14 Comments
Sep 17Liked by Michael F. Bird

I actually have thought for quite a long time the reason that things are the way they are in the US is because God is breaking down cultural Christianity to make true Christianity stand out again. When it costs something to follow Jesus, and it isn’t just built into the fabric of society that everyone goes to church and is a “Christian,” then the call of Jesus can be heard in a new way again.

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Sep 17Liked by Michael F. Bird

Where's my Make Christianity Weird Again baseball cap?

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Trisha, I would buy one, endorse, and invest in your start-up!

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Sep 19Liked by Michael F. Bird

Personally, I welcome that some significant thinkers are beginning to recognise that much benefit has come to humanity through Christian heritage. They are beginning to realise there's a lot to lose. That doesn't make them Christian in a personal sense, but it could be a step.

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Phil, yes, that's similar to my thoughts. Nominal Christianity is not ideal, but better than the alternatives.

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Sep 17Liked by Michael F. Bird

Islamophopes, transphobes, antisemites and other various extremists ideologues want to instrumentalise a version of Christianity lite and enlist Christians as useful foot soldiers in their culture wars? Not surprised.

They want to do so with no actual skin in the game and without any change or personal cost? Yawn.

Malcontents of liberal democracy supposedly champion its Christian heritage while also working to repeal its gains for women, for ethnic and sexual minorities and others of “the least.”? Walk on.

So-called Cultural Christians like Christianity just enough to inflict it on others and enforce it socially without adopting it privately, who liberalism and democracy only for people who look and vote like them and reduce Jesus to a tribal talisman - 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘴? Run away.

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I agree with the last paragraph Cameron!

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Well, that’s a start. I’d like to think that I could - from the Bible and good theological thinking, even if it’s against your own politics and personal interests - to try to get you consider the first three, too.

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I’d also argue that it’s much harder to run away at phase four, after having been a fellow traveller over the first three phases.

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Broadly speaking, I agree with these points. Being a Christian these days is becoming more like being a Christian in the Roman Principate. Larry Hurtado's book is a great recommendation. The part about the 'weirdness ' of Christianity is reminiscent of Tertullian's credo quia asurdum- I believe because it is absurd. However, Minucius Felix in his Octavius at least tries to make a case for the rational possibility of the Christian faith. Alister McGrath's Territories of Human Reason focuses on the reasonableness of the Christian faith. Let's believe in a Christian resurgence!

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James, Minucius Felix said Christians were considered an "obscure society."

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Sep 17Liked by Michael F. Bird

Not really qualified to assess the whole issue, but it seems to me that we need a base of real Christianity, otherwise there's nothing over which to have a layer of any kind (if that makes sense).

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