Theology That Bites Back
Introduction: The immediate question that may arise is “what kind of monster could be ‘against justice?’” If this were not November, I would perhaps say that this is a reasonable question and proceed to answer it in my customary way, full to overflowing with balance and nuance. But that doesn’t keep it from being, at …
An alternative title for this post could have been “Justice is Never Wholesale.” Justice is always particular, having to do with individuals and their situations. You can never buy justice in bulk at CostCo. At the general level, there can be just laws, but if you apply those laws woodenly and indiscriminately across the board, …
Introduction: So let us discuss the recent charges leveled against Brett Kavanaugh. There are a number of things to say about all this, and I intend to say as many of them as I can get to, but the first and fundamental thing is this: If we didn’t really want to go to the circus, …
So then, the Statement on Social Justice & the Gospel has caused a stir, as has the fact that I signed it. In a Facebook discussion connected to this article, it was intimated that my schizo-theopolitical approach was generating some questions in the cheap seats, and some were starting to throw their popcorn. Some were …
Introduction: When controversies like this arise, we are regularly reminded that powerful Christian leaders should not be beyond the reach of accountability. This is absolutely correct, and we should also be reminded that the men who summarily dispatched Paige Patterson are themselves powerful Christian leaders, and therefore not beyond the reach of accountability. One of …
Introduction: In these perilous times, when apologies have been fully weaponized, I would like to urge everyone to obtain and read, and depending on the circumstances, possibly memorize, the essay by C.S. Lewis called “Dangers of National Repentance.” It can be found in God in the Dock, and is a word for our time. I …
Introduction: When it comes to dealing with the carnage left by out-of-control lusts, our culture is having a hard time of it. I am speaking specifically of sexual abuse and its aftermath. Many churches heal the wound lightly, saying that it is a “spiritual” matter, something to be taken care of “internally.” Victims are often …
On my top menu bar, over on the far right — and some would charge that if I were in full control of my layout, everything would be on the far right — you can see the discrete little word shop. In that little shop, an experiment in publishing is going on, and I invite …
Introduction: For Christians who want to be biblically grounded, the sin and crime of bearing false witness is a very big deal. It is serious for two great reasons. The first is that it is a violation of God’s holy law, which reflects His character. It was by means of this particular evil; technique that …
So I begin these ruminations with a most necessary qualifier, necessary at least in these troubled days of ours. To defend due process is not to defend the dirty deeds that must be prosecuted or rejected under a system of due process. A civilized society, in order to institutionalize a bias against lynchings—against a populace …
