Note: this is a parody piece that explores the question, what if Dante were woke? Introduction Midway upon the journey of our life,I found myself in a system of oppressionreinforced through hegemonic discourse. My eyes were just beginning to opento the deep-rooted structural inequitiesagainst women, BIPOCs, and LGBT. But there came upon me a great […]
Continue readingDefending Perspicuity: A Response to The Obscurity of Scripture by Casey Chalk
Note: the following is a modified transcript of an adult Sunday school lecture that I taught at Riveroaks Reformed Presbyterian Church (PCA) in October 2023, as part of a series defending the Protestant doctrine of Scripture. In this lecture, I address some common Roman Catholic objections to the perspicuity of Scripture. I do this primarily […]
Continue readingReview: God Reforms Hearts by Thaddeus Williams
These words, written by C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity, reflect one of the most common Christian responses to the problem of evil and suffering in the world. At first glance, the so-called “free will defense” has considerable appeal. It seems to absolve God of responsibility for the existence of evil, by shifting that responsibility to […]
Continue readingReview: Conservatism: A Rediscovery by Yoram Hazony
There was a time when liberalism ruled the West. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, the divide between conservatives and progressives mostly amounted to a contest between competing versions of liberalism. However, in recent years, liberalism’s grip has begun to weaken. In its place, we have witnessed the rise of an updated Marxism […]
Continue readingReview: Outsiders on the Inside by Billy Boyce
William E. Boyce. Outsiders on the Inside: Understanding Racial Fatigue, Racial Resilience, and Racial Hospitality in Our Churches. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2022. 146 pages. Since its founding in 1973, the Presbyterian Church in America has professed a commitment to welcoming all races. However, putting this commitment into practice has proven more difficult. Despite […]
Continue readingReview: The Myth of Colorblind Christians by Jesse Curtis
There has been a lot of discussion recently on the topic of American evangelical deconstruction (see also here and here). Such deconstruction generally involves subjecting the evangelical church to historical and sociological analysis, in order to demonstrate that evangelicalism is actually rooted in efforts to uphold—and to provide religious justification for—the social dominance of privileged […]
Continue readingWhite fragility, white guilt, and the ring of Gyges
I think these books were meant to be read together. They are coming from very different perspectives—one a white progressive and the other a black conservative—but they are both attempting to make sense of white psychology in post-Civil Rights America. Even the book covers look similar, with the black and white appropriately inverted. Let me […]
Continue reading‘Splainshaming: when “centering other voices” becomes a tool to silence dissent
Straightsplainshaming: rebuking, ridiculing, or dismissing a straight person for speaking on issues of sexuality, just because they are straight. Whitesplainshaming: rebuking, ridiculing, or dismissing a white person for speaking on issues of race, just because they are white. Mansplainshaming: rebuking, ridiculing, or dismissing a man for speaking on issues of gender, just because he is […]
Continue readingReview: Beyond Racial Gridlock by George Yancey
“Gridlock” is a good word to describe the state of evangelical discussions on race today. The past couple years especially have witnessed a meteoric rise in the use (and misuse) of terms like “critical race theory” and “systemic racism.” If evangelicals are going to break through the current ideological impasse, then they need a reliable […]
Continue readingReview: The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone
This summer I’ve been trying to read as much as I can on the topic of racial justice, covering a range of perspectives—both secular and Christian, and both progressive and conservative. One title that I just finished is The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone, who is considered to be the father […]
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