Sacrifice is an essential component of The Way of Jesus. In Luke 9 our Lord said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." Likewise, in Philippians 2 Paul writes, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Insists Upon Actually Making Sacrifices to Serve Others
Christian culture
Beatnik Christianity Refrains from Using the Word “Biblical” As A Divine Rubber Stamp
The comedian, Mike Birbiglia, has a hilarious bit about how everyone tries to get you to dance at clubs. With an intonation reflecting a complete lack of self-confidence he says, "They come up to you and say 'You gotta dance! you gotta dance!' And then I dance, and they're like, 'Not like that!'" That's precisely how I feel about the Bible. I grew up in churches that revered … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Refrains from Using the Word “Biblical” As A Divine Rubber Stamp
Beatnik Christianity Seeks A Third-Way Between Clericalism and Anti-Clericalism
Merriam-Webster defines clericalism as "a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy." According to Pope Francis, "Clericalism arises from an elitist and exclusivist vision of vocation, that interprets the ministry received as a power to be exercised rather than as a free and generous service to be given. This leads us to believe that we belong to a … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Seeks A Third-Way Between Clericalism and Anti-Clericalism
Beatnik Christianity Affirms the Mystical Interconnectedness of All Things
Have you ever heard of the Overview Effect? It's a cognitive shift reported by astronauts while looking at the Earth. It's a state of awe infused with a sense of self-transcendence. Astronaunt Mae Jemison reflected, "When you look at the Earth from space, you realize that our planet is a beautiful, interconnected system. We are all in this together." That's a powerful … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Affirms the Mystical Interconnectedness of All Things
Beatnik Christianity Asks, “WHO is God?”
Rainn Wilson of The Office fame is not a Jesus follower but wrote an excellent book based on his Baháʼí Faith. While promoting it on The Holy Post Podcast he mused, "Bottom line: the #1 most important question anyone can ask themselves is, is there a god?... We're either a random assemblage of molecules that happened to have developed this incredible consciousness or there is … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Asks, “WHO is God?”
