In the church tradition in which I was raised, everything was overtly spiritual. We believed in the everyday occurrence of spiritually hearing God's voice. We practiced spiritual Bible study and spiritual preaching. There was spiritual prayer languages, spiritual healing, spiritual deliverance, spiritual prophecy, spiritual anointing, spiritual offering, spiritual dancing, … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Believes Everything Is Spiritual
Pentecostalism
Beatnik Christianity Deplores “Fundamentalisms Swapping”
When most people think of fundamentalism their minds often go straight to the vitriolic outbursts, behavioral control, restrictive thinking, literalistic interpretations, and all the rest. What's helpful to realize is that these things are merely the symptoms, not the underlying disease. At the core of any expression of fundamentalism is a mindset that fears being wrong and … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Deplores “Fundamentalisms Swapping”
Beatnik Christianity Won’t Budge on A Second Baptism Or Two-Tier Condescension
Non-Pentecostals commonly criticize the movement by saying it teaches that those who don't speak in tongues also don't have the Holy Spirit, but I've encountered few Pentecostals who deny the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in other sincere Christians. That accusation is false. What Pentecostal theology does attempt is a retcon of Scripture's teachings regarding baptism. The … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Won’t Budge on A Second Baptism Or Two-Tier Condescension
Beatnik Christianity Leans Into the Contemplative Tradition for Prayer
Many people in the deconstruction crowd have religious trauma around prayer. The sources are many. It seemed pointless when God already knew everything. Militaristic "prayer warrior" language didn't sit well with latent nonviolent tendencies. A prayer service where people screamed, "Boughta-Honda-shoulda-boughta-Hyundai!" gibberish at the top of their lungs was freaky. Dead … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Leans Into the Contemplative Tradition for Prayer
Beatnik Christianity Pushes Back Against the Exclusivity of “Faith Seeking Understanding”
Nowhere in the Bible is there an exact definition of faith. The closest we get is Hebrews 11, which points to the ideas of assurance and conviction, but that's more of a description than a definition. This has left a ton of room for discourse and disagreement about its dynamic nature. Right from the start we've got Paul's view that we're justified by faith alone met with some … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Pushes Back Against the Exclusivity of “Faith Seeking Understanding”
