In the last blog, I tried to show the relationship between denominationalism and the functionalist (which I previously defined, so please see that definition) account of religiosity.  The importance of drawing out this relationship was described in the final paragraph, namely, that when a functionalist understanding of the church breaks-down, so too does the denominational [...]

In my previous blog, I tried to give some sort of picture of what Taylor is generally up to in his book on secularization.  As said, he is trying to give an historical analysis of how the social conditions that once socially bound persons to a belief in God shifted in such a way that [...]

The Church is always facing new challenges, always drawing from new sources, always trying to be Christian in a new way, in a new place. Important to me is what is meant by new or better yet where God is in the new. As Clayton points out Church history is full of new [...]

There was a column in the NYT the other day by Stanley Fish comparing the controversy surrounding the Burris appointment to the Donatist Controversy. While the government is not a religious institution, I believe if St. Augustine were an influential person in today’s American politics, his judgment would be that Burris should be seated, [...]

Last week was a trip to the past on the Reformation Day podcast and this week we look to the future with Phyllis Tickle as we discuss The Great Emergence.  In the past I blogged about the book and now you get to listen in on Phyllis and I talking about it.  If you haven’t [...]

 

 Phyllis Tickle on "The Great Emergence": Homebrewed Christianity ep.31 [76:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Three Treatises make up the work of Luther over the course of four months in 1520 and served to solidify the logic and tenor of the reformation.  While each treatise addresses a particular topic, they all address the state of the Church and the proper response needed on behalf of the gospel.  Together they describe, [...]

Craig Atwood is back with all the fire the flaming heretic can bring.  This Friday, October 31st, is indeed Reformation Day and I can think of no better way to celebrate it than listening to the Luther story on this podcast while you celebrate the new life the Reformation brought into the church.  If [...]

 

 The Luther Story on The Reformation Day Podcast with Prof Craig Atwood: Homebrewed Christianity ep.30 [68:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Part Two of the HBC Faith and Politics series features Bill Leonard, Church Historian and Dean of Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity.  In a single hour you will be taken through the relationship of faith and politics in church history with a master historian.  As you will see, there are a number of ongoing [...]

 

 Faith and Politics Through Church History with Bill Leonard: Homebrewed Christianity ep.28 [65:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Phyllis Tickle’s newest book is being blogged about all over the place, so I thought I would link to some of my favorite posts and\or comment streams under the posts and then throw out some observations or questions that ran through my mind as I read through the book.  I read the book in one [...]

Neo-Orthodoxy originated as a retrieval of orthodox Christianity that gained insight through critical engagement with liberalism.  What initially connected its founding figure heads Rudolf Bultmann and Karl Barth was the reframing of biblical authority for Christian theology.  Barth, Bultmann, and the prominant American voice Reinhold Neihbur share a strong attraction to the work of Soren [...]