Just about every great religious and philosophical tradition has some version of the Golden Rule. It's an ethical framework dating back some 4,000 years to ancient Egypt. 2,000 years ago, at a time when common Jewish thinking was "an eye for an eye" retributive justice, the Sermon on the Mount upped the standard. In the context of explaining our heavenly Father giving good … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Extends the Trajectory from the Golden Rule to the Platinum Rule
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Beatnik Christianity Takes A Nuanced, Historical Approach to Church-State Issues
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
Beatnik Christianity Laments the Existence of American Civil Religion
When it comes to church-state dynamics, Paul showed us the way by appealing to his citizenship in the Roman Empire while reserving his allegiance for Christ and His Kingdom. Sadly, Christian culture in the U.S. has taken another path. We suffer from a chronic condition of adjective-noun confusion. An adjective is a description. A noun is a source of identity. That distinction … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Laments the Existence of American Civil Religion
Beatnik Christianity Refuses to Participate in Conservatism vs. Progressivism
N.T. Wright once observed, "From where many of us in the UK sit, American politics is hopelessly polarized. All kinds of issues get bundled up into two great heaps. The rest of the world, today and across the centuries, simply doesn’t see things in this horribly oversimplified way." Totally agree, but it's worse than that. It's this all-encompassing hodgepodge of politics, … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Refuses to Participate in Conservatism vs. Progressivism
Beatnik Christianity Renounces the Cosmic Bellhop View of God As Blasphemous
In every religious expression throughout history there has been a disconnect between the official tenets and expectations of the powers that be and the actual beliefs and practices of the everyday people. Christianity is no exception, so it's probably best to be charitable between the espoused ideal and the actual reality. At the same time, it's worth asking, "At what point … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Renounces the Cosmic Bellhop View of God As Blasphemous
