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Apparently, after the recent "Jericho March," word went out that "Christian nationalism" is, if not a new threat in Evangelicalism, newly threatening. While I've seen the term used to dismiss biblically-permissible patriotism, longer treatments of the phenomenon seem to ...
Apparently, after the recent "Jericho March," word went out that "Christian nationalism" is, if not a new threat in Evangelicalism, newly threatening. While I've seen the term used to dismiss biblically-permissible patriotism, longer treatments of the phenomenon seem to ...
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...describe it as an amalgamation of syncretistic and superstitious errors centered around conservative Christian hyper-patriotism. These include the prosperity gospel, end-times prognostication, outlandish charismaticism, Jewish spirituality, and felt-led theology.
...describe it as an amalgamation of syncretistic and superstitious errors centered around conservative Christian hyper-patriotism. These include the prosperity gospel, end-times prognostication, outlandish charismaticism, Jewish spirituality, and felt-led theology.
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Granted, politically-conservative Christians should be reminded that heresy loves to juke the Church--it comes from the left and the right—and these errors are errors. While debates about how to prioritize ecclesiastical threats are usually fruitless, I sense ...
Granted, politically-conservative Christians should be reminded that heresy loves to juke the Church--it comes from the left and the right—and these errors are errors. While debates about how to prioritize ecclesiastical threats are usually fruitless, I sense ...
4/
... that many politically-conservative Christians are as confused as I am by the amount of alarm-sounding on "Christian nationalism." My life has been spent in Appalachian churches for whom the errors of "Christian nationalism" are much more tempting than Critical Theory ...
... that many politically-conservative Christians are as confused as I am by the amount of alarm-sounding on "Christian nationalism." My life has been spent in Appalachian churches for whom the errors of "Christian nationalism" are much more tempting than Critical Theory ...
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... (though that’s changing fast). These are real errors; nevertheless, I can't help but feel like "Christian nationalism" is an attempt by some to create an amalga-monster of right-wing heresy so threatening that it can rival the ideological team-up of ...
... (though that’s changing fast). These are real errors; nevertheless, I can't help but feel like "Christian nationalism" is an attempt by some to create an amalga-monster of right-wing heresy so threatening that it can rival the ideological team-up of ...
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... applied postmodernism, Liberation Theology, racial identitarianism, anti-Americanism, cultural relativism, neo-Marxism, and spiritualized grievance-based cynicism known as Critical Race Theory.
... applied postmodernism, Liberation Theology, racial identitarianism, anti-Americanism, cultural relativism, neo-Marxism, and spiritualized grievance-based cynicism known as Critical Race Theory.
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Success at this endeavor would permit many of those Christian thought-leaders who downplay the danger of CRT to maintain their beloved and lucrative selling point known as "being balanced."
Success at this endeavor would permit many of those Christian thought-leaders who downplay the danger of CRT to maintain their beloved and lucrative selling point known as "being balanced."
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Putting aside the fairly arbitrary “political spectrum” paradigm itself, it feels to me like many Christian commentators have seen the ability of CRT to (like a Transformer combining with others) join intersectional forces with Queer Theory, Gender Studies, ...
Putting aside the fairly arbitrary “political spectrum” paradigm itself, it feels to me like many Christian commentators have seen the ability of CRT to (like a Transformer combining with others) join intersectional forces with Queer Theory, Gender Studies, ...
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... Critical Animal Studies, Fat Studies, and Postcolonial Theory to create a larger threat, and, rather than critique it as is, are artificially stacking multifarious errors into an equally-threatening equally-evil twin “on the political right.”
... Critical Animal Studies, Fat Studies, and Postcolonial Theory to create a larger threat, and, rather than critique it as is, are artificially stacking multifarious errors into an equally-threatening equally-evil twin “on the political right.”
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Thus, nobody can accuse them of critiquing either side with greater volume. Here's my take: CRT, as a threat to the Western church, is unique in several ways.
Thus, nobody can accuse them of critiquing either side with greater volume. Here's my take: CRT, as a threat to the Western church, is unique in several ways.
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CRT is uniquely threatening in its 1) popular novelty (we, the Church, and the general public, were/are unprepared), 2) its academic obliquity ( @ConceptualJames says its inability to define terms is a feature, not a bug), 3) its systematic coalescence (its ability to unite...
CRT is uniquely threatening in its 1) popular novelty (we, the Church, and the general public, were/are unprepared), 2) its academic obliquity ( @ConceptualJames says its inability to define terms is a feature, not a bug), 3) its systematic coalescence (its ability to unite...
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... previously-unaffiliated social groups under one ideology, not simply under one “candidate” or for one temporary cause) and 4) its ubiquity (flanking us inside and outside the church).
... previously-unaffiliated social groups under one ideology, not simply under one “candidate” or for one temporary cause) and 4) its ubiquity (flanking us inside and outside the church).
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I take no issue with anybody who wants to label the errors of politically-conservative Christians and refute them. They are real, and they are the usual problem (for now) in my local church context, as they have been generations.
I take no issue with anybody who wants to label the errors of politically-conservative Christians and refute them. They are real, and they are the usual problem (for now) in my local church context, as they have been generations.
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However, to pretend that these are novel errors in the church is to miss that the average layman knows exactly what I mean when I say "prosperity gospel," and yet wonders why their pastor seems to resemble a deer shortly before impact when they ask him what "systemic" means.
However, to pretend that these are novel errors in the church is to miss that the average layman knows exactly what I mean when I say "prosperity gospel," and yet wonders why their pastor seems to resemble a deer shortly before impact when they ask him what "systemic" means.
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These “Christian nationalist” errors have existed in some popular form for decades (if not centuries) and an entire sub-industry of Christian ministry exists to refute such errors in books, documentaries (AKA doctri-mentaries), podcasts, and blogs.
These “Christian nationalist” errors have existed in some popular form for decades (if not centuries) and an entire sub-industry of Christian ministry exists to refute such errors in books, documentaries (AKA doctri-mentaries), podcasts, and blogs.
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Meanwhile, trained Christian leaders, even of the skill and stature of John Piper, seem not to grasp key aspects of Critical Theory and most pastors are turning to resources from well-educated atheists to understand the threat.
Meanwhile, trained Christian leaders, even of the skill and stature of John Piper, seem not to grasp key aspects of Critical Theory and most pastors are turning to resources from well-educated atheists to understand the threat.
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While we might lament leaders with the notoriety of Eric Metaxas being a central figure on that D.C. stage, how many people really think the leaders of any major denomination are at risk of falling to these "conservative errors" sooner than that of CRT?
While we might lament leaders with the notoriety of Eric Metaxas being a central figure on that D.C. stage, how many people really think the leaders of any major denomination are at risk of falling to these "conservative errors" sooner than that of CRT?
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Most politically-conservative pastors I know saw that rally, were weirded out, said a prayer, and went away knowing that, when one of their flock expresses support for any of these errors again, they have Bible references in mind and discernment resources for each one.
Most politically-conservative pastors I know saw that rally, were weirded out, said a prayer, and went away knowing that, when one of their flock expresses support for any of these errors again, they have Bible references in mind and discernment resources for each one.
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Meanwhile, they hope none of their flock ask them (as I was by an older rural Mennonite woman this week) what “queer” means now.
Meanwhile, they hope none of their flock ask them (as I was by an older rural Mennonite woman this week) what “queer” means now.
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Lastly, few church leaders seem to grasp just how much of a threat Critical Theory can become to the Western Church's continued existence through CT's influence in Hollywood, the press, academia, and, eventually, government.
Lastly, few church leaders seem to grasp just how much of a threat Critical Theory can become to the Western Church's continued existence through CT's influence in Hollywood, the press, academia, and, eventually, government.
21/
I can't imagine anyone suggesting that "Christian nationalism" might accomplish a "long march through the institutions" anytime this century. Few of us are unconcerned about the component parts of "Christian nationalism" and maybe, at some point, we will need to give ...
I can't imagine anyone suggesting that "Christian nationalism" might accomplish a "long march through the institutions" anytime this century. Few of us are unconcerned about the component parts of "Christian nationalism" and maybe, at some point, we will need to give ...
22/23
... “it” (as if it is anything akin to a unified whole) more consistent attention. I’m also not saying that there aren’t pastors and churches for whom some aspect of “Christian nationalism” is their bigger problem in their context right now.
... “it” (as if it is anything akin to a unified whole) more consistent attention. I’m also not saying that there aren’t pastors and churches for whom some aspect of “Christian nationalism” is their bigger problem in their context right now.
23/23
It's just that "Christian nationalism," to a lot of us, appears to have about as much internal consistency, institutional respectability, and dangerous novelty as the Jericho March itself.
We would love to be able to look at Critical Theory that way.
It's just that "Christian nationalism," to a lot of us, appears to have about as much internal consistency, institutional respectability, and dangerous novelty as the Jericho March itself.
We would love to be able to look at Critical Theory that way.
