From Patreon
The Atlantic accidentally reveals Christianity’s growing irrelevance
Another evangelical, another missed guess at how American Christianity can recover its lost membership and credibility.
Analyzing Christianity
Reminder! The Endtimes are still totally happening any day now
Endtimes believers tend to have very short memories for their own predictions. But today’s example was surprising, even by their very expansive standards. Today, we’ll trace an interesting shift in how Endtimes hucksters sell their products to worried evangelicals. (Some Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Relax, everyone! Russell Moore knows exactly how to reverse evangelicals’ decline
It’s not that it’s terrible advice. It’s that almost nobody will do it. Any evangelicals still sticking around this dysfunctional flavor of Christianity are there for a reason. And this advice conflicts with that reason.
Analyzing Christianity
Discernment emergency ahoy! A ‘plethora of false teachings’ are wrecking Christianity!
Chris Carpenter has discernment on his mind. Well, that and train travel, apparently. But discernment is his main preoccupation. Recently, he had a guest on his podcast who has identified ‘7 Lies That Can Really Mess Up Your Faith.’ You’ll Read more
From Patreon
Lukewarm Christians taste gross to Jesus
Being lukewarm is the other side of being legalistic. A legalistic Christian is someone who is more obsessed with rules and behavior than the judging Christian is. Likewise, a lukewarm Christian is simply one who is less obsessed than the Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Using the Doctrinal Yardstick to spot legalism (is impossible)
It’s fun to watch evangelicals accuse other Christians of legalism. And we all know why, right? It’s because they’ll never, ever convince anybody else of their opinions. All they have to evaluate anything is their own Doctrinal Yardstick, and it Read more
From Patreon
We’ve burned past +1°C. Did a 2008 climate prediction get it right?
In 2008, the National Geographic documentary ‘Six Degrees That Could Change the World’ offered a sobering look at how our planet could become increasingly unrecognizable as it continues to warm. I was curious about what it had to say now Earth has passed the first benchmark in the film—one degree Celsius warmer than the global average in 1900.
Analyzing Christianity
Complementarianism, divine callings, and the Doctrinal Yardstick
In complementarianism, evangelical leaders demand that women reject leadership roles in their churches—alongside any hopes of achieving equality with men. And many women do obey these demands. It’s not uncommon at all to encounter evangelical women who gleefully stomp on Read more
Analyzing Christianity
How and why predatory evangelism works
Last time we met up, I briefly mentioned an instance of truly predatory evangelism. Someone on the r/TrueChristian subreddit had tangled with what sounds like the slimiest evangelist in a pack of overqualified contenders. And our OP still has no Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Meet ‘creation care,’ the evangelical substitute for environmental activism
Christianese does a lot of heavy lifting for evangelicals. Everyday life becomes a godly melodrama. You aren’t the guy who carries the pastor’s stuff—you’re an armorbearer. You aren’t eating lunch, you’re breaking bread. Even a simple word-shuffle like Christ Jesus Read more