Unfundamentalist

Above All, Love

Christian Issues

Hell by Way of a Gingerbread Cookie

by Randal Rauser in Christian Issues

This post is chapter 14 of theologian Randal Rauser’s new book What’s So Confusing About Grace?, a memoir chronicling a journey out of fundamentalism and into the messy gospel of grace.

So how do people end up in hell if it is not simply because they goofed? To answer that question, I’d like to take a journey back for a moment to one day in kindergarten, just a few months after my conversion. It all started with a cookie, but not just any cookie. This was a special cookie.

First, I should provide some background. We’d been looking forward to Friday the whole week, for it was the day the entire kindergarten class would be able to decorate our very own gingerbread cookies with candies and sparkles. Then the cookies would be baked in the school oven and at the end of the day each of us would be able to take our very own creation home. My creative process went very well. I channeled the inspiration of Michelangelo as I expertly placed the sparkles in the frosting trim and planted several brightly colored Smarties buttons on the chest.

A Brief Sidebar on Smarties
Just for the record, I grew up in Canada and so I’m referring here to Canadian Smarties which are similar to M&Ms. Thus Canadian Smarties are a very different confection from American Smarties which are called Rockets in Canada. I tell you this because I want to be clear that I would never dream of using American Smarties/Rockets (chalky medicinal pellets that they are) as buttons on a… [Read more…] about Hell by Way of a Gingerbread Cookie

When the Bible Doesn’t Give You History

by Zach Christensen in Christian Issues

“If you can’t trust the Bible on one thing, you can’t trust it on anything.” This sentiment is popular among many Christians and is the measuring rod by which they evaluate the Bible. They impose specific standards on the Bible, demanding that it behave in accordance with their expectations. The Bible is either facts or it is fairy tales — there allegedly cannot be any other categories.

But what if the Bible doesn’t line up with history? Was Abraham really a camel herder when camels weren’t domesticated until several centuries after he would have lived? Did a literal two million Israelites leave Egypt without leaving a trace of evidence? Did Jesus die on the day of Passover, as Mark’s Gospel says? Or did Jesus die on the Day of Preparation, as John’s Gospel says?

I remember facing these questions years ago and having an onslaught of anxiety, feeling the need to force the Bible to fit into my assumptions of how it ought to be. However, I realized that if my understanding of the Bible was hanging on how the previous questions were answered, I wasn’t allowing the Bible to speak for itself and be what it is.

In the ancient near-eastern world, history was viewed differently than it is today. Instead of compiling lists of facts, people took history and reshaped it for didactic (or teaching) functions.

I believe there is a historical core behind the Abraham stories, but he was probably a herder of donkeys, and the stories of Abraham were probably written down after… [Read more…] about When the Bible Doesn’t Give You History

Can Progressive Christians Reclaim Ancient Creeds?

by William Stell in Christian Issues

Until last year, creeds played no role in my personal religious life. I grew up Baptist, then moseyed over into non-denominational evangelicalism as a teenager, then ran for cover under the United Church of Christ as a young adult. For the past year, I have been serving as the pastor of a Presbyterian church, and in keeping with its Reformed tradition, this church recites a creed (usually the Apostles’ Creed) every Sunday. True confession: I didn’t know that this was a thing for Presbyterians until after I signed the papers and became this church’s pastor.
When I learned that I was expected to lead the Apostles’ Creed on a weekly basis, part of me wanted to push back. Turns out, I’m still a bit of a Southern Baptist, muttering under my breath, “We don’t need them creeds — the Bible’s good enough, dammit!” Even more so, though, I am a progressive Christian, mindful of the baggage that creeds carry and the pitfalls that they can open up.
Here are just three illustrations of what I mean by baggage and pitfalls:

Throughout history, the powers that be have used creeds as tyrannical tests of faith, whereby sincere people of God have been sanctimoniously labeled “heretics,” denied fellowship, and even murdered.
Creeds can easily become idols made of words. People assume that their creed of preference perfectly conveys divine truth, assume that finite language is somehow equivalent to infinite mystery, assume that God can be conveniently contained in their doctrinal boxes.… [Read more…] about Can Progressive Christians Reclaim Ancient Creeds?

No, We Should Not Stop Speaking Out Against the Ideology of Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ

by Sheri Faye Rosendahl in Christian Issues

This past election was one of the most divisive in American history, and the ongoing ideological conflict seriously sucks. But stop telling us that we are not peacemakers when we vocally oppose the American Conservative Christian ideology that directly leads to the oppression of others.

I will never be cool with a system that advocates egocentric fear while literally hurting thousands of people. I just won’t.

With that said, I have many close family members who fall into the category of Conservative Christianity. I love them and think they are awesome people. We have great relationships regardless of the fact that we have some seriously polar opposite core beliefs.

But though I love them, I still vocally oppose their ideology that leads to hurting others. I don’t quiet my voice so as to not offend them and I also don’t directly try to change their views.

It’s not like I am going around trying to find people with opposing views and personally attack them. I may protest in the streets but I’m not picketing the homes of right-wing Christians and I am certainly not trying to make enemies.

But, unless there is a vocal opposition to the oppression committed by the American Conservative Church, there is no chance of change.

Think about the Civil Rights Movement; it was white “Christians” who blatantly fought against desegregation. It was white “Christians” who carried out lynching and spit on black children as they made their way to school. And it was a black… [Read more…] about No, We Should Not Stop Speaking Out Against the Ideology of Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Equality Isn’t Fair

by Natalie Ringsmuth in Christian Issues

Equality. What comes to mind when you hear that word? Perhaps you first think of gender. Or marriage. Or race.

Does the word “fair” come to your mind? Some folks define equality along the lines of everything “being fair.” But, really, is that possible? And is that even the goal?

“What’s equal is not always fair, and what’s fair is not always equal.”

When we make the mistake of thinking that fairness and equality are the same thing, we ask questions like these:

Why isn’t there a straight pride parade? That’s not fair.When is white history month? That’s not fair.

My gut instinct is to post this as a response:…but, I can’t really post that on the interwebs if my goal is communication and dialogue. (However, maybe I’ll try this one out on my kids next time someone argues about who got more mac and cheese in their bowl.)

What I can say are some of the things I have said to the people that desire “fairness” for straight and white Americans. We don’t need straight pride parades because straight folks aren’t beaten up and killed for being straight. We don’t need white history month because most of the history that was taught for decades in American school was white history, and mostly white male history at that.

We must know and come to grips with the fact that it is easier in this country to be straight than it is to be gay. Is it easier to be gay in this country than in others where gay folks are openly persecuted? Yes. But, the reality… [Read more…] about Equality Isn’t Fair

Faith in the Fog: Love as Our Compass

by Emma Higgs in Christian Issues

This guest post was written by Emma Higgs and is part of her Faith in the Fog series. You can read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, or follow the entire series on her blog.

“Deconstruction” is a bit of a buzzword at the moment in some Christian circles. For various reasons, many of us have found ourselves dismantling our belief systems and questioning long-held assumptions.

For some people, the deconstruction experience can be overwhelmingly positive and freeing. They are able to see things from refreshing new perspectives and discard aspects of their belief system that were oppressive or harmful.

For others, faith deconstruction can be like losing a parent: utterly devastating and disorientating.

My experience has been a bit of both. Sometimes, deconstructing feels great. It feels like I’m standing on the edge of a whole new world of possibilities. My faith is renewed and I am filled with hope, content to revel in the mystery and wonder of it all.

Other times I feel like I’m stumbling around in a dense fog, desperately grasping for something to help me find my way, something to give meaning and assurance. (I plan to address the emotional and mental health issues surrounding faith deconstruction later in this series.)

I used to find meaning and assurance in my firm beliefs, based on the solid foundation of the Bible. My belief system was the anchor of my faith, and offered a neat, static framework within which to… [Read more…] about Faith in the Fog: Love as Our Compass

Too Many Churches, Not Enough Christians

by Buzz Dixon in Christian Issues

 

Canaries die first in coal mines, cockroaches last.

Humans are neither, but can glean lessons from them.

Canaries, more sensitive to toxins, accompanied coal miners to warn them of poisonous gas.

When the canaries stop singing and keel over, get out fast!

Cockroaches, meanwhile, keep skittering around.

Much has been written, and much will continue to be written, on the ever widening implosion of Christian churches in the West.

The canaries in the churches have given their warning, and those savvy enough to pay attention to such things are evacuating the premises.

I have good friends, dear friends, who worry about such things and wonder what they can do to lure people back in.

For the love of all that’s sweet and holy — no.

Get those people out!  Get them to safety!

The very structure of organized religion is the toxin!

Now, if you think this is a call to abandon Christianity, think again.

The structure of our various churches and denominations now work against the fruitful practice of Christ’s teachings.

If we want to be more Christ-like, we need to get further away from the lower-c churches and back to the real Church, i.e., the true body of Christian believers.

The Church with no earthly hierarchy, no taboos, no pre-judgment.

We strive to treat others the way we wish to be treated.

We strive to act with compassion and empathy and mercy… [Read more…] about Too Many Churches, Not Enough Christians

Problematizing Biblical Inerrancy

by Matthew Distefano in Christian Issues

It seems safe to say that most Christians — whether Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Anabaptist, or something else entirely — believe they are generally correct in their doctrinal views. Otherwise, why would they have them? This is not necessarily a bad thing, since there is nothing wrong with loosely holding onto beliefs we find credible. However, many of these folks — mainly Protestants who affirm an inerrant Bible — are not simply convinced about their beliefs, but are certain they are correct. Which makes those who differ wrong. Dead wrong.

In this piece, while I am not going to put forth a particular way to approach Scripture (I’ve done that here, here, and here), I am going to be a bit of a rabble-rouser and simply problematize things for folks who consider themselves inerrantists. After all, the first step to solving a problem is to admit there is one. And Houston, inerrancy has and is a problem.
Problem I: Jesus Takes a Back Seat to Scripture
If we begin our theological pilgrimage (as Karl Barth might call it) with an inerrant Bible, then we aren’t beginning with Jesus. And if we fail to start with Jesus, instead opting to start with a certain view of the book — or rather, books — that testify about him, how can we ever know the way in which Jesus himself approached his Scriptures? Is it enough to say that “because he quotes from Scripture, he therefore affirms it all?” Well, that would be highly irresponsible of us, as it assumes… [Read more…] about Problematizing Biblical Inerrancy

For the Invisible People

by Darrell Lackey in Christian Issues

People need to be seen. People need to know they exist, that they matter. People need to know they have gravity, weight, that they bend space and time. It is a slow, quiet death when a person feels like no one can see them. Imagine knowing you exist, have feelings, dreams, and desires, but are treated like a ghost — you can see others, but they can’t (or won’t) see you.

A significant damaging effect of the fundamentalist (evangelical?) mindset is its tendency to make some people feel invisible. It happens in many ways, but here are just a few:

When we see people in a strict, black and white world of “saved” and “lost,” there is a tendency to dismiss the views, opinions, and feelings of those considered “lost.” Not only does this make them disappear, it reveals a pride, as if nothing could be learned from a “lost” person (Remember the Magi in Matthew 2?).

When we treat certain sins as more “sinful” than others, there is a tendency to treat the people who commit those “sins” in a way that makes them feel invisible. This is a paradox of sorts, because on one level they are actually made to feel more visible, exposed, shamed, and guilty, so there is also a sense of being paraded about — or being made very visible.

What this does, however, is make the people being shamed (for instance, gay people) want to shrink away, to hide, to become invisible. Think about it. Why do you think it is called coming out of the “closet?” The closet exists to hide in,… [Read more…] about For the Invisible People

Do You Mean to Mock Me?

by Marguerite Sheehan in Christian Issues

This year on July 5th I stumbled into a place and a time out of time that caught my soul and will not let me go. The place was a local church. The occasion was a public choral reading of a speech by the abolitionist Frederick Douglass in Rochester New York July 5, 1852.

The spirit of Frederick Douglass was with us in his passionate words, in the life size painting of Douglass by local artist Louise Minks, and in the walls that wept as we sang My Country Tis of Thee. The pews were crowded with friends, neighbors, and strangers. It was a minor miracle that I found a seat in the front, where I was swept up into the past and my life resonated with his words.

I heard Douglass call on his mid-19th century listeners to bear the truth of racism and slavery and to own their need to crush that evil. Douglass reminded them — and now us — of the bravery of the revolutionary fathers, and he called on them to bring that bravery forth again to topple what he called the snake nursing on their own breasts: the breasts of the white pre-civil war population that benefited from the institution of slavery, just as White America still benefits from race hatred.

In his words: “I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn… Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?”

Douglass has been invited by his fellow abolitionists to speak on July 5th against… [Read more…] about Do You Mean to Mock Me?