The Weekend File: 11:29:08

John H at Confessing Evangelical suggests some devotional resources in the Orthodox tradition.

James White has some video from the John 3:16 Conference. Apparently some in the "crowd" of 600-800 don't believe Calvinists are Christians. I certainly believe you can be …

Riffs: Joseph Bottum on The End of Advent (and the horror of our version of Christmas)

Joseph Bottum: "The End of Advent," at the First Things blog.

Many years ago, we made a decision to, as much as possible, speak of Advent and not of Christmas, until Christmas. I've never been able to hold off the Christmas music, but as much as possible we've stayed …

Response Part 2: Christian Community and Abandoning Commitment

With this post I am concluding my response to the series The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism.



This post will look at "Disillusionment With Christian Community" and "Abandoning Christian Commitment Itself."

The previous "Response" post (with links to the previous …

Open Thread: What Might Be God's Purposes In A Major Economic Downturn?

None of us know God's ways and purposes beyond what He has revealed in scripture or in our own experience. But taking those lessons and "sanctified common sense," we can think in terms of possibilities.

For instance, I have my students answer the question: "What were …

Miscellaneous: Family News, Christmas and More

We received some wonderful news today. Our son, Clay, and his longtime friend/recent girlfriend Taylor Claypool, are engaged to be married in December of next year. We love both our kids and they have brought us so much happiness by finding spouses who are Christians …

Response Part 1: The Biblical Worldview and Christian Experience

I now come to the last two posts in this series on The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism. All four posts are accessible here.

In these posts I will write a response to each of the four topics of personal disillusionment: The Biblical worldview, Christian experience, …

David Hayward, "The Naked Pastor:" The IM Interview

I've long admired pastor, blogger and cartoonist David Hayward, aka The Naked Pastor. (That's Naked. Not "Nekkid." He's not up to anything.) I've been excited about this interview and it's proven to be everything I hoped for.

David has a fascinating journey and a point …

Dear Ed Young,

Blame Bill Kinnon. And if talk about sex bothers you, then you probably need another religion. You're out of luck in this one.

Dear Ed Young,

It was the grin that really got to me.

The arrogant, know-it-all, self-confident, re-inventing the wheel, just got me some grin. …

The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism: Abandoning Christian Commitment Itself

I am continuing my series on "The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism."

Here is part 1 and part 2 and part 3.

4. Disillusionment With Christian Commitment Itself

In these posts, I have explored the various personal reasons evangelicals have for leaving the church. I …

Introducing "The Liturgical Gangstas": How Can A Person Grow Spiritually in the Next Year?

UPDATE: We have a Lutheran. Rev. William Cwirla, whom many of you know from The God Whisperers, etc. His post has been added to this one.

Welcome to "The Liturgical Gangstas," a panel discussion among different traditions represented in the Internet Monk audience.

Every …

Internet Monk Radio Podcast #119

Purposes of a Financial Downturn. Benedict 16th on Luther. "You make people feel bad." Are the disillusioned standing at the exits with their coats?

Our sponsor is New Reformation Press. Great t-shirts, books and reformation resources.

Drew Marshall

Confessing …

The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism part 3: Christian Community

I am continuing my look at the sources of disillusionment within evangelicalism. This will be a five part series, with four posts on the sources of personal disillusionment and one on responding to these personal sources.

Here is part 1 and part 2.

3. The …

The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism Part 1: The Biblical Worldview

NOTE: This post is analysis and opinion. It's not about what I believe or don't.

My posts on Christine Wicker's and Julia Duin's descriptions of evangelicalism's winter are meant to be provocative, but they are also an attempt to hear something in the voices of our …

The Jesus Bloggers on The Drew Marshall Show

The Jesus Blogger segment of last week's Drew Marshall Show has been posted. You can listen or download Drew, Bill Kinnon, Daryl Dash and myself having too good a time talking the election, The Shack and all sorts of evangelical gossip.

The Jesus Bloggers on the Drew …

The Unresolved Tensions of Evangelicalism Part 2: God-Proving Christian Experience

I am continuing my series on the unresolved tensions of evangelicalism, I want to explore disillusionment with Christian experience.

2. The Disillusionment of Christian Experience

Evangelicalism makes confident claims about the religious experience of its true …

Christine Wicker's Unmentionables

Have you ever been part of, let's say, a committee assigned with a specific task? You go to committee meetings, week after week, maybe month after month; you work with the committee to complete the task, but something else happens.

You learn. Specifically, you learn the …

Taking a Day Off/My Twitter Addy

I'm taking a day off blogging to deal with the BHT problem. I'll post some new content tomorrow sometime.

My twitter addy is www.twitter.com/imonk.

Boar's Head Tavern Cancellation and Interim Information

Boars Head Tavern Fellows and Readers:

Our ISP has cancelled the BHT for technical problems. So for the time being, the BHT is down and I doubt the return will be anything quick. We have to protect the data, deal with the current ISP, then look for another ISP. That all …

Recommended: Wicker and Duin on The End of Evangelicalism

I have a few words about two books that should be of interest to the IM audience.

I heard Julia Duin, author of Quitting Church, on The White Horse Inn last week. Her interview was interesting, so I ordered her book and a book she recommended, The Fall of the …

Do You Trust The Abbreviated Jesus?

The other day a strange feeling came over me.

Don't get me wrong about what I'm about to say here. It was just a feeling. I'm not claiming any powers of discernment or certainty.

I got the distinct feeling there's something wrong with a lot of people who say they are …