W.R. Inge once wrote, "A nation is a society united by a delusion about its ancestry and a common fear of its neighbors." One need look no further than the American Revolution to see this claim's merit. This weekend a lot of Americans, and especially Christian Americans, are experiencing a patriotic fervor that's premised upon historical falsehoods concerning our country's … [Read more...] about 15th Annual Debunking the 4th: Top 10 Unsightly Facts about the American Revolution
Long-Form Content
Introducing Beatnik Christianity: A Countercultural Vision for Following Jesus
This piece is intended as a direct follow-up to "Wrong from the Start: How Christian Culture Keeps Pulling Us Away from Jesus" and is the first in a series introducing Beatnik Christianity. The more I try to follow Jesus, the more I trigger the wrath of Christian culture. Last year a back-up priest freaked out at me over the phone. The issue was that my wife kept … [Read more...] about Introducing Beatnik Christianity: A Countercultural Vision for Following Jesus
Wrong from the Start: How Christian Culture Keeps Pulling Us Away from Jesus
I love Jesus but loathe most elements of Christian culture. The reason is that Christian culture usually has little to do with following Jesus and when there is a direct connection it is often in direct conflict with The Way of Jesus. The more I study it the more I become convinced it's more influenced by Screwtape than the Holy Spirit. Let's be clear. This isn't about … [Read more...] about Wrong from the Start: How Christian Culture Keeps Pulling Us Away from Jesus
The Plague of Neo-Gnosticism in the American Church
Gnosticism was a diverse slew of ancient heretical groups in early Christianity, but what united them was a belief in hidden, mystical knowledge that was not widely available or known. The Gnostics were suspicious of what might be called the "Mainstream Church" of the day. If you vaguely remember something about Gnosticism, it might be because you remember the Catholic and … [Read more...] about The Plague of Neo-Gnosticism in the American Church
Death & Resurrection: The Incomplete Story of My Faith Journey in 2021
Earlier this year, I stopped writing and went off social media for quite some time. The public reasons given for that digital hermitage were true but incomplete. The full truth is, my crisis of faith was far deeper than I let on. Shortly after the deep exhale following the presidential inauguration and then the disorienting process of coming to grips with being a full-time … [Read more...] about Death & Resurrection: The Incomplete Story of My Faith Journey in 2021
