Leaving Church
Legions of people are disgusted with the sorry state of institutional religion in twenty-first century America—for many good reasons.
Christmas at First Church
I’d like to share one of my favorite Christmas stories. It’s about a United Methodist Church in North Carolina who initiated a wintertime homeless ministry.
The Toxic Evangelical Variant
A significant segment of the evangelical world exhibits severe symptoms of destructive, life-diminishing religion. Given that troubling reality, it’s past time to challenge this toxic evangelical variant.
God Is No Longer a Working Number
For millions of people across the globe, God (as we have historically known God) is no longer a working number. Neither is traditional theology or the institutional church.
Talladega Nights, John Wayne, January 6, and Jesus
If Jesus doesn’t challenge my worldview, values, politics, and daily life, and if he doesn’t make me uncomfortable on a regular basis, I’m probably not taking him seriously.
The Self-Destructive American Church
Throughout most of the twentieth century, over 70 percent of Americans held membership in a local church or synagogue. By 2020 that number plummeted to 47 percent.
It’s (Past) Time to Raze Hell
What kind of deity would eternally torture people in agonizing flames of hell?
If Faith Were a Movie
Today’s religious environment offers Americans a wide variety of faith options. In the spirit of the recent Academy Awards season, this column will focus on five of them, each one illustrated by a movie.
Six Lessons I’ve Learned about Doubt
In recent decades, tens of millions of Americans have left their churches and other places of worship, and that trend shows no sign of abating.
Do You Have a Biblical Worldview?
It’s time to redefine the meaning of a “biblical worldview.”