People pursue the ultimate meaning by many pathways. A sampling of the more well-known trails are bolstering the well-being of one's ancestral tribe, maximizing pleasureful experiences, serving others self-sacrificially, submitting to God's will, rejoining the Oneness of the universe, living in harmony with the natural world, achieving autonomy from the constraints imposed by … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Believes the Meaning of Life Is Best Captured By Connection
Platonism
Beatnik Christianity Minors on Progressive Revelation and Majors on Incarnational Revelation
Progressive revelation is the belief that Scripture steadily uncovers more about God's character, nature, and purposes through the passage of time. For many theologians and ministers, it's the linchpin for how they make sense of the Bible's inner-continuity. This framework is used to explain an awful lot of disharmonious ideas like the slow evolution from polytheistic language … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Minors on Progressive Revelation and Majors on Incarnational Revelation
Beatnik Christianity Exists in Perpetual Spiritual Deconstruction And Reconstruction
To channel my inner-William Goldman via Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." That's what I think whenever I hear most Christians use the word "deconstruction." Conservatives believe it's about dangerously questioning inherited tradition in nihilist despair. Meanwhile, for progressives it's often taken on a … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Exists in Perpetual Spiritual Deconstruction And Reconstruction
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
Answering Two Big Questions: What Is the Meaning of Life and Why Am I Here?
It has been said that it's not enough to know your "What?" in life. It's crucial to dig deeper and understand your "Why?" The former is like a compass pointing toward what direction to go. The latter nourishes you along the journey. The question of "What?" is vital. It tells a person they're a parent and have a responsibility to care for his or her child. Yet the question of … [Read more...] about Answering Two Big Questions: What Is the Meaning of Life and Why Am I Here?
