The New York Times columnist David Brookes has noticed Western society's pivot away from "eulogy virtues" to "résumé virtues." Sadly, Christian culture has followed the secular lead on this one. Church tradition contains a wealth of insight about character formation, but few talk about that anymore. All we seem to care about anymore is the immediate and the practical. I've … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Engages in Vigorous Good Faith Dialogue
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Beatnik Christianity Recognizes That Little of “Traditional Marriage” Is Traditional
Christian culture loves talking about traditional marriage. Sometimes this involves waxing poetically about God's perfect intentions for the complementary union of man and woman, but more often than not these days it's a diatribe crossed with a jeremiad. Traditional marriage has taken on apocalyptic significance. It's presented to us as divine retribution being invoked by … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Recognizes That Little of “Traditional Marriage” Is Traditional
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
Who (or What) Are We Worshiping?: A Short-Form Series on Christian Worship
Last month, I wrote about how worship is bigger than music and encompasses our whole life. This understanding is encapsulated in this description by Harold Best: “Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god.” One of the key implications of this description is that we are always … [Read more...] about Who (or What) Are We Worshiping?: A Short-Form Series on Christian Worship
We Are Always Worshiping: A Short-Form Series on Christian Worship
Worship has been a hot topic within American Christian circles for decades. From the worship wars to the proliferation of new songs from around the globe, much ink has been spilled. This subject has been debated and analyzed from many angles. Yet worship is a far more robust subject than mere music. It is a theme that cuts to the very heart of what it means to be human. The … [Read more...] about We Are Always Worshiping: A Short-Form Series on Christian Worship
