Stephen Hulsey: It's Time to Rid Ourselves of Tribal Christianity

Stephen Hulsey: It's Time to Rid Ourselves of Tribal Christianity: Our world is getting smaller. Our universe is getting larger. What are we to make of this? Perhaps we might attribute the shrink...

It's Time to Rid Ourselves of Tribal Christianity

Our world is getting smaller.

Our universe is getting larger.

What are we to make of this? Perhaps we might attribute the shrinkage of the world to modern travel and computer technology. Never has it been so easy to travel over large distances in so little time.

Or to communicate face-to-face with family and friends almost from anywhere in the world: Face Time and Skype have made our world smaller indeed.

From a relational perspective our world is smaller than it has ever been. It is believed that most of us live in a six degree of separation world in which we are just six or less steps away from introduction to any other person in the world with whom we know or someone who knows him or her.

When one considers the earth on a cosmic scale our planetary home is in the words of Carl Sagan just a “pale blue dot” (note arrow in picture above).

Speaking of the larger context in which our planet exists, scientists estimate that it would take one traveling at the speed of light (186,282 mph) 93 billion years to travel from one end of our universe to the other. 

“Are we there yet dad?”

Yes we live on a shrinking planet relationally speaking, but we are also traveling through space in a universe whose size is almost incomprehensible—and continues to expand. Herein lies the mind blowing paradox of God’s creation. 

In spite of our world becoming relationally smaller our world it is becoming more and more dangerous. Never before has there been so much weaponry of mass destruction. Militarism has become the single most preferred system for conflict resolution. 

Our world is becoming ideologically disparate, alarmingly so it seems. 

Even within our own nation we experience such political and religious diversity.  The notion of a unified national vision seems no longer possible. 

This all seems fairly odd given the technological advances that have contributed to shrinking our planet on a relational scale. One would think that we humans would have by now learned to live together in peace and would have long ago settled our political and religious differences. One would think . . .

But we live in the real world. 

Now this brings me to my point: It is time to rid ourselves of tribal Christianity. It is time to begin focusing on what may unite us as a human race rather than what divides us, especially in the religious arena.

Now here’s my thesis: If we don’t rid ourselves of tribal religion in general and tribal Christianity in particular I see little hope for the world, and no I don’t see this as an eschatological sign that we are living in the last days.

The world has become way too small and way too ideologically disparate for the movement Jesus started to continue as just another tribal religion: That is, Christians refusing to worship together because of doctrinal differences or Christians not welcome at the Lord’s Table because they are not members of a particular congregation or denomination. 

Or Christians believing that their own particular faith tradition is the only one sanctioned by God; or Christians in general believing that they are the only favored ones of God; or the notion that anyone who dies outside a particular Christian framework is doomed for hell.

Or Christians who continue to build fences around themselves in order to separate themselves from the world in which they have been placed. There is more . . .

These are all attitudes of ancient tribalism modernized for today's world. 

We must change the way we understand the relationship between God and His creation. We must create a new faith paradigm that is much more inclusive, gracious, and grandiose if we hope to survive as a human race.

If we desire to protect and sustain that pale blue dot we call home then we need to expand our religious horizons much like our universe is expanding. We cannot continue to live in our own self-designed tribes of preference and hope for a sustainable future on earth.

The earth on which we live is but a speck within a much larger universe. Perhaps we might capture a vision of God that is much more cosmic in nature than tribal in size. We must!

It’s our only hope for survival I am afraid. Otherwise we are headed for a global catastrophe that will rock the ages and I’m not referring to a dusty old hymn.

It is time to rid ourselves of a tribal Christianity that has become dangerously too small for today’s world.

Stephen Hulsey: I Love Jackson Browne

Stephen Hulsey: I Love Jackson Browne: Author Diana Butler Bass once reflected on growing up within a narrow Evangelical Christian environment. Writes Bass: “It was a lost de...

I Love Jackson Browne

Author Diana Butler Bass once reflected on growing up within a narrow Evangelical Christian environment. Writes Bass:

“It was a lost decade. Spent locked in a narrow world, wanting to change to world but completely unaware of what was happening in music or art or popular culture or film or any of a thousand things forbidden or frowned upon. Honestly, I can tell you more about the decade of the Protestant Reformation than I can of the 1980s. I missed it all.”

When I first read this I thought to myself: “If Diana lost the decade of the 80s then I lost the decade of the 70s.”

This became shockingly real to me a few years ago when I kept hearing Jackson Browne on my newly installed XM car radio. I remember saying: “Who is this guy? He’s really good!"

Well I am now a huge fan of Jackson Browne fan. I love his music. I've downloaded lots of it.

How did I miss most of the 70s? Well after being discharged from the Untied States Air Force in 1970 I moved back home with my new wife and brand new baby boy. It wasn’t too long before I became quite involved in my home church in which a very Conservative Evangelical brand of Christianity was taught and practiced.

Within a few short years I enrolled in college in order to become a full time Evangelical pastor. From then on I was locked into this narrow world of Evangelical Christianity that discouraged much if any involvement in worldly pursuits such as music, the arts, theatre, or even sports, unless of course it all was of the Christian variety.

My Christian experience back in the day was mostly a left-brain brand of Christianity. What mattered most were beliefs, doctrine, dogma, and systematic theology. I was hyper focused on correct Biblical interpretations and the proper theological perspective. Correct beliefs were the fuel that powered my Evangelical world view.

Now this can be an appropriate place for anyone to begin his or her Christian journey; in fact most do. Most must start here in the left-brain world of Christianity.

But at some point in the journey the right brain must have adequate access to provide balance for one’s journey. What is needed is a healthy balance of beliefs, doctrine, dogma, exegesis, and literalism with poetry, wisdom, mysticism, mystery, and metaphor.

The problem for many Evangelical Christians is that they begin their journey of faith in a left-brain dominated Christian culture and they never move beyond that point of entry.

Unfortunately the left-brain system keeps so many good Christians locked into this narrow world by imposing guilt and shame as effective tools to keep folks in line with what is considered acceptable teachings (a left-brain need).

Well eventually I began to see things in a new light; somehow the door to my left-brain Evangelical world was cracked open enough to allow the right-brain light of a whole new world to seep through.

Voile!

Eureka!

Suddenly I found myself in the exciting and expansive world of myth, mystery and metaphor and believe it or not faith as trust and not as belief!

More importantly I discovered that the single most important thing about Christianity is the Incarnation of God. The word “Incarnation” means that God entered into His creation and became actively involved within in it and not so much from without (Theism). He ultimately incarnated (enfleshed) Himself in the historical Jesus, the young peasant from Nazareth.

This led me to realize, fortunately, that God actually does love His creation and all that He has created. This is the message that the mystics have been trying to tell us for centuries. Yes God is what  Rudolph Otto called the “Holy Other” (Transcendent), but He is also in our midst (Immanent). Check out Paul's words in Acts 17:28.

One may hear the voice of God in all genres of music, in all poetry, in the Arts and in literature. God is not separate from this world He is One with it.

So how can one not love what God Himself loves?

I cannot retrieve that lost decade and all the things I missed simply because I was locked into a very narrow Christian world that remains to this day is sadly at odds with the Creation.

God’s creation is good. It is to be embraced and enjoyed as a gift from God.

Right-brain Christianity is a must. It helps balance out what is often the abuses and extremes of a left-brain religion (Fundamentalism).

Rejoice in the right and left-brain world that God has created for us all.

Grace & peace!

Stephen Hulsey: Christ's Kingdom and Politics!

Stephen Hulsey: Christ's Kingdom and Politics!: Recently my son told me he thought I was being too “political” with my Facebook posts. He said I might want to “roll back all that polit...

Christ's Kingdom and Politics!

Recently my son told me he thought I was being too “political” with my Facebook posts. He said I might want to “roll back all that political stuff” I have been posting.

Okay I get it. Some of these political posts on Facebook are in fact obnoxious and irritating, especially those superficial overly simplistic memes. Most reveal just enough truth to make them appear credible. Most are at best distorted truth.

So here’s my take on politics in the social media:

First, politics is the way we humans order and organize our societies. Ideally such organization is for the Common Good. It’s the way we live together as a society in spite of our differences. Politics in the United States represent the agreed upon social arrangements that support our desired way of life.

Second, politics is not something we can totally avoid. It effects each of us in ways we are not always aware. Politics is like a computer operating system that operates in the background yet plays a crucial role in shaping our preferred way of life. 

Third, since politics is a very human endeavor it is fraught with the possibilities for abuse and corruption. This is why it is important for everyone to be politically engaged to some extent. Sticking one’s head in the sand as if politics is strictly a private matter is what those in power want us to do. They win. We lose.

Fourth, opinions on how we order and organize our society may differ from one person to the next or from one people group to the next or from one nation to the next. In other words, there is no one-size-fits-all political system. Yet this does not mean that we do not share in some political commonalities.

Fifth, and this is where my Facebook posts relate: For Democracy to really work well citizens must be actively engaged in some informed political conversation. The operative word is of course “informed.” Our politics do matter! Not as a means to control or manipulate or brow beat those who disagree with us or become involved in senseless name calling and scapegoating, but as a way to find some common ground for the Common Good. This would be the ideal objective of course.

But there is another side of politics that is far too often ignored or rejected out of hand. Any conversation concerning politics from the Christian perspective that is, must involve the politics of Christ’s kingdom. 

Now this does not diminish the importance of human intelligence, ingenuity, and creativity in building political systems that are generative and just. But human effort alone is not enough. Human nature such as it is will often slide into the dark side of politics and political systems and become self-serving for small portions of the demographic: the ruling elites.

Jesus was not opposed to politics. 

He simply redefined politics from a kingdom perspective. 

When Pilate asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews his response is telling (John 18): 

“My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

Now to fully understand what Jesus meant by this statement it is important for the reader to understand that Jesus’ politics were grounded in the reality of Divine love (agape). 

If electricity delivers the necessary energy for this laptop to operate so I can write this post then likewise God’s love (agape) provides the necessary energy to drive Christ’s kingdom here on earth.

Let me put it as plainly as I possibly can: 

Human politics and Christ’s politics are driven by two very different operating systems. One is driven by human systems alone while the other is driven by the self-sacrificing love of God.

When Jesus told Pilate that if his kingdom were of this world then his followers would lead a revolt to free him he was in effect saying: 

“Politics in my Father’s kingdom operate on a whole different level.”

Sometimes we get glimpses of Christ’s kingdom politics in human political systems. For example:

When we see politicians advocating economic justice for everyone, or when we see policies or bills that intend to level the playing field for all citizens (justice), we then get a glimpse of Christ’s kingdom politics. When we witness acts of justice driven not by greed or self-interest but rather by the Common Good we get a glimpse of Christ’s kingdom politics in action.

So it is literally impossible for the Christian not to talk about politics, but a politics whose origin and energy come from a much different Source. 

I cannot “not talk about” politics as if the subject falls within the domain of one’s private opinion. When this happens the powers that be are happy.

Talk about your politics but do so respectfully and from an informed perspective. Politics is not just a matter of personal opinion although much of what is posted on social media outlets fits that description.

Engage the process from the perspective of your faith in Christ’s kingdom. This will subvert the ruling powers just as Jesus subverted the Roman powers that ruled in his day.

Stephen Hulsey: Stephen Hulsey: Original Sin?

Stephen Hulsey: Stephen Hulsey: Original Sin?: Stephen Hulsey: Original Sin? : It took a while but it finally happened!   I have finally arrived at a place in life in which I can no l...

What Do I Mean When I Say "Amen?"

It would be nice if I could have a dollar for every time I’ve said the word “Amen” over the course of my life. 

In fact, as a pastor I would take a dollar for every time I said “Amen” at the end of all the prayers I’ve said over the past forty years.

I suspect my windfall would be close to winning a small lottery.

Amen!  Such a religious sounding word, isn’t it? Of course we all use this little word to end our prayers, whether they are private prayers or public prayers. What would a prayer be without an “amen” at the end? Right?

We also say “amen” when we agree with someone in a conversation. 

But what do we mean when we say “amen!”

Well I can tell you that for a long time I thought saying “amen” simply meant: “I believe” or “I concur” or “I agree ” with what was just said. Look, as a pastor I used to worry when I didn’t get at least one “amen” during my sermon.

One dear Christian friend of mine used to say that when a person in the congregation said “amen” during a sermon he or she was saying, “sic’em pastor!”

So really, what do we mean when we say the word “amen” whether it is at the end of a prayer or used in conversation or said during a sermon?

Well first allow me to tell you up front what it does not mean. But first a brief story to set the stage.

Abram lived in a far off place called Haran, in the Middle East, and was seventy-five years old when God approached him for the first time. As the story goes God told Abram, who later became Abraham, to pack all his belongings, gather his family together and move from his home of birth. 

God promised Abram that he would become the father of a great nation whose numbers would equal all the stars in the universe—a bit of Biblical exaggeration I might add.

So what was Abram’s response. You got it: “Amen!” Well the Hebrew word used in this text (Genesis 12) is ‘aman , from which we get our English word “amen.”

Here is Abram’s reported response recorded in Genesis: Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness (15:6).

The italicized word “believed” in the above verse is the Hebrew word ‘aman from which we get our English word “amen.” But unfortunately it has also been translated as “believe.” This has caused some confusion.

So what do we mean when we say “amen” at the end of a prayer or in response to our pastor’s sermon or a part of a conversation with another? 

Well given the entirety of the Biblical witness we may conclude that Abram really trusted God rather than believe in what he was saying. The New Testament equivalent to the Hebrew word ‘aman is pistis, which is also translated into English as belief or faith.

Unfortunately we Christians in the West, particularly in America, have overly emphasized these faith words as belief words. 

Thus Christianity, especially among Evangelicals, has become a matter of what one believes rather than in whom one trusts. 

That said, our relationship with God through Christ is more a matter of trust rather than belief. Abraham trusted that what God said would come true. It wasn’t that he believed certain things about God or necessarily believed that the things God told him were true.

Abraham trusted God. Trust became the risky foundation of his relationship with God. 

Quite frankly I am amazed at how we Christians in the West have elevated beliefs and belief systems to the level of becoming litmus tests for fellowship. 

Likewise, referring to Christians as “believers” is also misleading. I would prefer that we refer to ourselves as “trusters” or as “faithful ones.”

So when you say or hear the word “amen” we know that it is a word of implied trust. I trust that God will hear my prayers or do what He says he will do on my behalf. 

Now my final thought: Beliefs never lead to one’s inner transformation. It takes an abiding trust in God and Christ to be changed from within. 

“Amen!” 

Trust in God! Trust in Christ!

Stephen Hulsey: Original Sin?

Stephen Hulsey: Original Sin?: It took a while but it finally happened!   I have finally arrived at a place in life in which I can no longer affirm the doctrine of...

Original Sin?

It took a while but it finally happened! 

I have finally arrived at a place in life in which I can no longer affirm the doctrine of Original Sin as the defining characteristic of my humanity. It has been a long winding journey but one I am so grateful to have made.

I no longer believe in Original Sin as traditionally taught and understood.

Yet:

I still believe in the reality of Sin. In a world determined on self-destruction who can honestly dismiss the reality of Sin?

I still believe that there is something fundamentally wrong with human nature that compels us to do the horrific things to one another.

I still believe that Jesus’ death on the cross has meaning and significance for all of creation, particularly when it comes to scapegoating and playing the blame game. I do not believe that the cross presupposes Original Sin.

I no longer believe that God punished Jesus because of our sin.

I still believe that sin ultimately leads to death and destruction.

I just don’t believe in Original Sin.

I can longer believe that Adam and Eve were two literal human beings who ate some forbidden fruit that resulted in the total corruption of the human race.

I can no longer believe that each and every baby born since is irreparably corrupt and totally depraved. What a way to begin the good life God has given to us.

I no longer believe in the horrible Calvinistic doctrine of Total Depravity; a doctrine that teaches that there is absolutely nothing good to be found in any of us—nada, nothing, zilch.

I no longer believe in such a doctrine that in reality insults the very goodness of God’s original creation let alone His Original Blessing.

I do believe in Original Blessing however. 

I believe that our story ought to begin in the right place: With the creation. I believe we should frame our own story beginning with Genesis 1-2 and not with Genesis 3. 

Genesis 3 does not and should not define us as human beings. Rather Genesis 1-2 should be the framing narrative of our story; the launching pad for our own story.

God created us, we are told, in his image. 

God stepped back from his creation and declared: “It is good!” Divine blessing!

We are invited from the beginning to dance with God in this creative Divine-human relationship of father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

From the outset we were created as image bearers of our Creator. This ought to be our primary frame of reference in the telling of our story as humans created by a good and generous God.

More importantly this ought to be the starting point of our own self-understanding!

You see when we begin our story with Sin (Genesis 3) everything goes downhill from there. Our story is framed with shame and guilt; a plotline that plagues us throughout our lives.

God did not create us to live in shame and guilt but rather to live in union with Him as our blessed Creator. To live in creative harmony with the Trinity. Our story begins with Original Blessing and not Original Sin! A Divine dance as it were.

God loves each and every human in ways more generous than we can calculate. He has created us all to be a blessing to the world around us. He has created us to bear His image to each other and to the world.

Yes we misstep. Yes we make mistakes. Yes we sin. We sometimes treat each other miserably and we often become complicit in all kinds of injustices. We impart violence upon others. We become complicit in systemic violence. Sin is a powerful negation of the goodness in which we were created. 

But we should never allow Sin to define us as human beings. That’s getting the cart before the ox. That’s setting ourselves up for untold guilt and shame for the rest of our lives.

What is salvation if it isn’t the invitation to  to step into the Original Blessing in which we were created. God invites us all to honor the creation by reflecting His wonderful image into the world.

Our Christian story must always begin with the Original Blessing and not Original Sin. When we get that right we will discover that Sin no longer defines us as humans; it is no longer the controlling marker of our identity.

I was not born a corrupt sinner but a child blessed by a life-giving, loving, and image-making God. We did not inherit some transmittable sin disease because our original parents literally ate some forbidden fruit. 

My story no longer begins with Sin but rather with Divine Blessing. 

I'm dancing!

What an awesome beginning!

An Eye for an Eye!

This past week Donald Trump revealed what his favorite Bible verse is: “An eye for an eye!”  In so many words Mr. Trump also went on to say that this verse would serve as the basis for his method of dealing with any and all aggressors who have bad intentions towards the United States of America.

This is perhaps one of the most misunderstood Biblical sayings even among Christians. The larger text is located in the Book of Exodus 21:23-25 and reads as follows: 

“If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Now this text is located in a section appropriately entitled, “Law Concerning Violence” (21:12-27). It is situated in a larger text prescribing the penalties for specific acts of violence. You will notice that they all demand capital punishment as the penalty for violating these laws against violence.

Historically these laws concerning violence were enacted to help curb the violence that existed in what was a very violent world. The need for retribution or revenge seemed to have no limits. 

If a man killed another man’s son what would stop the victim from killing two or more of the other man’s sons as an act of revenge? 

In other words, “an eye of an eye” ethic was not intended to justify the act of unfettered revenge or retribution but rather to prevent acts of vengeance or retribution from getting disproportionately out of hand. 

But wait a minute. There is another crucially important text that we must consider and one I am afraid Mr. Trump either chooses to ignore or knows nothing of its existence. The text is located in what is known as Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). The text is appropriately entitled, “Concerning Retaliation” and reads as follows:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.”

You have heard it said . . . but I say to you!

Here Jesus expands the “eye for an eye” ethic of the Old Testament. In other words Jesus adds further meaning to the Old Testament Law concerning retaliation or revenge. 

But this text requires even more of a larger context if we are to better understand the meaning of the “eye for an eye” ethic. Jesus goes on to say:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,[o] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).

You know I am glad that an “eye for an eye” is Mr. trumps favorite Bible verse, now if he would only read it in its larger context. 

Cherry picking verses of Scripture out of their natural context is dangerous and risky business. So much bad theology is created from such a careless mishandling of the Biblical texts.

Remember this truth whenever you yourself are compelled to quote Bible verses:

A text out of context becomes a pretext!

When a text such as this is taken out of context unforeseen consequences are often the result. In the words of Gandhi:

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Indeed it does sir! Indeed it does!

Stephen Hulsey: Stephen Hulsey: Is Racism Dead in America?

Stephen Hulsey:Is Racism Dead in America?: Stephen Hulsey: Is Racism Dead in America? : I grew during a period of history in which the issue of race and civil rights was front page ne...

Is Church Ever an Unsafe Place to be?

Is church ever an unsafe place to be? 

Most of us Evangelicals were taught very early in life that to doubt one’s faith or inherited belief system was like playing with fire. 

If you should question your church’s beliefs you may suffer alienation from your faith community, a loss of respect from your fellow Christians, damage to your reputation as a faithful Christian, and may become a permanent magnet for suspicion among the other faithful members of the congregation. You may even be psychologically shunned or rejected by your family or friends.

So what happens when a pastor can no longer recite the Apostle’s Creed with conviction? What happens when an elder or a deacon or a Sunday school teacher can no longer believe all the teachings of their church? 

For example, what happens to the pastor who realizes that the creation stories in Genesis (yes there are two stories) are not to be understood literally; that God did not create the world six or even ten thousand years ago and no amount of theological pretzel twisting can convince him or her of this (like God can create a 12 billion year old rock). 

Or what happens when the pastor can no longer affirm a literal Virgin Birth of Jesus? Does he go underground or hide in the closet? 

What happens when the elder can no longer believe that God hates homosexuals? Or what happens when a deacon or any member of a congregation no longer believes that only males can be leaders in the church?

What would happen if a pastor no longer believed in a literal hell of everlasting torture? Once again does he go back into the closet?

What would happen to the young person who can no longer harmonize a first century cosmology with what we know scientifically today (thank you Copernicus)? For example: Did Jesus really float up into the heavens and will he literally return in like manner to snatch away believers just before the world ends? 

What if this young person tells his congregation: “I don’t believe this anymore?” 

What would happen to the church member who concludes that the Bible is not inerrant? What would happen to such an individual in a Bible believing church?

Would such a person be banned from the life of the church? Would such a pastor be fired rather than be given space to work out his crisis? Would such an elder or deacon be asked to resign in the face of such ambiguity or uncertainty? 

More people than you think are experiencing shifts in their belief systems and are rejecting archaic ways of understanding God and faith.

Many aren’t waiting around for the wrath of the so-called church lady. Pews are emptying and budgets are shrinking while churches refuse to adjust and realign its core beliefs in light of what we know in our 21st century world.

But what if the church became a safe space for doubters and skeptics and seekers to ask hard questions and explore optional ways of believing? Why is the church afraid of such people?

What if the church were to create small groups for such people to explore their doubts and to ask hard questions? What would that look like? How effective might such an endeavor be in helping people wrestle with their doubts and their questions as they search for better answers.

What if the church said to its congregants: 

“We’ve none arrived. Let’s grow and learn together and search for a faith that is informed by our own place and time. Let’s doubt together. Let’s grow together. Let’s ask hard questions together and not be fearful of what answers we might discover.”

This is faith. Real faith. Genuine faith. The kind of faith that led Thomas to doubt. Notice that Jesus never rebuked Thomas, rather he showed him his wounds in order for Thomas to make up his own mind about something that he couldn’t get his brain around: Jesus’ resurrection!

How do we reclaim all those young people we are losing today? It will not be by rearranging the furniture in the sanctuary, or singing hip songs, or having flashing lights and smoke machines, or wearing jeans in church, or even proudly serving Starbucks in the narthex. Young people are not that naïve today; and they definitely are not that shallow.

But what if pastors, elders, deacons, and church members all agreed to offer safe zones within the church for any and all doubters, skeptics, or seekers?

What if pastors could find the courage to say to their congregations: 

“Look, I struggle with doubt and skepticism just as much as you do, so let’s deal with it together.”

What kind of message would that send to those searching for a more meaningful life narrative than what many churches are offering today.

Don’t be afraid of asking hard questions. God doesn’t mind at all. 

Keep searching. Keep asking questions. There's light at the end of that dark tunnel!

Stephen Hulsey: Is Racism Dead in America?

Stephen Hulsey: Is Racism Dead in America?: I grew during a period of history in which the issue of race and civil rights was front page news. I remember well when  President Lynd...

Stephen Hulsey: Am I Now an Apostate?

Stephen Hulsey: Am I Now an Apostate?: Why do so many people hate me?  Well they don’t, they just  wonder about me. They tell me this all the time. They say things like: “What...

Am I Now an Apostate?

Why do so many people hate me? 

Well they don’t, they just  wonder about me. They tell me this all the time. They say things like: “What’s happen to you?” Or, “You’re not the same anymore.” Or, “Why don’t you believe the way you used to believe?” which is their way of saying: “You don’t believe like I do anymore. Well, I don’t.

They just can’t seem to stuff me back into their own box of black and white certainty. I’m not so definable for them anymore. I no longer believe the “must-believe-the-right-things” anymore. I have become an enigma to them I suppose.

 I’ve “flown the coop” as they say.

There was a time when I thought I was alone on this journey. Actually I am not alone. There was a time when I actually thought there was something wrong with me because my airtight black and white world of theological conservatism (and certainty) was unraveling right before my eyes.

I entertained frightening thoughts: “Am I becoming an apostate?” An apostate is one who turns completely away from his or her faith. “Am I now a heretic?”

“Am I becoming an agnostic or worse yet an atheist?” Moving away from theological conservatism may be construed as one or the other of these horrible positions I have been told.

Or, “Am I just trying to be cool and relevant?”

Well actually I have been experiencing what is called a “Crisis of Faith” of varying degrees of intensity for some years now. A crisis of faith may occur at any time along the pathway of one’s spiritual journey. It may occur without warning. It can sneak up on a person.

For example, I experienced my really first big crisis of faith forty years ago while in college. I was exposed to variant views of Eschatology that rattled the Dispensationalism I had inherited from my pastor.

Dispensationalism is a way of interpreting the meaning of the last days and what may occur near the end of the world. It’s main feature is a so-called “rapture” in which Christians are going to be snatched out of this world right before everything goes to hell in a hand basket.

Dispensationalism is exciting stuff. It’s captivating. It sells a lot of books. But suddenly it was no longer compelling. I was in the midst of a huge crisis of faith. I suppose it was one of those you-had-to-be-there experiences to really understand.

Dispensationalism no longer made sense to me. I moved on.  I had no choice.

So are we to avoid these crisis of faith? Are they detrimental to our faith? Do they lead us down that dangerous road called “Apostasy Avenue” or “Heresy Lane?”

A theology professor of mine used to remind us students: “Hold on to what you believe in until you find something better with which to replace it.”

Great advice!

Well this is what has been happening throughout my journey: I’m discovering better ways to believe and interpret what it means to follow Jesus in today’s crazy world. But remember, this is my journey so I own it. I no longer apologize for my journey. I'm now comfortable with it even though it continues to stress me at times.

But for me to get to such a place on this faith journey I had to experience multiple crisis of faith. I remember years ago reading the words of the late George Eldon Ladd that really impacted me for years to come.

I paraphrase Dr. Ladd: “Any faith that is not challenged is no faith at all!”

How can it be faith if it is grounded in certainty? Quite frankly I don’t see how it can be considered faith if certainty is a requirement or even a desire. Christian faith is not Science based on empirical evidence or facts. Faith is trust. Faith is trusting God even when nothing makes any sense. Faith does not need a road map or a GPS. Faith is a lot like flying at night strictly by instruments.

No, I am not an apostate although some of my old conservative friends may think that I am. Sorry to disappoint. As my conservative friends would say: “I’m still a believer!” 

I just don’t believe in the same old inherited ways I once did. I’ve moved beyond all that. I’ve discovered fresh new ways to believe and articulate my faith. News ways to interpret my walk of faith.

So what’s my point this morning? 

My point is this: Do not allow anyone to convince you that a crisis of faith is something to avoid.

A crisis of faith is necessary for one to grow in the faith. Are they painful? Indeed they are, sometimes immeasurably so.

But in the words of the Marines with whom I once served: “No pain, no gain!”

There is nothing wrong with having a crisis of faith. Yet before one can make that journey one has to give oneself permission to explore new ways of believing. Faith is fluid. It is not meant to be static. If it is static it has the potential of dying on the vine.

Give yourself permission to move beyond your own faith center of gravity. You won’t be sorry that you did. You may discover something bright and new.

Go have a crisis of faith . . . it'll be good for you.

Is Racism Dead in America?

I grew during a period of history in which the issue of race and civil rights was front page news. I remember well when  President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, thus making it illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The Civil Rights Act made segregation of the races in the United States illegal.

But unfortunately what this historic piece of legislature did not do was eliminate racism or racists attitudes in America. I realize that this is a hard pill for many white Americans to swallow but I ask you to consider the following.

With the passing of the Civil Rights Act something very subtle began to occur in American society. First the birth of America’s first post-segregation generation which had never personally experienced a segregated America. Gone were the “White Only” signs over public water fountains and public restrooms. Gone were the white only public schools. 

Gone were the “white only” lunch counters. It was as if the signs never existed. Segregation as a way to order society became a distant memory as future post-segregation generations were born.

This new generation of post-segregation America also came to believe that racism was a ghost from a far away time. Most of this generation even stopped using the “N” word. 

Subsequent white post-segregation generations could not imagine themselves being racists or harboring racist attitudes since their only experience was with an integrated America that had become the accepted norm for them. 

From the vantage point of a post-segregation generation racism was simply impossible to imagine. 

But then something happened that shook the world of white America almost as much as the Civil Rights Act did: The election of Barack Obama as America’s first African-American president. 

Now we are witnessing an emergence of old racist attitudes that seemed to have lain dormant for nearly half a century. They are raising their ugly heads even in presidential campaign speeches today. Never have I personally witnessed the venomous hatred of a sitting American president than what I see today. 

Never have I witnessed such blatant racism in the speeches of some presidential hopefuls either. At least not since the days of Alabama Governor George Wallace.

Of course many will deny that their hatred of Obama has anything to do with their own racist attitudes. Of course, they have been taught all their lives: “How can you be racists since you go to school with African-Americans, serve in a fully integrated military with them, and support your college football or basketball programs that are mostly filled with black athletes?”

For the first time many white Americans worked alongside African-Americans in the work place.

The idea of harboring racist attitudes became difficult given these circumstances.

Yet racism is not dead in America. The Civil Rights Act did not eliminate racist attitudes among white Americans. Perhaps in subsequent generations it drove them underground where they have lain dormant for all these many years. Besides, having racist attitudes is politically incorrect, right? But it did not kill the spirit of racism.

Look, I was raised in a segregated America. The America in which I was raised looked very different from the America in which my children were raised and their children are being raised. 

Racist attitudes die hard deaths. It took me a very long time to admit to my own prejudices against African-Americans or Mexican-Americans or  Asian- Americans or even Muslim-Americans. It was painful for me to step outside my own dominant white middle class American culture and realize that there were things deep within me that needed healing—things that needed God’s redemptive healing.

But here’s the thing: The first step in fixing a problem is admitting that there is a problem in the first place. 

Racism in America was not eliminated by a historic legislative act. It took however the election of a black president in 2007 to rattle old racist attitudes back out of the closet. The denial of such attitudes will do nothing but perpetuate an age-old problem for years to come.

I was born into the dominant and privileged culture of white America. I have no idea what it is like to be a person of color or to be a person living on the fringes of society because of race or skin color or from just being poor.

Being a member of the dominant white middle class culture in America blinded me to my own racism or racist attitudes. I still struggle with this even today in spite of recognizing that it would be very easy for me to be a racist or harbor racist attitudes from where I am situated in life.

Yes, being a member of the dominant class in America has its drawbacks—blindness being one of them.

Jesus once said that it is not what we put into our mouths that defile us but what comes from deep within our hearts that corrupts us.

The first step in addressing the problem of racism in America is for us white folks to admit that it is still a problem. I know, this is not easy. But we will never fix the issue of racism in America until we face that raging demon within us all. Until we allow Christ to exorcize the spirit of racism from within our hearts folks will continue to harbor racist attitudes.

This can’t be healthy for the land of the free! Can it?

We can’t fix what we won’t admit. 

Stephen Hulsey: Truth Matters!

Stephen Hulsey: Truth Matters!: I am convinced that people will believe what they want to believe regardless of the truth.  Especially in the world of Social Media...

Truth Matters!

I am convinced that people will believe what they want to believe regardless of the truth. 

Especially in the world of Social Media (especially Facebook) opinions have outpaced facts by a wide margin. It's amazing how opinions morph into facts. What’s the old adage: “Say something loud enough and long enough and people will come to believe it is true.”

Ironically I believe this to be true.

Author Chris Hedges makes this observation:

"When facts are treated as if they are opinions, when there is no universal standard by which to determine truth in law, in science, in scholarship, or in the reporting of the events of the day, the world becomes a place where lies become true (italics added), where there is no possibility of reaching any conclusions not predetermined by those who interpret the official, divinely inspired text."

On Facebook, for example, anyone can be a published author of an opinion. Is the opinion facts based? Facebook is a great way for one to pass on an opinion as if it were true.

There is no accountability, no serious facts checking done, and no real attempt to measure one’s opinion against the cold hard facts. Doing so is hard work.

For example one of the most effective tools of communication in today’s world of politics is called “propaganda.”

Propaganda is “information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.” Propaganda is indeed an effective tool for passing on something that might appear to be true but in fact may be completely false.

I can think of no more convenient place to utilize this information tool than what we witness on Facebook today. Over the past few years I have witnessed the wholesale distortion of truth for the sake of expressing an opinion or supporting a political position or a religious belief. 

Facebook has become the source of truth for so many people: “If it’s on Facebook then it must be true.” We are all guilty of passing along fabricated truth for the sake of supporting  our personal opinion or a particular stance on any given topic.

It doesn’t seem to matter that so much of our own American history has been revised or made to fit within one’s own personal frame of reference. Just posting a meme on Facebook does not make for truth. 

Politicians are indeed aware of this social media phenomenon. Facebook posts, a barrage of Tweets, or other forms of social media communications are used in attempts to spread one’s political ideology, based mostly on opinion rather than facts.

When one’s opinion is based on anything less than facts (as best we can discern what the facts really are) then we are trafficking in falsehood and not truth.

So for Christians should truth really matter?

Should we Christians be concerned about truth? Should we be concerned with the spread of lies, false accusations, and half-truths for the sake of propping up a particular political ideology or a religious position or just a personal opinion? 

Truth should matter because it mattered to Jesus. Remember his words: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32).

Truth telling is not an option for those who follow the Master of truth, who embodied truth. Sometimes truth is dangerous or inconvenient or hard to swallow. Sometimes the costs for telling the truth are high.

In the Hebrew tradition there is this prohibition against bearing false witness. In our own courts of law citizens are made to swear on the Bible to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 

So when we use our social media networks for the purpose of spreading anything false about another human being we are bearing false witness against that person—no matter how much we dislike that person. 

Christians are responsible to be bearers of the truth, as best we can in all circumstances. Yet we all are guilty of bearing false witness from time to time. 

May we all tend to matters of truth in better ways; may we all work diligently to seek the truth even if it doesn’t support our own opinion or our own politics or our own theology. The byproduct of truth is often justice.

 For some reason I just so happen to believe that our world would be a much better place if truth reigned over our lives. If justice and freedom became the norm rather than the exception in our society.

In truth justice and freedom will prevail and for Christians this may be our highest calling.

Truth matters!