Geoffrey Holsclaw
“The theory of penal substitution is the heart and soul of an evangelical view of the atonement.” So says Thomas Schreiner in The Nature of the Atonement: Four Views (67). And historically, Schreiner is right. This is how I was raised as an evangelical fundamentalist in California, and many others all across the USA. […]
Two weeks ago I made a rather strong statement about the “Christian Nationalism” on display during the Capitol Assault that I deemed to be an idolatrous folk religion. Since then I have read two other statements that I think gives helpful context for what I argued (although I don’t entire agree with them). […]
Should conservative Christianity be charged as partially responsible for inciting violence in the past Capitol Assault and possibly in the near future at Biden’s inauguration? Arrests are still being made as responsibility is being assessed for the destruction and death on January 6th. Should Conservative American Christianity be added to the list? How do we […]
Today people are waking to the probability that the Senate flipped toward the Democrats. And they are having an epiphany. Some are responding with celebration. Others in consternation. Some fear the chaos coming with the Biden administration. Others feared the chaos of the Trump administration. Some speak of the chaos of white supremacy. Others […]
Christian Fundamentalism is like an autoimmune disease. I know it sounds harsh. And I was raised Fundamentalist, and I’ve suffered under its effects. So let me explain. An autoimmune disease is when the immune system attacks the body it is meant to protect. This is what Fundamentalism has been doing to the Evangelical body […]
In his baptism, Jesus didn’t prove his sinlessness, his purity, his righteous, or wokeness (even though he was). Jesus was willing to be NUMBERED among the SINNERS. Will we do the same? In a time of self-esteem fortification and polarized vilification, we rarely admit we when we are wrong, that we are broken, that we—indeed—are […]
Why Still So Tired? For all the weary and over-burdened, we were told that if we followed Jesus then his “yoke would be easy and his burden would be light” (Matt. 11:28-30). But often times we don’t feel that way. We haven’t found that kind of rest in Jesus. We feel still feel disconnected, tired, […]
We need to change our understanding of being born-again. And we need to change our emphasis on atonement. “You’re a ‘born-again Christian’, right?” I was asked this while at O’Mei, a fine dining Chinese restaurant I worked at through college. My first thought was, Aren’t all Christians born-again? But I said, “I don’t know. What […]
For all those visual learners who need to see it to understand it. This is the “Other Bridge Illustration.” And yes, I drew these while at Starbucks. (David Fitch and I did an entire podcast on this topic if you are interested.) The Original Bridge Illustration But first we must talk about the Original Bridge […]