by John Ellis Kierkegaard believed that marriage is the “deepest form of revelation.” While not factual, the truth embedded in Kierkegaard’s belief makes forgiving his error well-worth it. The deepest form of revelation is Jesus Christ, and if you want to include the Word, so be it, I will happily concur. In Ephesians 5, though, … Continue reading White Evangelicalism’s Race Up the Tower of Babel’s Stairs
Tag: Theology
A Secular Age: An Invaluable Book Christians Should Read
by John Ellis Sitting on the table next to my chair are ever rotating stacks of books that I’m reading. Two books, though, as their companions have moved back to their homes on my bookshelves to be replaced by new companions, remain constant: The Bible and A Secular Age. Over the last couple of years, … Continue reading A Secular Age: An Invaluable Book Christians Should Read
Erasing the Sacred/Secular Divide Should Come With a Warning Label
by John Ellis I recently read a news story out of South Carolina about a pizza delivery driver who suffered a seizure during a delivery. Waking up, dazed, injured, and trapped in her car, she found herself in a water-filled ravine. Thankfully, two men who saw her car careen off the road sprang into action, … Continue reading Erasing the Sacred/Secular Divide Should Come With a Warning Label
As In Heaven: A New Podcast on Christian Conversations on Race and Justice
by John Ellis Not only are race and justice topics that are intertwined, they're topics that are on the forefront of many conversations happening online, in person, and in our local churches. Questions about racism, social justice, Black Lives Matter, and how Christians are to respond to these discussions and, more importantly, how we can … Continue reading As In Heaven: A New Podcast on Christian Conversations on Race and Justice
Show Me Your Sources and I’ll Show You Mine: Our Epistemological Crisis
“This book is about the possibility that Huxley, not Orwell, was right.” Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death by John Ellis After I received an especially bad review, the theatre’s technical director attempted to console me with the words, “Remember, opinions are like a******s; everyone has one, and they mostly stink.” Crude, yet containing much … Continue reading Show Me Your Sources and I’ll Show You Mine: Our Epistemological Crisis
Reading Ecclesiastes in the Time of the Coronavirus
by John Ellis Buying the post-Enlightenment secularist package includes owning the non-refundable subscription of nihilistic despair. A dirge-filled affair where doomed actors strut on the world stage’s perpetually revived production of the Theatre of Cruelty. No matter how honest we believe ourselves to be, though, like Andre Breton we have zero desire to listen to … Continue reading Reading Ecclesiastes in the Time of the Coronavirus
The Necessity of Christ’s Active Obedience in Salvation
by John Ellis During membership interviews at my previous church, the elders ask the prospective member to briefly share the gospel. It’s not asked as a membership test; if you forget to include Jesus’ Resurrection, you don’t fail and aren’t prevented from joining the church. The question is asked because the gospel is central to … Continue reading The Necessity of Christ’s Active Obedience in Salvation
‘The Walking Dead’ and Christianity: Morality Did Not Evolve
“If we humans are simply biological bundles of phenomenally experienced pain and pleasure that constitute happiness and unhappiness, why be obliged to maximize general happiness?”[1] Christian Smith by John Ellis Herbert Spencer’s famed Darwinian maxim “survival of the fittest” has proven quite problematic for material positivists, not to mention problematic for the general well-being of … Continue reading ‘The Walking Dead’ and Christianity: Morality Did Not Evolve
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
Being Saved versus Am Saved
by John Ellis The colloquial aphorism "saved by the skin of your teeth" was an integral part of the theological lexicon of my youth. To be clear, it wasn’t part of my personal lexicon; I wasn't saved in any capacity. It was, however, uttered on a fairly regular basis by the preachers, Bible teachers, and … Continue reading Being Saved versus Am Saved
Practically Known Theology 