A Conversation about Liberalism

Rev. Dennis Sanders was kind enough to invite me onto his podcast recently to talk about liberalism. The invitation came as a result of a piece I wrote in Firebrand called “On Liberalisms (They just don’t make ’em like they used to).” I wrote this piece because I’m increasingly concerned about the decline of public…

On Fundamentalisms

The Christian movement we call “fundamentalism” began in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, largely in reaction to the rise of modernity and liberal theology. Its adherents came from a variety of Christian traditions, including established mainline denominations and independent churches that we would today call “non-denominational.” Proponents of this diverse anti-modernist movement joined…

The Christian Mind, Part 1

I’ve become more and more interested lately in the way Christians think–the way we see the world, assess our circumstances, analyze problems, and make decisions. I’m particularly interested in the ways in which Christian ways of thinking differ from non-Christian ways. Here begins a series of posts on the Christian mind.  The Christian mind is…

Are You Addicted to Distraction?

Many of us are, says Cal Newport, author of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Particularly since the internet has become a part of our lives, our tendency is to multitask almost all of the time. For example, I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve written with my email inbox open.…

Is N. T. Wright an “Apologist”?

Paul Holloway, who is Professor of New Testament at the University of the South, has written a much-publicized letter criticizing his institution for awarding an honorary doctorate to N. T. Wright. The letter begins by criticizing Wright’s stance on LGBT issues. Yet that, says Holloway, is not the real bone of contention he has with…