I recently heard that the foundational principle of some libertarian or anarchist political theories is the right to own private property. It is precisely this principle that leads these thinkers to reject all forms government coercion, because they violate this most basic human right to autonomy and self-sufficiency. As far as I'm concerned, this position … Continue reading Christ and Possessions
In the increasingly hot climate of the culture wars in the United States, and with some of that animosity creeping across the border into our own communities, I would like to put forward six thesis for a Christian politics. In doing this, I’m not trying to change anyone’s political views (though that might follow as … Continue reading 6 Theses for Christian Politics
I was planing to get this piece published when I first wrote it back in April. When that fell through, I decided to make some changes and repost it here.
Having summarized the broad outlines of an Anabaptist political theology, I will now draw out the epistemological implications of this stance. Some broad definitions might be helpful before we proceed. When I speak of “Anabaptism,” I am thinking of two particular, closely connected views. First, there is the commitment to Christian nonviolence or pacifism, the … Continue reading Towards an Anabaptist Epistemology: A Non Violent Way of Knowing
This piece is the first of a series of posts I intend to write on the topic of Anabaptist Epistemology. This piece will focus on political theology, the second on implications and the third on the positive outlines of an Anabaptist Epistemology.
Alan Kreider begins his marvellously titled book, The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, with some striking observations about mission in the early church. Kreider notes that while the early Christians produced three texts on patience (Tertulian, Cyprian, Augustine), they did not produce a single text on evangelism. Furthermore, early Christians did not encourage their … Continue reading The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: A Summary
This piece comes in the wake of the First Reformed movie review and is my attempt to think through some of the themes and questions raised by that film, as well as gather my own thoughts on the issue of Christianity and Creation care.
One of the most profound sections of the New Testament is found in first Corinthians. The author writes: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. What is the message of the Cross? The message of the cross is that … Continue reading The Rationality of the Foolishness of Christ
“Christendom has done away with Christianity, without being quite aware of it,” Kierkegaard wrote in 1850, “the consequence is that if anything is to be done, one must again try to introduce Christianity into Christendom.” This notion of “introducing Christianity into Christendom” is near the heart of Kierkegaard’s project. It helps explain Kierkegaard’s curious method … Continue reading Postmodernism as God’s Judgement on Christendom
Walker Pearcy’s novel, The Moviegoer is a story of the modern condition. The main character, Binx Bolings feels “sunk in everydayness,” battles malaise, and searches for God knows what. Binx describes feeling like an “anyone” who is “anywhere.” He, like many in the modern age, experiences a sense of being uprooted, abstracted out of existence, … Continue reading The Meaning Crisis, The God-man and Communal Living
