Contemporary Christian culture loves its "mountaintop experiences." Harkening back to the biblical stories of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, this figure of speech refers to profound encounters with the divine where the wall between heaven and earth is seemingly thinned. God is present. Theologically speaking, most Jesus followers recognize that God is everywhere, of course, but in … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Savors the Overlooked Role of “Valley Experiences”
The Way of Jesus
Beatnik Christianity Bends Over Backwards to Accommodate Special Needs
In all of Christian culture, the thing I find most absurd is the Catholic Church's prohibition against gluten-free Communion wafers. This sacrament is a means of grace to spiritually feed God's people, but even microscopic levels of gluten make it dangerous to worshipers with celiac disease and other severe gluten sensitivities. Yet the Vatican's dogmatic hierarchy refuses any … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Bends Over Backwards to Accommodate Special Needs
Beatnik Christianity Overthrows Spiritual Authoritarianism
Britannica defines authoritarianism as the "principle of blind submission to authority." Spiritual authoritarianism demands rank and file submission to religious leaders who've ascended to positions of institutional power. It's a centralized structure that functions through a chain-of-command mentality like the military. Christian culture justifies this with nesting set of … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Overthrows Spiritual Authoritarianism
Beatnik Christianity Restores the Tension Between the Individual and the Community
Not only is contemporary Western society the most radically individualistic in all of human history, but American society is at the apex of that hyper-individualism by a long shot. It'd be like building the Burj Khalifa skyscraper atop Mount Everest. Our lifestyle of relentless self-interest is truly unprecedented. Yet any call for the restoration of a healthy balance or … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Restores the Tension Between the Individual and the Community
Beatnik Christianity Doesn’t Kick People When They’re Down with Divorce
It's often been said that nobody shoots their wounded like Christians. In no area is that more true than divorce. Yup, I can personally vouch for that. I could've easily cranked out a seminary paper on the biblical doctrine of grace before my legal divorce and ecclesiastical annulment, but this understanding was theoretical. It wasn't until I experienced the juxtaposition … [Read more...] about Beatnik Christianity Doesn’t Kick People When They’re Down with Divorce
