– 2 Corinthians 5:17
I began this blog 6 years ago, with the byline, “Welcome to a new evangelical blog”.
Well, things change, and so do people—and how they view reality. Truth stays the same; our viewpoints change. To keep it brief, this is no longer an evangelical blog. I have moved away from evangelicalism but not from Jesus. It feels more accurate to say evangelicalism has moved away from Jesus. This isn’t about being against evangelicalism; I’m just done and have moved on.
If you’re interested in exploring the remains of evangelical Christianity, I recommend Diana Butler Bass’ great book, Christianity After Religion.[1] She explains how things fell apart but also shows that Christianity has faced worse challenges in its 2,000-year history and is still here, thanks to the Holy Spirit.
“Sir, we would see Jesus” (John 12:21). That’s the guiding principle for this new direction. Many people believe in some kind of god and want to connect with the divine. But God is a spirit, and it takes a spiritual focus to see Him. Psalm 10 speaks about God being hidden: “Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (v. 1) The Psalmist answers: “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (v.4). It’s our issue, not His.
God is present. He is not hiding; He is welcoming. While we might not make space for God, His Kingdom has room for everyone who has ever lived. There’s a lot to explore here, and it’s all very exciting. We’ll be developing these ideas moving forward, and I hope you’ll join me on this journey to God!
TGBTG
Stuart Thompson,
Twelfth Week After Pentecost
[1] Diana Butler Bass. Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening. (New York: HarperOne, 2012)
From Under The Rubble 