by John Ellis At the end of every year on my old blog, I would list the ten most read articles for that year. At the time, besides my blog, I had an actual writing gig, for which I was paid. Self-promotion goes hand-in-hand with seeking out writing gigs, and I was constantly looking for … Continue reading The Ten Most Read Articles of 2022
Tag: Jesus
The Psalms Teach Us How to Cling to God When Hurting
by John Ellis God often uses hard providences to bring forth spiritual growth in the hearts and lives of His children. As the Apostle Paul famously promised to followers of Jesus, “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). And by “all things,” Paul meant“all things,” including hard providences. Sometimes, though, that “all” is quite … Continue reading The Psalms Teach Us How to Cling to God When Hurting
Church History: Ecclesiology and the Reformation (Plus the Awesomeness of the Particular Baptists)
by John Ellis (Originally written to be read/heard, this is the manuscript for the Sunday school class I taught this morning. I’ve edited it some to make it a little easier to read.) Before diving into Ecclesiology and the Reformation, I’m going to start with a pop quiz. It’s a one question pop quiz, so … Continue reading Church History: Ecclesiology and the Reformation (Plus the Awesomeness of the Particular Baptists)
The War on Christmas
by John Ellis The outrage over the supposed War on Christmas has long been supported by the twin pillars of misplaced priorities and ridiculous conspiracy theories. White evangelicals in this country have long – since their beginning – embraced a martyr complex combined with a love for conspiracy theories. The handwringing over the War on … Continue reading The War on Christmas
If Twitter Is the Public Square, Donald Trump is the Golden Idol in Its Middle
by John Ellis Twitter is all abuzz with the news that Elon Musk has allowed ex-president Donald Trump back on the social media site. It doesn’t appear to be a decision that elicits a shrug from many people. Based on the reactions, many people vocally love the decision, believing that it’s a harbinger of better … Continue reading If Twitter Is the Public Square, Donald Trump is the Golden Idol in Its Middle
Our Definition of Patriotism Works Against the Bible’s Expectation of Community
by John Ellis Expressive (radical) individualism is a phenomenon that has long intrigued and saddened me. Our communities barely function as communities because our social imaginary is so littered with expressive individualism that the disparate parts rarely collate into an actual whole. As a result, our communities lack ontological realness. And the effects are obvious. … Continue reading Our Definition of Patriotism Works Against the Bible’s Expectation of Community
Church History: Sacerdotalism and Church As State
by John Ellis (This is the slightly edited manuscript for the class I taught this past Sunday at my church. It’s been edited for others to read instead of it being written for me to speak. Even with that, though, there may be places where it hits your “ear” funny because you’re reading something that … Continue reading Church History: Sacerdotalism and Church As State
The Prophetic Vocation of (Theatre) Artists
One of theatre's great prophets: Augusto Boal by John Ellis Are artists prophets? Specifically, are theatre artists prophets? Your answer, in large part, will depend on how you define prophet (and artist). For me, the controlling definition of prophet is found in the biblical distinction between prophet and priest: Prophets speak to the people on … Continue reading The Prophetic Vocation of (Theatre) Artists
A Brief Discourse on Imago Dei: What Makes Us Our Self?
by John Ellis (This article was originally intended to be a short Facebook post, but it got away from me.) I’m rereading Charles Taylor’s Sources of the Self and am struck again by the simple profundity of this statement: “We are selves only in that certain issues matter for us. What I am as a … Continue reading A Brief Discourse on Imago Dei: What Makes Us Our Self?
Untitled
by John Ellis We’re one day closer to Putin launching his nukes. While it may not necessarily be inevitable, it’s likely not even probably inevitable, but the beats of history make it sound inevitable. That’s a bold claim – a thuddingly dramatic opening sentence, I know – but if you haven’t heard, Putin has begun … Continue reading Untitled
Practically Known Theology 