Published inAn Injustice!·2 days agoMember-onlyWe’re Scapegoating Social Media for Gen Z’s Mental HealthIt’s easier to blame new forms of media than old forms of abuse — According to certain psychologists, social media and the front-facing camera on smartphones increased Gen Z’s depression and anxiety to their current epidemic levels. Yes, let’s blame the newfangled gizmos and gadgets while wringing our hands about kids these days, instead of recognizing and tackling the actual problems of moral panic…Culture4 min readCulture4 min read
Published inKoinonia·3 days agoMember-onlyWhat is ‘Nice Churchy Patriarchy’?A review of Liz Cooledge Jenkins’ Book — How does patriarchy — a systemic exclusion of women from leadership and circles of influence — occur in subtle ways in U.S. churches? “Nice Churchy Patriarchy” by Liz Cooledge Jenkins explores that question, based on her experience as a college ministry leader for a church, a seminary student, and a…Bible5 min readBible5 min read
Published inAn Injustice!·Nov 30Member-onlyScapegoating Roe v. Wade: Girard’s “Mimetic Desire” and AbortionIt’s easier to target a law than to change a society — I have long marveled at the misplaced emphasis on the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade among both pro-life and pro-choice Americans. On the pro-life side, generally speaking, very few people realized that overturning Roe would not end abortion. It merely returned the issue of abortion access to the…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
Published inBackyard Church·Nov 23Member-onlyTrying to Answer Dan Foster’s ‘Unanswered Whys’Rethinking God’s Power — Dan Foster has written vulnerably and eloquently about his wife’s cancer, the pure hell she’s endured, and the resulting challenges to his faith. His recent essay in the Backyard Church, “Cancer Exists — What Does that Say about God?” posits four possible explanations for pointless pain and suffering: Cancer exists…Christianity8 min readChristianity8 min read
Published inAn Injustice!·Nov 22Member-onlyChoosing GratitudeSubverting the world’s evil — Let’s perform an experiment. Get a blank piece of white printing paper and a black ink pen. Stab a dot in the center of the page. What do you see? A black dot. Duh. But what else do you see? …Politics3 min readPolitics3 min read
Published inAn Injustice!·Nov 14Member-onlyHow I Talked to Our 9-year-old about Trans PeopleI’m glad I was prepared — YouTube star Kris Tyson used to be Chris Tyson. The Mr. Beast sidekick began hormone replacement therapy in February 2023 and publically came out as a trans woman in April. She changed the spelling of “Chris” to “Kris” and embraced the “she/her” pronouns. I knew Kris Tyson’s transformation would become…Transgender3 min readTransgender3 min read
Published inBackyard Church·Nov 11Member-onlyIf God Can’t Stop Evil, Can God Perform Miracles?How an Uncontrolling God Might Work — If God cannot stop the genuine evil and suffering of the world — the Israel-Hamas War, for example — then can God perform miracles? Yes, I believe an uncontrolling God can, and does, achieve miraculous outcomes through His influence on creation. Some people struggle to see how I could believe…Christianity6 min readChristianity6 min read
Published inBackyard Church·Oct 30Member-onlyN.T. Wright Says Christians Have Misunderstood Romans 8:28The difference a preposition can make — N.T. Wright is the most famous and influential theologian alive today. The 74-year-old Anglican priest and Oxford Research Fellow has authored 90 books, contributed hundreds of articles to both Christian and secular publications, and appeared on countless podcasts. His most recent book, “Into the Heart of Romans,” argues that Christians…Christianity4 min readChristianity4 min read
Published inAn Injustice!·Oct 27Member-onlyIs the Israel-Hamas War “Just”? Not According to Just War TheoryBoth Hamas and Israel have violated Just War principles — Just War Theory outlines when nations should and should not go to war, what is permissible for militaries and combatants during war, and how peace should be made after the conflict ends. By the standards of Just War Theory, both Hamas and Israel have engaged in unjust, immoral conduct in…Politics4 min readPolitics4 min read
Published inBackyard Church·Oct 25Member-onlyThe Israel-Hamas War and the Problem of EvilQ: Is God asleep, or did He want this war? A: Neither. — If you believe God controls everything, then you’re left with two possible spiritual explanations of the Israel-Hamas war. Either God fell asleep at the wheel, or God wanted Hamas fighters to slaughter hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians and take hundreds more hostage, provoking Israel to launch airstrikes that have killed…Christianity6 min readChristianity6 min read
