Over the weekend I was talking with Brian McLaren and Diana Butler Bass about our upcoming class exploring how Christianity has changed over the last 20 years. In just a few minutes we came up with so many significant moments it was staggering.
Here’s the list we came up with.
9/11/01
2/02 Catholic abuse scandal in Boston Globe
2/03 Eugene Robinson, first openly gay bishop
3/03 US invasion of Iraq/massive protests
04 Decline in Evangelicals begins
04 Facebook Launch
04-06 New Atheists
05 Danish Cartoon scandal
06 Twitter Launch
07 iphone release
07 Glasgow bombing
07 London subway bombing
08 Great Recession
08 Obama’s election
09 Tea Party begins in US
11 Occupy Wall Street
12 Sandy Hook shooting
13 Pope Francis elected, resistance begins
13 Black Lives Matter launches
14 Michael Brown shot in Ferguson MO
15 Charlie Hebdo shooting
15 Charleston church shooting
15 US Supreme Court defends marriage equality
15 Paris climate accord
16 Brexit
16 Trump
17 Charlottesville
20 George Floyd murdered
Jan 6, 2021 – US insurrection attempt, Christian nationalism supported
What other events should we add? Is there an initial word or thought that comes to mind when you scan the list? Needless to say, the conversation with these two trusted friends is going to be powerful. I hope you will consider joining us.