patheos Columnist Keith Giles to discuss many things including his newest book in the “Jesus UN” series “Unforsaken“, which explores the various atonement theories and why none of them are correct. We also had the opportunity to discuss a new book that Keith edited called “Before You Lose Your Mind: Deconstructing Bad Theology in the Church“, which is packed full of great articles by leading progressive Christians on the... Read more
Fun with philosophy is a series that explores fun topics that I find interesting. I caution you, this could break your brain – it nearly did mine. Time is a complicated issue that has a lot of ramifications depending on your view. Time just doesn’t affect aspects of the universe like space, but also affects the nature of being as well. You may be surprised to know that there are various beliefs about time – not everyone buys into special... Read more
I remember when I officially cut ties with evangelicalism. It was a feeling of relief, like a weight had been taken off my chest, but there was also grief. Even though it has been almost 15 years since I was last a part of evangelicalism, I still remember it with a bitter fondness. I remember many of the people with affection. They were like family at a time when I had no actual family. As a teenager, there was always... Read more
Roger E. Olson recently wrote an article “Who Is A ‘Progressive Christian’ and How Is That Different from ‘Liberal Christian?’”. In his article, he differentiates between what it means to be a liberal Christian and a progressive Christian. Although I agree with his differentiation between liberal and progressive, I was a bit surprised at his assertion that Progressive Christianity is simply a catch-all phrase for “younger Christians” who support LGBTQ+, women, and other social equality rights within the Church. Dr.... Read more
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