I wrote this as part of another project, but I wanted to post it here in prep for something that I will soon be up to .
I exist in a mixed environment – spiritually speaking. It is progressive (not a capital P) and also includes many people who have ‘emerged’ (not capital E) from a predominately evangelical-protestant-with charismatic leanings type heritage. I also have many friends and conversation partners who would still identify as conservative, reformed, or some other type of evangelical.
In my circles I have always assumed and heard that when public characters like Jerry Falwell sounded off on Hurricane Katrina being a punishment from God for the people of New Orleans – that most people rolled their eyes and knew that his was such a marginal expression that he should not be taken seriously.
or when Franklin Graham said that Islam (as if it were one thing) is a terrible religion filled with hate – that people knew he was not a spokesman for Christians (as if we are just one thing).
or when Mark Driscoll says that he could never worship a Jesus that he could beat up – that it carried about as much weight as a WWF wrestler mouthing off in order to get pumped up before a match, pulsing with vibrato and testosterone.
But apparently that is not the case. More
