The Bible is not the "Word of God." That language trains Jesus followers to implicitly worship the Bible almost as the fourth member of the Trinity. Let's not pretend that confusing the two doesn't reek of idolatry. The Bible is not God nor is it a part of the Godhead. No, that designation--the Word of God--belongs to Jesus alone as the incarnate Word who, along with the Father … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Believes the Bible Is Ancient, Ambiguous, And Diverse
God
Beatnik Christianity Defines the Gospel As Jesus Putting the Whole Creation to Rights
In some circles, it has almost become cliché to say that the Gospel isn't intended as a "get out of hell" card. Yet even in those spaces there isn't a widespread renewal of what the Gospel actually is. There's seldom a compelling vision capturing its true depth and breadth. Instead what we often find is this rather clumsy refitting of a deeply flawed paradigm. It's like … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Defines the Gospel As Jesus Putting the Whole Creation to Rights
Beatnik Christianity Suggests Anti-Intellectual Bullies Go Forward for the Children’s Sermon
Yes, intellectual pride is a real and serious spiritual problem for Jesus followers. It's detrimental to human flourishing and, like all sins, impairs our connection with God. Having spent a lot of time on the campus of Christian college and universities, I can assure you that I'm well-aware of the problem and have little patience for this particular vice. I tend to confront … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Suggests Anti-Intellectual Bullies Go Forward for the Children’s Sermon
Beatnik Christianity Doesn’t Judge A Book By Its Cover
The insistence upon people wearing their "Sunday best" to church has never sat well with me. On a theoretical level, I understand the purpose of a church dress code. The idea is that people are entering into a reverential headspace of worship that's set apart. They're wanting to look and feel distinct from the rest of the week, so they're coming before God with … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Doesn’t Judge A Book By Its Cover
Beatnik Christianity Expects Jesus Followers to Grow and Develop
Show me a person who's virtually unchanged over a 20-year period and I'll show you someone who's terribly boring and likely suffering from trauma-induced stagnation. It's an entirely natural psychological process of human growth and development for people to have experiences that influence their worldviews, personalities, relationships, interests, and values. Therein lies a lot … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Expects Jesus Followers to Grow and Develop
