by John Ellis My pastor, while quoting a Nirvana lyric during a sermon, accidentally got the number of years that have passed since the song’s release wrong, and then looked at me in way that even my non-Nirvana fan wife picked up on. After the service, he made a beeline to me – well, as … Continue reading Claiming Rock Music is the Devil’s Music Is, In Fact, a Devilish Claim
Tag: Gospel
Christian Nationalism: The Coming Storm of Persecution
by John Ellis I have publicly asserted that religious persecution for Christians living in this country is coming, an assertion that many white evangelicals whole-heartedly amen. Except, contra most white evangelicals, I believe that the persecution of followers of Jesus is likely going to arrive from the right (Republicans) first and not the left. For … Continue reading Christian Nationalism: The Coming Storm of Persecution
The Second Amendment: Conservative’s Moloch
Image by Otto Pankok (1893-1966) by John Ellis A mere twenty-seven words hold this nation hostage. Well known, but not necessarily understood, the Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Those words, … Continue reading The Second Amendment: Conservative’s Moloch
Absurdist Theatre and the Gospel: How Then Shall We Live? (Part 1)
by John Ellis Absurdist theatre has gotten a bad rap within conservative Christian communities. Whether it’s viewed as a postmodern rebellion against God, simply dismissed as some sort of aesthetic version of the emperor’s new clothes, or has never even crossed their radar, absurdist theatre is not the preferred theatre genre of most conservative Christians, … Continue reading Absurdist Theatre and the Gospel: How Then Shall We Live? (Part 1)
The Definitive Apologetic Answer Guide to Some of the Most Difficult Challenges to Christianity
by John Ellis Apologetics is a discipline that attracts much attention within Christianity, and for good reason. Atheism and agnosticism are on the rise. Even among non-atheists/non-agnostics, the rejection of long held beliefs about God, Jesus, and the Bible is seemingly the norm. Most of us have family members and friends who have rejected Christianity … Continue reading The Definitive Apologetic Answer Guide to Some of the Most Difficult Challenges to Christianity
Yes, I Am a ‘Woke’ Christian. No, I Have Not Drifted into Theological Compromise.
by John Ellis Have you ever heard of the Scottsboro Boys? Considered one of the most egregious examples of a racist miscarriage of justice in this country, nine Black men were wrongfully convicted of raping two white women in 1931. In the initial trial and subsequent retrials, Alabama juries, comprised of all white men (with … Continue reading Yes, I Am a ‘Woke’ Christian. No, I Have Not Drifted into Theological Compromise.
The Colson Center, God, Quantum Physics, and Univocity of Being
by John Ellis The question, “Does God use quantum theory, too?” was posed in a recent Breakpoint podcast episode (at least in the title). The episode is short – very short – at only 1 minute and 5 seconds long. It begins by referencing science writer John Horgans’ claim that, “Quantum mechanics is science’s most … Continue reading The Colson Center, God, Quantum Physics, and Univocity of Being
Reading Genesis (Chapters 1 and 2) After the Scientific Revolution
by John Ellis During his time as the Poet Laureate of the United States (2001-2003), Billy Collins created Poetry 180, a program designed to encourage high schoolers to engage poetry both meaningfully and enjoyably. In the introduction to the poetry anthology Collins compiled as a companion piece for the program, he offers a warning to … Continue reading Reading Genesis (Chapters 1 and 2) After the Scientific Revolution
COVID at Two Years of Age: Charting a Path Forward for Followers of King Jesus
by John Ellis Standing on the Cady Way Trail’s walking bridge spanning Semoran Blvd, I watched the cars streaming under me and thought, “Are we ready for what’s about to happen?” It was mid-March of 2020, and COVID’s effects were already starting to ripple out. The news out of Italy was horrendous, but distant. The … Continue reading COVID at Two Years of Age: Charting a Path Forward for Followers of King Jesus
The Paradox of the Gospel
by John Ellis We strive to be either icons or iconoclasts; we long to build up or to burn down. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that does both. That paradox, though, stokes rebellion in our heart. To be loved by the Most High God is an incalculable weight; a burden that … Continue reading The Paradox of the Gospel
Practically Known Theology 