White Privilege at the End of the World
I grew up in a world where the end was always near. The Rapture could happen before lunch. Jesus might split the eastern sky before supper. The Antichrist was forever warming up in the wings. …
Faith
My faith won’t go barefoot: A defense of deconstruction
One of the highlights of my childhood was the annual tradition of buying new shoes for the coming school year. My mother would dutifully take me to the shoe store, and the ritual would ensue, …
Try Loving like Jesus in a Small Town
For those enchanted by the charm of small towns, the afterlife holds a surprising twist. Heaven, New Jerusalem, is portrayed as a bustling, vibrant, and large city in Revelation 21:2, where the Apostle John describes …
Energized by Armageddon: Iran and American Eschatology
I have some critical questions for the American Body of Christ—a body in which I have been active for several decades. I am eager to know if this describes you: Our Troops Indoctrinated by Apocalyptic …
Profundity and Absurdity
The two aging gladiators met on a makeshift wooden platform outside the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, TN. The most famous courtroom scene in American history did not even take place in a courtroom. The …
The Crossroads of Culture and the Church: Brian Tome
Brian Tome and Crossroads Church came under renewed scrutiny in January 2026 after Tome sent a letter to congregants regarding a terminated staff member. The staff member had been caught video recording women at the …
Exvangelical: Moses had horns, the Bible tells me so
Look at those horns on Moses! I teach art and art history at a religious, evangelical university. Every year, we have a fun discussion when it comes to pieces like Michelangelo’s Moses or Claus Sluter’s …
God for God’s sake: Learning theology from aesthetics
In a previous post, I wrote about having the joy of reading Aesthetics in a redwood forest in the hills near Santa Cruz. It was a great way to pass the time as my wife …
Jesus and My Mental Illness: Faith Through the Psychiatric Ward
I was forty-three years old when I was first admitted to the psychiatric ward. Born again in 1978, I had been a Christian for eighteen years. But knowing Jesus does not guarantee instant freedom from …
What Might The Pentecostal/Charismatic Future of Evangelicalism Mean?
I got my first taste of Spirit-filled higher life theology from the long-serving, recently deceased pastor of First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Charles Stanley. Stanley’s The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life and its accompanying sermon series were released …