by John Ellis It’s rare that a conversation with an Uber passenger catches me by surprise. One such conversation happened on a Sunday morning several months ago while giving a ride to a man on his way to church. Per my usual with any Uber passenger on the way to church, I asked questions about … Continue reading Donald Trump, ICE, and the Muzzling of the Church’s Prophetic Voice
Tag: Jesus
The Petty Meanness of the Trump Administration Is a Sinister Warning to Christians (fonts are the new front in MAGA’s War on Wokeness)
by John Ellis Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered the State Department to revert to the Times New Roman font in all official documents. His order reverses one his predecessor, Secretary Antony Blinken, made in 2023 requiring all official State Department documents be typed using the Calibri font. Secretary Rubio’s reason, as explained in … Continue reading The Petty Meanness of the Trump Administration Is a Sinister Warning to Christians (fonts are the new front in MAGA’s War on Wokeness)
Knowledge Is Not Neutral: or, How ‘Data Over Dogma’ Is Idolatrous
by John Ellis I’m currently reading – working through – Frederic Jameson’s A Singular Modernity. Jameson is probably best known as a Marxist literary critic, but his work crosses multiple avenues, notably political theory and cultural/societal criticism. I’ve been exposed to Jameson via various books by other authors, articles, and lectures[1], but A Singular Modernity … Continue reading Knowledge Is Not Neutral: or, How ‘Data Over Dogma’ Is Idolatrous
The Syncretism of American Mythologies and White Evangelicalism
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
Constantine’s Christendom and Transhumanism Are on a Collision Course. I Don’t Think the Church Is Ready.
by John Ellis Prompted by a conversation about transhumanism with a friend yesterday, I revisited some of the books in my library by the likes of Nick Bostrom and William MacAskill. As I was rereading this morning, it hit me that the transhumanist/longtermist[1] agenda eerily parallels an anthropocentric reading of the Biblical creation story. In … Continue reading Constantine’s Christendom and Transhumanism Are on a Collision Course. I Don’t Think the Church Is Ready.
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
Palestine and Israel, Introduction: Justice Is Rarely a Two-Way Street
by John Ellis On April 29, 1956, Ro’i Rotberg, regional commander of the security forces for the kibbutz Nahal Oz, was killed in a planned ambush. On horseback, Rotberg attempted to chase off a group of Palestinians from Gaza who were reaping wheat from the kibbutz’s field. He was shot by hidden assailants and then … Continue reading Palestine and Israel, Introduction: Justice Is Rarely a Two-Way Street
A Godless Fundamentalist Revisited 10 Years Later
by John Ellis It’s been 10 years since I began writing the first version of ‘A Godless Fundamentalist.’ It’s been 5 years since Crossway considered publishing it. At the time, during the 5 years I spent writing, editing, rewriting, and editing some more, my objective acted as a framing mechanism calling me to downplay the … Continue reading A Godless Fundamentalist Revisited 10 Years Later
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?
More on Tim Ballard, Operation Underground Railroad, and ‘Sound of Freedom’
by John Ellis Sex trafficking is a serious issue. An issue that followers of Jesus should mourn while seeking justice for the victims. Unfortunately, it's an issue that is wildly misunderstood and that has been co-opted by self-serving, glory-seeking individuals and organizations. This past summer, the surprise hit movie Sound of Freedom propelled one such … Continue reading More on Tim Ballard, Operation Underground Railroad, and ‘Sound of Freedom’