August 24th, 2010
Like many of you, I’d just as soon replace the word, “evangelical” with something else. Not because it isn’t a perfectly fine word, but for the response it evokes, thanks to the culture war tactics of so many American evangelicals in the last thirty years. But the fact is, labels are difficult to shed, and the labeled are not consulted about their moniker preferences. (My parents didn’t seek my permission to name me and “Christians” were so named by the people of Antioch who were not believers.) And I wonder if the hand of God isn’t behind this label’s stickiness. Like God himself may be holding it in place on us until we understand what it means.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: bible, billy graham, Christian, david brooks, evangelical, evolution, jonathan edwards, National Geographic, on the religious affections, science, Scientific American
Posted in advice to young pastors | 17 Comments »
August 12th, 2008
Been doing little print and radio interviews related to the release of Jesus Brand Spirituality: He Wants His Religion Back. It’s a good exercise because both print and radio are looking for colorful and concise little expressions of things that pop up in the book. Like the idea that we need to dig extra hard for Jesus as the treasure buried in the field of religion, owing to the current “trademark infringement on the Jesus brand”–meaning the negative public perception of Christianity among those on the outside of faith looking in. I find myself illustrating this with the popularity of Rush Limbaugh among many Christians in the United States.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: david brooks, george will, politics, public square, religion, rush limbaugh, talk radio, trademark infringement
Posted in beyond conservative-liberal, jesus brand spirituality | 9 Comments »