The dynamic relationship between church and state is one of irresolvable complexity. There is no one systematic paradigm or "biblical" formulation that defines what Christians' political activity should look like, neatly ties off all the loose ends, and is conveniently applicable to all geo-politcal and socio-economic contexts. An approach that met the needs of one century … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Takes A Nuanced, Historical Approach to Church-State Issues
Christian Nationalism
Beatnik Christianity Understands Theology As Humanity’s Pursuit of God
Theology technically means the study of God. Wikipedia expands it out to "the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief." That's fine, but I prefer to define theology as "humanity's pursuit both of knowledge of, and communion with, God." As someone who believes the meaning of life is connection--with God, with other people, and with the … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Understands Theology As Humanity’s Pursuit of God
Beatnik Christianity Subverts Constantine, Christendom, and Christian Culture
It’s helpful to begin with a definition. I would tentatively define Christendom as the era in which institutional Christianity exercised a profound degree of cultural hegemony, geo-political power, socio-economic control, and even military might. At the risk of oversimplifying a supremely complicated historical story, it largely began in the 4th century with Emperor Constantine … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Subverts Constantine, Christendom, and Christian Culture
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
