American Christianity has a long history of entangling religion and work. The Puritans began settling the New World in the 17th century and brought Protestantism and Calvinism with them. If you’re unfamiliar with the Puritans, you can read a little about their story here. The Protestant work ethic is the idea that hard work is proof of one’s salvation. This might sound odd (especially if you grew up with this idea) but this is the core of the message. Puritan... Read more
This is why I decided to go to seminary. The capitalization of Christianity has been a hot subject for me for many years. I saw the underside of the Christian money machine during my time in a Christian band. This put a bad taste in my mouth for a lot of the Christian pop culture. It definitely made me more cynical towards American Christianity as a whole. I stayed Christian, after years of rethinking the American tradition, by looking to... Read more
While the First Great Awakening was a natural byproduct of the English settlers in America, the Second Great Awakening could be seen as the consequence of the Revolutionary War. The Colonists saw Satan as a physical entity acting in the world. Early America saw the devil walking the earth as the ultimate temper. America had just gained its freedom from England and was figuring out who it was going to be. Now, as the issues of the nation change, so does... Read more
Following the Salem Witch Trials of the late-17th century, America was settling back into religious life. Religion was an important part of the week, but there was a group of people in the Colonies that wanted more. A number of religious leaders began to express concerns about the state of religion in the colonies. These leaders believed that the traditional forms of Christianity practiced in the colonies had become too formal and ritualistic. They feared the people were no longer... Read more
The story of the Puritans starts across the pond in England. This Protestant group was founded on its categorical principles – they were protesting the Church of England. Puritans saw the Church of England as being too ‘Catholic’ in their practice. The Church needed reform – and this clash saw the Puritans harassed. The Puritans faced persecution from the Church of England and the government, which viewed them as a threat to the established order. They could be fined, imprisoned,... Read more
I am not the first person to write on the Seven Mountain Mandate. In fact, I didn’t know a lot about it until recently. This idea has seen an uptick in popularity with the Trump presidency. Trump’s spiritual advisor Paula White holds to this movement as well as other prominent government and Christian figures. If you’re new to the name “Seven Mountain Mandate” – you have probably felt it’s reach. It has been in the Far Right Christian circles as... Read more
The Social Gospel movement emerged in the late 19th century in America as a response to the social problems caused by industrialization and urbanization. Christian principles – helping the poor, tackling inequality and injustice – was the driving force of the Social Gospel. Unfortunately, the changes the Social Gospel helped bring were short lived. (read about it here) The rise of Fundamentalism in America was the first blow to the Social Gospel. While on its last legs, the two World... Read more
The Lord’s Prayer serves as a model for Christian prayer. While some denominations recite it verbatim, others use it as an example. Either way, the prayer instructs us to pray for things to be on earth as they are in heaven. We want earth to be a mirror of what heaven is and a place where there is no pain or suffering. Heaven on earth is a concept that isn’t as widely agreed upon as you might expect. The eschatology... Read more
If you were to ask an Evangelical about the Social Gospel, you may get a few different responses. Funny enough, I had a weekend full of Evangelicals. With the celebration of Easter came explanations of why we celebrate the holiday anyways. Conservative Evangelical Christians tend to look at the Gospel and Theology as right or wrong. Let me put it another way – their interpretation of the Bible and the good news of God is the right way. You shouldn’t look for anything... Read more
What’s The Difference? My parents are both ex-Roman Catholic and now Born Again Christians. Mom and Dad went to a Conservative Evangelical church when they first converted. Well – it might not have identified itself that way, but that was the theology. I grew up in that church as it moved further Fundamentalist. It was a church that took pride in the fact that the walls were white and the glass not stained. This church rebelled against the ornate frills... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In