Marginal Christianity

November 4, 2014 | By: A.J. Swoboda 0 Comments     What do you think? Read Part 1 . +   Christianity and postmodernism both hold dearly to absolute truth, yet, I would argue, only one of us is gutsy enough to admit it. How refreshing it would be to come to terms with it and talk honestly about our competing ideas of absolute truth? Like a good many Christians, every postmodern believes in a tightly protected circle of absolute truths. Now, it is a very tightly protected circle, a proverbial club, of issues and ideas that are absolutely truthful. My curiosity still remains: who is it that determines what and what does not makes it into the circle of postmodern absolute truth? Who comprises the committee to determine which truths are let in? I’m sure I won’t be let in; I just want to know the process. +   As has been said, “we are entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts.” So true. But I want to know how the committee deems a fact...

November 3, 2014 | By: A.J. Swoboda 0 Comments       Recently, I had the opportunity to teach a seminar at the Christ and Cascadia Conference in Seattle, Washington, entitled, “Ghost Town: Spirit and Church in an Individualistic World.” I was delighted to find a seminar room packed with eager scholars, pastors, and Christians desiring to think through what living the gospel in the city entails. +   I feel I have something to say about this. Not a final word, but something . As a pastor in the urban core of Portland, I’ve been given a privileged place to creepily watch my neighborhood for trends and insights as to emerging beliefs and faith. In my seminar, I decided to share a few of these insights. To do so, I needed a fictional character. Years ago, I’d heard that Rick Warren created a fictional character named “Saddleback Sam” who epitomized the kind of individual Saddleback Church sought to engage in Southern California. I, on the other han...

Sunday, May 4, 2014 http://graceemerges.blogspot.com/2014/05/postmodern-right-and-wrong.html by Brad Duncan In my previous three posts about postmodern  Christian faith , I described a God that is more personal, and who values people over structure and systems of laws. Instead of pleasing God, we should know God in a  healthy  relationship in which we enjoy God's acceptance and love for us. Most Christians would agree. After all God is love,  and the  greatest commandment of Jesus is to "Love God. Love People". God is more pleased with us than we  think . God brings freedom and acceptance to us, as the model of the perfect parents loving their children. The challenge for modern Christianity is to leave behind the structured approach to righteousness which places too high value on systems of laws to follow and organized institutions - which we are taught help us to please God. We need to approach our faith with an open mind, seeing ourselves, oth...