by John Ellis Several years ago, while living in Arlington, VA, a church member approached me with a concern about my use of the title king for Jesus. It wasn’t so much the title as my near constant use of it. Whenever I prayed publicly, preached, taught Sunday school, etc., I made it a point … Continue reading The Syncretism of American Mythologies and White Evangelicalism
Category: White Evangelicalism
Deadly Worship Services: How Corporate Worship Serves the Curse
by John Ellis As a teaser, I ended my previous article with this quote from Antonin Artaud: “And if there is still one hellish, truly accursed thing in our time, it is our artistic dallying with forms, instead of being like victims burnt at the stake, signaling through the flames.”[1] Artaud’s highly imagistic words underline … Continue reading Deadly Worship Services: How Corporate Worship Serves the Curse
Consumerism Sits at the Center of White Evangelicalism
by John Ellis Readers of this blog are (should be) aware of my thoughts on white evangelicalism. The deeper I dive into the history of the movement, the more convinced I’ve become that white evangelicalism is a false religion. This past summer, historian Matthew Sutton published an article in Oxford Academic: Journal of the American … Continue reading Consumerism Sits at the Center of White Evangelicalism
‘For Our Daughters’: Exposing Abuse Within Complementarianism
by John Ellis I was well into adulthood before I first began hearing the stories of abuse suffered by females I grew up with. Many of their abusers were men in positions of authority. Their stories are not mine to tell, though. As an elder in a 9 Marks church, I had firsthand knowledge of … Continue reading ‘For Our Daughters’: Exposing Abuse Within Complementarianism
TV Sitcom Dad Versus Complementarian Dad: Is There Even a Difference?
by John Ellis In her latest comedy special,[1] Nikki Glaser reveals to the audience that she doesn’t want to have kids, confessing that being a mom is too much work. She then reluctantly admits that she could be a bad mom because being a bad mom doesn’t require a lot of work, quickly adding, “like … Continue reading TV Sitcom Dad Versus Complementarian Dad: Is There Even a Difference?
Our Gods Are Alive, and We Should Kill Them
by John Ellis In Rogues, his last book published during his lifetime, Derrida prophesied that his matrix of deconstruction requires of humanity “a certain unconditional renunciation of sovereignty.” It’s an opaque statement delivered by an intentionally opaque man. Demonized by many, atheist and Christian alike, Derrida remains a modern-day Gideon of sorts. The opaqueness of … Continue reading Our Gods Are Alive, and We Should Kill Them
It’s Time for Christians to Actually Meet Critical Race Theory
by John Ellis Critical Race Theory (CRT) is currently one of the hottest of the hot button issues boiling within evangelicalism. I first became acquainted with it in 2017 when a man in our church began warning the elders (and anyone else who would listen) about its presence in some of the seminaries and para-church … Continue reading It’s Time for Christians to Actually Meet Critical Race Theory
Are You Allying with America’s Cows of Bashan?
“They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.” Amos 2:7 by John Ellis The elegance and dignity with which she entered my car stood in stark contrast to our surroundings. The difference was so pronounced, I found it jarring, unexpected.[1] The way … Continue reading Are You Allying with America’s Cows of Bashan?
A Post-Evangelical Journey of Faith, Doubt, and Shalom
by John Ellis Almost exactly four years ago, I shuttered my previous blog A Day in His Court. Over the upcoming weeks and months, I’m planning on writing more about what led me to transition away from my previous blog and start Practically Known Theology. For now, I simply want to note that by the … Continue reading A Post-Evangelical Journey of Faith, Doubt, and Shalom
Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America
by John Ellis Michael Emerson and Christian Smith’s book Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America is one of the seminal books in the conversation about race and evangelicalism in this country. Published in 2000, some would argue that the two sociologists’ book is the genesis for the current iteration … Continue reading Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America
Practically Known Theology 