This week's theme is wrestling with resurrection, transformation, the ways people are changing the world and when our best intentions go awry. Amy talks about how she was considering leaving the church and Christianity completely, the ways in which she has changed over the past year, and how … Read more about The Very Worst Missionary with Jamie Wright
The Process of Resurrection (#SurvivingTheBible for Lent)
It's Holy Week, and the CultureCast is here to help you survive Easter. John 20:1-18 | Amy shares the Easter message she would preach, the calling out of Mary's name and the importance of the act of naming, the significance of Jesus the gardener, opening ourselves to truth, being broken open by … Read more about The Process of Resurrection (#SurvivingTheBible for Lent)
Trump v Anonymous and Killing Jesus (Again)
Happy Good Friday! Umm, I mean.... Of course the day marking Jesus' crucifixion ain't exactly as fun as flowers, Easter hams and egg hunts, but it's a necessary path to it. After all, there's no resurrection - however you understand that - without it. In that light, we're sharing an interview we … Read more about Trump v Anonymous and Killing Jesus (Again)
The Function Of Good Friday
Ahead of the Great Debacle this Saturday, I find myself in an interesting place. On the surface, it is fairly obvious that I would agree more with Jones on what he believes about the events of Good Friday. Much of what Jones says about the crucifixion and its implication (atonement) are solidly … Read more about The Function Of Good Friday
Excited about Easter: Resurrected Faith
Across N. America, the two largest groups of people who are reclaiming their faith are traditionally parents of little ones who are settling down and putting down roots – and those who are finding a different version of faith in a new community or expression. Various labels are often assigned to … Read more about Excited about Easter: Resurrected Faith
Resurrection – whether physical, spiritual or poetic – Really Matters!
I awoke to a provocative text from my friend on the East coast yesterday morning. He had a 3 hour head start on me and I assume he was at an Easter sunrise service. My friend knows that I now minister in a context where not everyone believes in physical resurrection, preferring a more ‘spiritual’ … Read more about Resurrection – whether physical, spiritual or poetic – Really Matters!
TNT: Easter, Cross, Songs & Demons
Tripp and Bo talk about Easter, the cross, bridging gaps and demons. First up is Bo's blog on Blood and Easter - then they talk Concerns about the Cross. They listen to an amazing song about differences and they tackle the topic of demons. If you want to look into the background of these … Read more about TNT: Easter, Cross, Songs & Demons
Michael Hardin on the Bible & Atonement
Michael Hardin is the author of several books Stricken by God?: Nonviolent Identification and the Victory of Christ Compassionate Eschatology: The Future as Friend The Jesus Driven Life: Reconnecting Humanity With Jesus among others [you can find here] He is the Executive Director of … Read more about Michael Hardin on the Bible & Atonement
Concerns About ‘The’ Cross
I want to thank all of you who shared, commented and emailed about this past weekend’s post on Blood: Easter, the Cross and that quote about Liberals. I have received lots of feedback via email, FaceBook and text. It seems that most people get the main thrust of the article but have one … Read more about Concerns About ‘The’ Cross
Blood: Easter and That Damn Liberal Quote
It is almost Easter - my most conflicted time of year as a pastor. I am smitten with the empty grave. In fact, I am almost as excited about the Easter imagery as I am horrified by N. American protestant’s fascination with the cross. I have written and talked about this disturbing trend in the … Read more about Blood: Easter and That Damn Liberal Quote
Jesus Isn’t Superman
As you may be aware, with the release of the Man of Steel movie earlier this year there was a major push by evangelical marketing types to get preachers to focus on the messianic imagery that had been intentionally spliced into the movie. This is not my concern (although insights about that … Read more about Jesus Isn’t Superman
The Cross: meaning, redemption and the future
Guest post by Renee Axtell - one of the stars of the Easter Call-In Challenge has sent us her thoughts from the amber waves of Kansas. Should we stop saying that God sent Jesus to die? My answer is yes. We should stop saying that God sent Jesus to die, because that implies that God’s … Read more about The Cross: meaning, redemption and the future