David Bazan is a man who needs little introduction in ex-Evangelical circles. In his career as frontman for indie group Pedro the Lion and as a solo artist, Bazan has consistently set strikingly intimate lyrics to haunting melodies, not eschewing doubt and darkness even when he was a Christian artist. Bazan's authenticity was and is … Continue reading Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Singer-Songwriter David Bazan
Ex-Evangelical Means Much More than Dropping a Label: A Response to Josiah Hesse
This morning, journalist, novelist, and ex-Evangelical Josiah Hesse published an important article in The Guardian. The original (and, as of 5:06 p.m. Eastern, current) headline of the article is "'Exvangelicals': Why More Religious People are Rejecting the Evangelical Label." Hesse's article focuses primarily on a new wave of Christians dissociating themselves from the term "Evangelical" due to … Continue reading Ex-Evangelical Means Much More than Dropping a Label: A Response to Josiah Hesse
Patheos is Giving a Platform to Disgraced Pastor Mark Driscoll. Push Back – Tweet #NoDriscoll at @Patheos
Maybe the fact that their tweet with the "really big news" that Patheos would be hosting Mark Driscoll only got one retweet and four likes in more than 24 hours should have been the first clue for the blog site dedicated to "hosting the conversation on faith" that their readers are not excited to see … Continue reading Patheos is Giving a Platform to Disgraced Pastor Mark Driscoll. Push Back – Tweet #NoDriscoll at @Patheos
The Washington Post and the Kaepernick Controversy: A Tale of Normalizing Toxic Christianity
Yesterday, amid continuing white Evangelical freakout about a black man who refused to stand for the national anthem in order to protest racial injustice--a dog bites man story in and of itself, of course, or at least it should be--The Washington Post published Michael Frost's "Colin Kaepernick vs. Tim Tebow: A Tale of Two Christians on … Continue reading The Washington Post and the Kaepernick Controversy: A Tale of Normalizing Toxic Christianity
Who’s Afraid of the Rapture? Some Thoughts on Conservative Christian Apocalypticism and its Consequences
Happy Rapture Day? It's that time again. That time of year when the fall semester gets into full swing, the leaves in the Midwest and New England begin to change color (or maybe not this year, thanks Obama climate change), and certain conservative Christians go into a frenzy about the rapture. You know, that glorious event … Continue reading Who’s Afraid of the Rapture? Some Thoughts on Conservative Christian Apocalypticism and its Consequences
Of Megachurches and their Mini-Mes, or, What’s the Deal with “Relevant” Christianity?
Before really getting into this post, I'd like to thank all of you readers for bearing with me with respect to the paucity of new content delivered over the last month, much of which I spent traveling: In Indiana (where I visited family); in the Pacific Northwest (where I stayed with Tori Glass's family, hiked … Continue reading Of Megachurches and their Mini-Mes, or, What’s the Deal with “Relevant” Christianity?
Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Satanic Panic Abuse Survivor Nancy Hightower
Dr. Nancy Hightower is a writer and literary scholar with a remarkable story of surviving the worst of Evangelicalism. She offers a valuable perspective on the challenges we currently face at a time in which white Evangelical Christians are the single demographic most supportive of #IllegitimatePresident Trump and most responsible for rising American authoritarianism. The … Continue reading Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Satanic Panic Abuse Survivor Nancy Hightower
The Rundown on Jay Sekulow, Veteran Christian Right Lawyer Now on Trump’s Legal Team
The news recently broke that Jay Alan Sekulow, chief counsel for the far Right American Center for Law and Justice, is a member of Trump's legal team. This should give us pause for a number of reasons. The ACLJ is one of the most effective Christian Right legal advocacy organizations, and it plays an important … Continue reading The Rundown on Jay Sekulow, Veteran Christian Right Lawyer Now on Trump’s Legal Team
Stop #CruellaDevos: Once More on the Christian Right’s Education Agenda
Amid all the talk of highly unqualified Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos's defense of unconscionable $9.2 billion cuts to public education and proposed $4 billion investment in so-called "school choice" (moves that have earned DeVos the well-deserved epithet #CruellaDeVos on Twitter), it's worth remembering why the Christian Right supports "school choice" in the first place. … Continue reading Stop #CruellaDevos: Once More on the Christian Right’s Education Agenda
Not Your Mission Field 