By: Greg McMullen on April 9, 2024
In late January, I sat on an examination table, and my mind raced with many diagnoses and possible outcomes for my situation. The question that weighed heavily on me was how I would be able to keep doing my ministry. My goal was to make it to graduation with school, church, and food ministry and…
By: David Beavis on April 8, 2024
“How did we get here?” As a pastor, I often hear this exacerbated lament from people observing cultural conversations and political polarization. It is a valid question. Largely, this question is focused on the dialogue around identity. Identarian politics and practices, such as separating people based on race, gender, sex, or (less often) class, did…
By: Jean de Dieu Ndahiriwe on April 7, 2024
Introduction The great cost of Christianity is clearly described in this captivating book by Tom Holland. I have found an incredible source of information and I intend to continue reading as the Blinkist gave me a quick summary of the book. “Whether or not you believe that Jesus was the son of God, Christianity has…
By: Daron George on April 6, 2024
I’m not sure where to begin. I initially listened to “Dominion” on audiobook, but an hour into it, I knew I needed a physical copy to fully engage with it. Tom Holland’s exploration is a captivating journey that reevaluates Christianity’s role in shaping Western civilization. While the book has its critiques, it undeniably sheds light…
By: Caleb Lu on April 6, 2024
“Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing… and in you all the families of the earth shall…
By: Tonette Kellett on April 6, 2024
Introduction This week, I read Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland. Although it was a huge book, it was an interesting read. Holland explains that his book explores what made Christianity so “subversive and disruptive” and how it saturated the West so that many of its “good and ill instincts…
By: Chad McSwain on April 5, 2024
“Do you know who painted this paining?” I was asked this as a friend held up my copy of Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. “Salvador Dalí.” I replied. While I knew the artist, I did not know how fitting this cover art truly is for the hardback edition of Tom Holland’s expansive…
By: Laura Fleetwood on April 4, 2024
On the blog today is my review of the 2023 book, Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture by Dr. Matthew Petrusek, Professor of Catholic Ethics and Assistant Director at the Word on Fire Institute. Petrusek tackles the complex art of arguing against modern ideologies using the principles of Catholic…
By: Jenny Steinbrenner Hale on April 3, 2024
In his book, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, Tom Holland, historian of ancient societies, writes an extensive account of the influence of Christianity on Western Civilization. In Holland’s own words, “This book explores what it was that made Christianity so subversive and disruptive; how completely it came to saturate the mindset of…
By: David Beavis on April 2, 2024
In a recent review in the New Yorker on Marilynn Robinson’s recent book Reading Genesis[1], James Wood held back few punches.[2] Though a respecter of Robinson as a writer, Wood holds her religion in contempt. Wood entertains his readers with plentiful depictions of the Christian (particularly Calvinist) tradition that, though occasionally fair and meriting robust…
By: Becca Hald on April 1, 2024
Have you heard the song “Cross of Gold” by Michael W. Smith from the album Change Your World? I am dating myself to tell you that I remember when this album came out (and I am pretty sure I still have the cd somewhere). In the song, he asks the questions, “What’s your line, tell…
By: Audrey Robinson on April 1, 2024
Tom Holland’s book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind is a compelling work that traces the most enduring influences of Christianity from ancient Rome to the present day. It is an ambitious work that attempts to argue about who we are and how we came to be who we are.[1] According to Holland, Christianity…
By: Greg McMullen on April 1, 2024
Western Culture is still deciding how much to let Christian Culture dominate its nation and people. In the Bible, we have two primary mindsets: the Hebrew Mindset (the Eastern mindset) and the Greek Mindset, which is the Western mindset. We see the difference in the writings of the gospel, primarily the difference between the Gospel…
By: Michael O'Neill on March 31, 2024
God is so good. Praise be to God, whose goodness knows no bounds! This Easter I’m reminded of this awesome privilege we possess in knowing God, communing with Him, and “doing life” with Him. I mean… what an honor? The creator of the entire universe is alive and active in our lives and provides everything…
By: Kristy Newport on March 28, 2024
In his book Dominion, Tom Holland draws readers into a historical account of Christianity’s powerful influence by beginning his chapter on the Enlightenment with a murder mystery story. I was deeply moved by the account of Jean Calas, the father of Marc Antoine, who committed suicide by hanging. The riveting story reveals how local “magistrates”…
By: Caleb Lu on March 26, 2024
The power of words has become more and more clear. Whether it’s starting a podcast or a blog, or having an X (when can we stop saying “formerly known as twitter”?), Instagram, or TikTok account, everyone has access to some platform for getting their words, thoughts, and paradigms out to the masses. The influence of…
By: Kristy Newport on March 25, 2024
The line that jumped out at me while reading Rethinking Leadership by Annabel Beerel was: “During times of radical uncertainty, leaders need psychological strength, emotional balance, and courage to navigate the choppy waters ahead.” [1] I believe this sums up my current leadership needs. My brother and cohort friend, Greg McMullen, recently shared a vision…
By: Audrey Robinson on March 24, 2024
Matthew Petrusek’s Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture uniquely blends Catholic Social Thought (CST) and political philosophy. Petrusek attempts to provide a methodology for arguing in our highly politicized environment. His ultimate goal is to provide culture with an “alternative to thinking – and acting – ideologically altogether.”[1] In…
By: Chad McSwain on March 23, 2024
I recently met with a colleague at Chick-fil-a to discuss the preaching calendar for the summer. While sharing lunch, she mentioned that she had not been at the restaurant in a number of years. I ask her more about this and she shared that it was because of their political positions. I quipped, “That chicken…
By: Jenny Steinbrenner Hale on March 22, 2024
Where are the differentiated, courageous, joyful, hope-filled, undefended, empowering, and powerful women and men who are willing to lead with nothing to lose? Sometimes it seems these leaders are nowhere to be found on global, national, nor local community levels. However, if one pays close attention, it turns out, there are some very good leaders…
