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Top Posts from 2021

Top Posts from 2021

Last updated on: December 14, 2021 at 4:22 pm by Brad Vaughn

Top Posts from 2021 2021-12-03T04:41:05-07:00 Brad Vaughn

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End of year lists are fun. Oddly, I’ve never done one. So, here you go. The following are the top posts from 2021 (thus far). With each one, I leave a comment to let you know what the post is about or why it matters.

The Top 10

Why I Left the SBC and IMB

This one apparently resonated with a lot of people.

I heard from countless readers who shared their own stories. While I won’t get into here (for now), certain persons did try to bully me into silence after it posted.

Why Complementarians Think Women Pastors are a Gospel Issue

This one triggered my dismissal as book reviews editor for The Gospel Coalition’s academic journal Themelios.

What makes that odd or unfortunate is that the post does not attack “complementarian” theology. Instead, it challenges how TGC leaders link the issue with the gospel itself.

Shame is a Unique Solution to a Unique Problem

The nature of a problem will determine the nature of its solution. So it is with shame.

Is Biblical Womanhood an Example of Syncretism?

When I first heard about Beth Allison Barr’s The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth, I wasn’t interested in reading it. I thought, “I don’t want to learn about history; I want to understand what the Bible says about womanhood, women as pastors, etc.” I was so wrongheaded. This book is all about biblical interpretation.

The Circular Relationship Between Culture and the Bible

This post addresses a fundamental issue underlying numerous issues with implications for contextualization in all its forms (i.e., the interpretation, communication, and application of God’s word).

Our New Podcast is Now Ready!!

We started “Doing Theology. Thinking Mission” this year. We’re already prepping for Season Two.

Does Critical Race Theory (CRT) Stigmatize Blacks?

This post considers the link between shame and widespread applications of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and shame. African American Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Shelby Steele, explains how applied CRT effectively re-enslaves blacks in the shackles of stigma.

What or Who is a Christian Nation?

Before we can understand the significance of Christian nationalism as well as its potential influence on the church and the world, we need to define our terms. There are at least two ways a nation could be labeled “Christian.” We need to discern what’s claimed before we can figure out what’s at stake.

The Genesis of Masculinity and Femininity

Does the Bible clearly present a distinct, normative vision of masculinity and femininity, one that transcends every culture and age? That question has motivated this series and proved more challenging than many people suspect.

I also defined toxic masculinity and femininity and suggested that Genesis 1-2 should realign our discipleship goals. This post turns to biblical texts that people often use when addressing these issues.

How Failure Distinguishes “Good” and “Bad” Shame

Some people struggle to think of shame as something “good.” So, we need to ask the question, “What distinguishes good and bad shame?”

Just on the Outside the Top

9Marks is Right, but Its Arguments are Wrong

In China, people will simply tell you, “You are fat,” as a way of showing affection. For them, making such comments (including “You’re too skinny”) expresses their concern for your health. Most Americans can’t “hear” the love.

I think something similar goes on in the social media exchanges, as typified by Jonathan Leeman’s 9Mark editorial and the flurry of reactions it spurred.

How Honor and Shame Infuse Christian Nationalism

How does one begin to sort how honor and shame infuse Christian nationalism? We must first recognize the range of ways that honor and shame touch on various aspects of life. It forges rigid categories of “us” versus “them.” Whenever that happens, layers of underlying values dominate the group, reinforcing a particular honor-shame lens that affects everything else.

Possibly Overlooked Posts

I often write posts that I think are significant for practical or theological reasons, but they don’t receive the same attention as hot button topics. Sometimes, they are more academic. So, the following are ones that I think matter but you might have overlooked.

How do honor and shame motivate moral decisions?

Jesus experienced shame, not low self-esteem

The First of Four Stages in Contextualization

Why Salvation Brings Shame

Horizontal and Vertical Individualism and Collectivism

What would you have expected to see at the top? Did you find others helpful that aren’t listed here?

Previous Post

December 7, 2021

Four Ways to Interpret the Bible Missionally

Next Post

December 20, 2021 Contextualizing Deconstruction and “Deconstruction”

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