In this 4th of July episode of Theology in the Raw podcast (which was recorded on May 1st), Preston Sprinkle talks with Shane Claiborne about the conflict in Israel-Palestine, student protests on U.S. university campuses, and various things related to patriotism, nationalism, and the gospel. Good food for thought for Christians trying to keep their allegiances straight. … More Should Christians be Patriotic?
On Isaak’s 11th birthday I want to share a lesson he is helping me learn about tough love vs. tender love. A strong person is described as “tough as nails,” which has me thinking about the One who took the nails for me. Those nails couldn’t have pierced the skin of Iron Man, Super Man or the Incredible Hulk. Their bulletproof exterior would have bent the nails in half and kept them from harm. That’s Ford Tough; that’s strength “like a rock.” But that’s not Christlike strength. … More Tender Love is Toughest: Happy Birthday, Isaak!
My kids are learning to play the piano. While we could have had them watch YouTube instruction videos, we signed them up for private lessons. Once a week they sit side by side at the piano, Miss Liz “taking them by the hand” and tailoring lessons to their skill level and needs, manipulating their fingers, correcting and encouraging, addressing their questions and meeting each student where they are at. This reminds me of Jesus and discipleship. … More Parables and Private Lessons
Let’s dig into Genesis 3, a text ripe and juicy with deep insights. Humanity, estranged from God after disobeying, feels exposed and fearful, hiding from God. But God seeks them out, asking where they are not for location, but for the state of their souls. They are covered in grace, as God clothes them, revealing His relentless pursuit of His wayward children. … More Evening Breeze in the Garden
Politics are dividing our churches like never before. Preston Sprinkle’s new book reminds us that the first-century church was not an apolitical gathering, where Christians left their Roman politics at the door. It also wasn’t a place where Christians mounted a Roman flag next to—or above—a Christian one. Church was a place where God’s plan for governing the world was revealed, where one could witness what it means to follow the Creator’s design for human flourishing. … More Exiles: The Book We’ve Needed
I like this image of walking into nature, sauntering in search of Holy Land—our own enchanted forest, a private Holy of Holies by a bubbling brook, a stairway descending from Heaven where we sense God’s angels among us. Like Jacob awakening from his wilderness dream in Gen. 28, we go sauntering in hopes that God will use nature to rouse us from our spiritual slumber and make our trail the gate of heaven. … More Holy Ground
As much as Evangelicals talk about having a personal relationship with Jesus, many of us in practice have more of a personal relationship with the Bible. Does God stand wild and free behind, above, beneath, and around the text, poised to pounce and prod us by the Spirit? Or, like Thomas Jefferson, do we stand over the text, combing it for principles we admire, while denying the presence of the supernatural? … More The Untamed Word
The “truth” has always been a slippery thing, easily manipulated, easily spun, misplaced or lost in the couch cushions of public discourse. The atomic, bone rattling, earth-shaking radioactive Truth Bomb of the ages is that since the incarnation of the Word, all human ideas, arguments, concepts, abstractions, formulas, presentations, editorials, principles, etc. of “truth” must now stand before and buckle its knees in the presence of the Truth Incarnate. … More Truth Bomb
We walked into the travel agency and nervously picked through the brochures on the wall, each advertising exotic destinations filled with sun and ocean-scapes. We were teenagers dreaming and scheming about our senior trip that spring. After much deliberation and bargaining with our parents, me and my five best friends were preparing for a spring break cruise together in the Caribbean. … More Jesus, Travel Agent
If I’m being honest, my heart has been condemning me quite a bit lately. My heart desires to honor God by living a life of love and acting in ways worthy of Christ. But I keep falling short. I keep missing the mark. This week’s lectionary text brings us into a section of 1 John that is equal measures reassuring and unsettling. … More Ease Up, My Heart
Recently a very popular pastor came under public attack, lost numerous speaking invitations, and had his radio program canceled. What was his sin? He counseled a grandmother to attend her trans grandchild’s wedding. The pastor himself is extremely conservative on matters of marriage and sexuality, and his theological position on these issues has not changed. … More Fundamentalism’s Folly (Skye Jethani)
My teacher riffs on one of my favorite Bonhoeffer books – a book that has helped keep me grounded in the fellowship of “cracked eikons” I’m blessed to serve and at the eucharistic table I’m privileged to attend. The third quotation near the bottom is emblazoned on my pastoral soul, my ecclesiological north star. … More Loving the Church That Is (S. McKnight)
The ‘gospel’ many have been taught has drifted from Jesus’ original message. Weighed down by a hyper-individualism, we’ve bought a neat little salvation package whereby sinners bow their heads, pray a prayer, pull the grace lever and a bookkeeping angel with big-rimmed glasses moves your name from the Damned column to the Saved column in Heaven’s database. … More The Time is Fulfilled! Change Your Thinkin’!
“With all the hostility coming toward Christians from secularism and progressive ideology,” he asked, “why not punch Left instead of Right?” Evangelicals “attacking our own side” on such matters will only cause unbelievers to hate us more and Christians to trust their leaders less. … More “Why Not Punch Left?” (Russell Moore)
The week between Christmas and New Year’s gets many in the counting mood. Counting how many gifts we need to return. Counting how little money is left in the checking account. Counting how many cookie calories we’ve consumed. Counting how many pounds we need to shed when we hit the gym in the New Year. But it turns out that what we choose to count may tell you a lot about what we value. … More Counting on Christmas
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” -C.S. Lewis … More When Moderation is the Enemy
Your favorite candidate will win or lose based on how our country votes this November. However, the church will win or lose based on our behavior between now and then. … More Why Christians Shouldn’t Argue Over Politics
In this series of posts we’re exploring the different ways the Bible confronts the reader and the appropriate response to each. #5 – THE BIBLE AS GOD’S PRACTICAL GUIDEBOOK FOR LIFE The most popular approach to Scripture in modern-day America is to search it for practical principles for daily living. The Bible is God’s “Handbook … More THE BIBLE: Guidebook for Life
In this series I am sharing some of the passages of the Bible — or Life Verses — that have most impacted my own life. “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also….they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, proclaiming that there is another king, Jesus.” ACTS 17:6 After college I immediately began … More LIFE VERSES 7: Acts 17:6
Respected leader Bob Buford highlights diverse perspective on recent reports proclaiming the decline of Christianity Here’s the article from Exponential entitled Is It “The Big Drop”? Or Is the U.S. Church Becoming More Evangelical than Ever? I expect most of us have been seeing the media barrage reporting on the drop in the number of Christians in the United … More The Demise or Evangelicalization of the American Church?
“But God…made us alive with Christ….and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:5-7). Ephesians can be broken into two parts where the first 3 … More EPHESIANS 12: Solidarity with Christ is Everything (2:5-7)
One of the greatest concerns I have for the emerging generation is the growing pervasiveness of “mircro-communication” in their lives. I recently saw a 15 year old girl featured on “Nightline” who sends 30,000 text messages on her phone each month. Do the math: that’s 1,000 per day, 62 per waking hour, or one … More Combatting Soundbite Christianity
What do you think?
I heard a story on the radio recently discussing the fading reality of the “American Dream.” The story said only about 57% of Americans still believe the American Dream is achievable or worth pursuing. I say, “Die, American myth, die!!” I happen to believe that many (not all!) of the promises of the American Dream … More The Future of the American Dream
This is a growing collection of resources to help familiarize Christians with the current debate on what the Bible teaches about homosexuality and how we can better love and minister to the GLBTQ community. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH? Here’s a good place to start if you’re wondering what the Bible teaches and how both sides make their … More Jesus, the Bible, & Homosexuality – Resources
Jeremy Berg 