By: Lynda Gittens on March 22, 2018
This book will push the traditional Christian either into their hiding place or to engage in conversation. In the traditional black Baptist church, we knew our musicians, were homosexual but we didn’t talk about it. They were men and heavenly musically blessed. They kept their private affairs outside the church members view. Our youth…
By: Jim Sabella on March 22, 2018
What an intriguing title: Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community. [1] Embedded in the title is the overarching theme of the book and a bit of an indictment for the evangelical church. Historically, the conversation about and with the LGBTQ community in the evangelical church has been at a level that…
By: Mary Walker on March 22, 2018
There is a difference between concentrating on a “correct set of beliefs” and concentrating on how to live like Jesus, and love even one’s estranged family, within one’s orthodox theological framework.[1] Andrew Marin knew that God was calling him to work in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community when his three best friends shared…
By: Jay Forseth on March 21, 2018
Ross Douthat is a little bit of a Rockstar. The Magna Cum Laude Harvard grad, to name a few of his appearances, has been on Comedy Central, Jon Stewart, Colbert Report, and Bill Maher Show (Thanks Kyle for posting this one). I have viewed interviews of Douthat by NPR, CNN, and FOX, etc. He has…
By: Mike on March 21, 2018
Ross Douthat’s Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics hits the church right in it’s theological gut. He says our problem with American Christianity is not atheism nor secularism, but just good old-fashioned Biblical heresy. The kind of heresy he speaks about comes from pride, arrogance, greed, and overconfidence in debased versions of…
By: Jake Dean-Hill on March 20, 2018
Although Ross Douthat presented some relevant information in his book, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, I was somewhat disgusted with his unprofessional and downright rude treatment of the people he was calling out as heretics. To me, his crass style of writing felt heretical and hypocritical. The author states that bad…
By: Kristin Hamilton on March 20, 2018
In the late 80s I was confronted by the depth of my own homophobia. It’s not that I had been outwardly “anti-gay,” as I had spent time with some of the most amazing LGBTQ people for most of my adult years to that point. Yeah, I know, that sounds like, “some of my best friends…
By: Jennifer Dean-Hill on March 19, 2018
Topic aside, there are so many great quotes and spiritual concepts in Love is an Orientation that is so applicable for all Christians. When addressing the loaded topic for inclusivity of the LGBTQ in the Christian community, I was pleasantly surprised at the strikingly peaceful read for such a highly debated topic. I read this…
By: Kyle Chalko on March 17, 2018
Here’s a song I hate. I can hear the footsteps of my King I can hear His heartbeat beckoning In my darkness He has set me free And now I hear the Spirit calling me Wake up child It’s your time to shine You were born for such a time as this I can…
By: Jean Ollis on March 16, 2018
What a gift to listen to James Davison Hunter speak via online podcast to The Trinity Forum (a nonprofit organization that works to cultivate networks of leaders whose integrity and vision will renew culture and promote human freedom and flourishing) in Washington DC.[1] It’s clear his values and passion to change the world align with…
By: Chip Stapleton on March 16, 2018
I have a complicated relationship with the author of our assignment for this week, David Brooks. As a regular reader of the New York Times, I often find myself reading Brooks’ writing, as he has a regular op-ed column. Beyond that, I think it is accurate to say that he is one of the opinion makers that…
By: Trisha Welstad on March 16, 2018
I am in the midst of my doctoral field research, interviewing pastors on their definition of discipleship, their methods, and what multiplication looks like in their context. Going into the interviews I tried not to assume or say much, rather my interest is to really glean from their work. After conducting another group conversation today,…
By: Christal Jenkins Tanks on March 15, 2018
In the book The Social Animal: A Story of How Success Happens, David Brooks uses story to bring understanding to the way in which human progress happens and its relationship to the depths of our inner unconscious mind. Throughout the 22 chapters of his book he intertwines economic, political, social and psychological theories as he…
By: Shawn Hart on March 15, 2018
“I remember some of the anticipation that greeted the announcement of the release of James Davison Hunter’s latest work, To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. Given that evangelicals have for some time now been engrossed in a renewed and often passionate conversation about how to…
By: Jay Forseth on March 15, 2018
Nope. Not much. I did not enjoy the first part of this book! And here’s why…every argument I had for lasting social transformation was shot down, one by one, by our author. It’s as though he was reading my mind ahead of my every proposal. I started out by supporting real change by holding to…
By: Jason Turbeville on March 15, 2018
James Hunter starts his discussion on changing the world speaking on the Christian desire to change hearts and minds. “The essence of culture is found in the hearts and minds of individuals” [1] When I hear these words the first thing that comes to mind is war. It brings to mind a quote from Lyndon B.…
By: Chris Pritchett on March 15, 2018
James Davison Hunter, a faithful Anabaptist, believes that every good idea arises out of friendship. His book, To Change the World, is dedicated to a friendship out of which the book emerged.[1] And friendship, understood as “faithful presence”, is a central component to Hunter’s solution to the Evangelical desire to “change the world.” The subtitle…
By: Dan Kreiss on March 15, 2018
The desire to retain or regain the cultural dominance once held by the Christian church in the US, specifically the white, protestant branches of the church, has been an ongoing struggle. As the mainline churches began to decline in the early 1960’s and significant shifts took place in the culture caused by a variety of…
By: Jennifer Williamson on March 15, 2018
When we moved to Lyon, our vision was to plant a church community in a community to bless the community. To that end, the five of us on the church planting team all moved into the same neighbourhood, intent on finding a location for our church in the vicinity. We immediately began daily prayer meetings…
By: Dave Watermulder on March 15, 2018
I’m starting with the man in the mirror I’m asking him to change his ways And no message could have been any clearer If you want to make the world a better place Take a look at yourself, and then make a change -Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson In his book To Change…
