The theological legacy of Augustine is just awful. Dude established precedents that permanently butchered Western Christianity with his teachings on things like original sin, grace, sexuality, Mary, (androcentric) natural law, just war theory, and predestination. He's like an ancient Wayne Grudem, painstakingly trying to remove mystery and tension in order to create a tidy … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Leans More Toward Byzantine & Celtic Theology
grace
Beatnik Christianity Harmonizes Eastern Ancestral Sin with Sacred Humanism
Western Christianity has had a troublesome guilt-shame complex ever since Augustine of Hippo. In his dualistic schema, human anthropology and God's grace are framed as being in conflict, which creates the need for a theological seesaw effect. The former must go down for the latter to go up. Humanity's sinful nature is cold, filthy, and wretched so that God's righteous grace is … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Harmonizes Eastern Ancestral Sin with Sacred Humanism
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 Apostles Were Anything But Inerrant
Sorry to be Captain Obvious, but every time I've read through the New Testament I've been struck by just how human the apostles actually were. Despite the way they were always revered as these spiritual superstars in church, Bible college, and even seminary, in the pages of Scripture I don't see 'em knocking the ball out of the park. Instead I see the apostles habitually: … [Read more...] about The Apostles Were Anything But Inerrant
