Issue
The New Spiritualities
Vol. 17, No. 3 • May/Jun 2008
In Against the Protestant Gnostics (1987), I argued that Gnosticism, an ever-recurring heresy within Christianity, was resurfacing in modern guise within North American Protestantism. Two decades later, Gnostic characteristics within Protestant Christianity have reached proportions that I could not have imagined, and have affected the social and political fabric of the United States in ways […]
All Articles (14)
Protestant Gnosticism Reconsidered
In Against the Protestant Gnostics (1987), I argued that Gnosticism, an ever-recurring heresy within Christianity, was resurfacing in modern guise within North American Protestantism. Two decades later, Gnostic characteristics within Protestant Christianity have reached proportions that I could not have imagined, and have affected the social and political fabric of the United States in ways […]
Your Own Personal Jesus
Citing examples from TV, pop music, and best-selling books, an article in Entertainment Weekly noted that “pop culture is going gaga for spirituality.” However, [S]eekers of the day are apt to peel away the tough theological stuff and pluck out the most dulcet elements of faith, coming up with a soothing sampler of Judeo-Christian imagery, […]
In This Issue
Recent reports from the Pew Research Center (see Mollie Z. Hemingway’s “Between the Times” for more information) show that America’s religious landscape is changing rapidly and substantially: religion-hopping and religion-dropping are proceeding with a speed and industry never before seen in the modern West. Meanwhile, in a recent Atlantic Monthly (March 2008), several authors declared […]
Church: It’s Time to Stop the Spiritual “Bait and Switch”
Men, I’m told, do not read the Bible. This is explained away by the idea that men do not read, period. Apparently, we’re knuckle-dragging Neanderthals who hoot at women, scratch ourselves and laugh at bodily noises. We watch sports (only the violent kind), we watch TV (only the violent kind), but we do not read-or […]
Is “Popular Culture” Either?
Reprinted from “The Effects of Popular Culture on Religion” (Modern Reformation, January/February 1997). “Popular culture” is a slippery and deceptive term for a massive and unwieldy reality. As in other controversies, many arguments about popular culture are frustrating because there is no prior agreement on exactly what is being talked about. Sometimes “popular culture” is […]
Old Heresy, New Heretics
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Manuscripts hidden for centuries have resurfaced unexpectedly. When their secret contents are disclosed, scholars will be forced to rewrite the history books, and the Christian church will suffer a blow from which it may never recover. (Cue the ominous and conspiratorial theme music here.) For it turns […]
Ethics and Culture
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Reacting to Viral Dechurching & Exvangelical Stories
“Here’s what I love about Jesus. Jesus actually knows that the church is broken and imperfect and falls short. But the difference between us and Jesus is we see that and we use that as a justification to abandon the church. Jesus sees the church, as broken as she is, and on the way as […]
Nine of the Most Notorious Heretics
The word heresy is closely associated with the idea of schism, breaking off from the church, and theologians have made a distinction between formal and material heresy. Formal heresy is a stubborn denial of vital Christian doctrine—those who have heard the truth and then rejected it. Material heresy is what happens when a person embraces a false doctrine out of ignorance.
Why Poor Stewardship of the Body Can Be an Act of Unfaithfulness
The beautiful thing about this [sixth commandment] requirement is that it highlights that God cares about you. He cares about your body. He knows you’re made of dust. He knows that we need a good night of rest. We don’t have to feel guilty for getting it. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead shows […]
Imputed Righteousness and Self-Made Identity: The Crisis of Justification in Our Church Culture
This presentation analyzes the crisis of justification in today’s church, tracing its biblical foundations, reformational clarity, and modern challenges.
