The Uncensored Unprofessor

Is Donald Trump the anti-Christ? Church folk on the Left so say. To assess the possibilities I work through features of the anti-Christ found across the Bible. Along the way I also variously: give a personal health update, talk about a recent camping trip and what that made me think about, offer a suggested name for any angry new band, share my feelings about the current price of a gallon of gas, reflect on what is going on with the Southern Poverty Law Center and the impact that organization had on thousands of pastors, take a humorous look back at a now-more-common compliment I received, and think out loud about political-Christian hypocrisy. Let's both hone our thinking about anti-Christ and share some laughter together.

How should we define and describe Christian mission? Across recent American history Evangelicals would answer that by saying, "go be a pastor," or "go overseas and be a missionary." Those are great callings, but what about the ordinary people? What is God's mission for them? In this rolling conversation Mark and I unpack the original God-given mission in Genesis. God's goals involved the entirety of the planet earth, blessing all creation, and building culture. But Evangelicals not only are not interested in culture, they positively hate thinking about culture and its effects. Even more, we talk about how the original Edenic mission will be our very mission in resurrection life, the Eschaton. Come think, meditated, and laugh with me and Mark about a critical topic.

There are common and erroneous assumptions about what happens when one turns to Christ: a) Life immediately gets happier. b) Life gets easier. c) All of one's questions and doubts are erased. In this honest conversation Mark and I talk through different angles about what faith and doubt each are. Why do new (or even seasoned) believers get sidelined and De-convert? Why is it problematic to put all your hopes and dreams in a church, pastor, or spouse? What happened to Mark's mother when she turned to Christ? How did that re-direct her focus and energy? There are many assumptions made about both faith and doubt, so we want to be open and honest together on these lines. Oh, and, how is it that doubt can actually be a good thing? Come think and laugh with us!

Secularists in America express great fear about Christians who bring their faith into the public square, "they want us to live under a theocracy!" But it is an illegitimate fear. It was Christians, first and foremost, in America who learned to push back against the idolatry of the State and it is Christians who, stemming from a committed moral compass, don't want the state to work immorality (not even for doctrinal ends). My friend Mark and I talk through the ins and outs of theocracy, values, beliefs, morals, and doctrines as we consider how to foster a Christian presence—a seasoning of the nation—into play.

Progressive churches no longer even care about Scriptural authority. Conservatives, when they say things like, "we no longer need to adhere to the Old Testament," are equally dismissing the Bible's authority. So, why, why does that authority matter? In this conversational cast o' the pod Mark and I work through various layers concerning the authority of Scripture. What's the difference between inerrancy and infallibility? What takes place between the Old and New Testaments that shows remarkable unity? How is it possible to render the Bible's impact null and void? How can we know the Bible is not propaganda? Come think and laugh with the two of us!