Posts in Culture
What a gay Christian rocker’s woes tell us about American Christianity

In August, it seemed that Trey Pearson of “Everyday Sunday” would become the first openly gay artist to grace the stage at a major Christian music festival. But when he publicly announced that he would be performing at Joshua Fest, not everyone was excited about the milestone. Eleven members of Joshua Fest’s production team threatened to quit if Pearson performed, so event leaders dropped him from their roster.

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How the Christian 'masculinity' movement is ruining men

The “masculinity crisis” is perpetuated in Christian self-help books like John Eldridge’s Wild At Heart, which ascribes glory to the man who conquers mountains, charges hills, and takes no prisoners (his loving wife excepted). What message do they send to those who connect more with God-as-the-great-Lover than God-as-the-ultimate-He-Man? Not much that’s biblical, in my view.

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The death penalty killed Jesus. Is it killing us, too?

Amid the seismic shifts happening within American Christianity, a growing number of the faithful now oppose the death penalty. Though evangelical Christians have generally favored the death penalty, even the National Association of Evangelicals has shrunk back from its previously supportive stance. Enter Shane Claiborne, an evangelical leader and author who has recently released a book, “Executing Grace: How the death penalty killed Jesus and why it is killing us.”

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