by John Ellis During my transition from a student at a Christian day school to a Bob Jones University student, grunge music and its accompanying culture became my god. It didn’t happen overnight, though. The 1993-94 school year, my senior year, provided me with clarity about my beliefs, or lack thereof, as well as boldness … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 5
Category: Memoir
A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 4
by John Ellis One of the sad ironies embedded in my authority figures devotion to protecting my testimony was that while they were busy guarding my external actions, Satan was further warping and hardening my rebellious heart of stone. Even if my authority figures had been successful in protecting me from outward acts of sin … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 4
A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 3
by John Ellis Every so often, I wish that my kids could have the schooling experience that I did. My time within the Christian school movement, from kindergarten through high school, was, for the most part, fun and contained a sense of community. I can’t help but wonder if my kids who attend public school … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 3
A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 2
by John Ellis Desiring sympathy and solidarity as we seek an autonomous existence apart from God isn’t new. That’s part of the trap our first parents, Adam and Eve, walked into. In Genesis 3, the Bible calls Serpent-Satan, “crafty.” He is beguiling and a master at feigning understanding through his soothing slither of commiserating words. … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 2
A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 1
by John Ellis On August 2, 1975, I was born for the first time. Interestingly, one of the most vivid metaphors that Jesus used to describe salvation is birth. During a clandestine meeting with a Jewish religious leader, Jesus made the astonishing claim, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist: Chapter 1
A Godless Fundamentalist: Introduction and Prologue
by John Ellis Introduction In 1994, Douglas Coupland, the unofficial spokesperson for Gen X, published Life after God. A collection of short stories, the book gave voice to the belief that my generation was “the first generation raised without God.” Beyond just seeing the release of one of Gen X’s seminal works of art, 1994 … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist: Introduction and Prologue
How to Convince an Atheist that God Exists
by John Ellis According to the most recent data I could find, self-described atheists make up 4% of America’s population. Pew reports, “this is up from 2% in 2011.” Add in the 5% of Americans who describe themselves as agnostic, and nearly 1 out of every 10 Americans are sceptics of the highest order. In … Continue reading How to Convince an Atheist that God Exists
Confessions of a Writer
by John Ellis Waylon Jennings’ wisdom was misplaced. Being a cowboy is a noble profession. Not to mention, a profession packed with the potential for adventure, good old-fashioned sweat, and the riding of horses as an integral part of the job description. And it’s mostly outside, sitting around campfires while eating freshly grilled steak paired … Continue reading Confessions of a Writer
Practically Known Theology 