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General Christian
History and Religion

2023-07-10T17:10:01-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Are We Asking the Wrong Questions About Church in the Digital Age?

Last updated on: July 10, 2023 at 5:10 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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It feels like church has changed so much after the COVID-19 pandemic. With most of the world on lockdown, many small churches scrambled to make the change to hosting services online. This often included spending thousands of dollars of video and audio equipment while requiring more volunteers to work the new tech. Much of 2020’s dialogue was about the necessity of in-person church. Denominations that place high priority on the Eucharist tended to be more hesitant to the change. Low... Read more

American History

American Christianity

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Online Scripturte

Virtual reality

2023-07-03T21:49:50-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How does Christianity and the 4th of July Work Together?

Last updated on: July 3, 2023 at 9:49 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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I haven’t ever been really patriotic. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 2000’s. I remember 9/11, the Iraq War, the 2008 housing crash, and the list goes on. I loved watching satirical pundits like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert point out the hypocrisy in America. It hasn’t gotten a lot better since. However, it wasn’t until 2015 when I started feeling uncomfortable with the patriotic wing of American Christianity. I found it strange that we could pledge allegiance... Read more

American Christianity

American Church

History

social justice

2023-07-03T00:30:02-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Does the Bible Say About Christian Nationalism?

Last updated on: July 3, 2023 at 12:30 am By Brad Thibodeaux

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There is a lot of the Bible which talks about the necessity of God being in the laws. The Hebrew Scripture blends history, politics, and divine intervention in this way. While I think this is a literary tool of an ancient people, more conservative and fundamentalist readings can lend to a Christian Nationalist interpretation. It’s hard to find much in the New Testament that promotes Christian Nationalism. Jesus is recorded as saying “give Caesar what is [his], and give God... Read more

Early Church

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Fundamentalism

2023-07-17T13:25:33-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How the Social Gospel Affected The New Deal

Last updated on: July 17, 2023 at 1:25 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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The Social Gospel of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was concerned with the treatment and wellbeing of people’s physical existence rather than their post-mortem destination. They reframed the Good News towards public good and away from personal salvation. The Federal Council of Churches, founded in 1908, published The Social Creed of the Churches later that year. It listed grievances that these churches saw in the industrializing world. These included abolition of child labor, establishing a minimum living wage,... Read more

American History

American Christianity

2023-07-17T13:26:08-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

An Explosion of Exploitation in America

Last updated on: July 17, 2023 at 1:26 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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Capitalism is historically American. Independence, individualism, and entrepreneurship are deeply held American beliefs. These qualities are not wrong, but they aren’t necessarily based on Christian teachings like we may think. I talk a little bit about my feelings about Christianity and capitalism HERE. I also explain a little about the Protestant work ethic HERE. These are great primers to this article. America was in Reconstruction after the Civil War. As the country changed, so did technology. The rise of the... Read more

American History

American Christianity

2023-07-17T13:24:01-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What is the Protestant Work Ethic?

Last updated on: July 17, 2023 at 1:24 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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American Christianity has a long history of entangling religion and work. The Puritans began settling the New World in the 17th century and brought Protestantism and Calvinism with them. If you’re unfamiliar with the Puritans, you can read a little about their story here. The Protestant work ethic is the idea that hard work is proof of one’s salvation. This might sound odd (especially if you grew up with this idea) but this is the core of the message. Puritan... Read more

American History

American Christianity

2023-05-23T07:43:18-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christ in Capital: What’s Going On?

Last updated on: May 23, 2023 at 7:43 am By Brad Thibodeaux

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This is why I decided to go to seminary. The capitalization of Christianity has been a hot subject for me for many years. I saw the underside of the Christian money machine during my time in a Christian band. This put a bad taste in my mouth for a lot of the Christian pop culture. It definitely made me more cynical towards American Christianity as a whole. I stayed Christian, after years of rethinking the American tradition, by looking to... Read more

American History

Politics

American Christianity

2023-05-01T14:05:46-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Finding the Devil in America: Collective Forces

Last updated on: May 1, 2023 at 2:05 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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While the First Great Awakening was a natural byproduct of the English settlers in America, the Second Great Awakening could be seen as the consequence of the Revolutionary War. The Colonists saw Satan as a physical entity acting in the world. Early America saw the devil walking the earth as the ultimate temper. America had just gained its freedom from England and was figuring out who it was going to be. Now, as the issues of the nation change, so does... Read more

American History

American Christianity

2023-05-02T23:56:21-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Finding the Devil in America: Hell Finds A Home

Last updated on: May 2, 2023 at 11:56 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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Following the Salem Witch Trials of the late-17th century, America was settling back into religious life. Religion was an important part of the week, but there was a group of people in the Colonies that wanted more. A number of religious leaders began to express concerns about the state of religion in the colonies. These leaders believed that the traditional forms of Christianity practiced in the colonies had become too formal and ritualistic. They feared the people were no longer... Read more

American History

Evangelical

American Christianity

2023-04-28T11:07:25-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Finding the Devil in America: Puritan Panic

Last updated on: April 28, 2023 at 11:07 am By Brad Thibodeaux

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The story of the Puritans starts across the pond in England. This Protestant group was founded on its categorical principles – they were protesting the Church of England. Puritans saw the Church of England as being too ‘Catholic’ in their practice. The Church needed reform – and this clash saw the Puritans harassed. The Puritans faced persecution from the Church of England and the government, which viewed them as a threat to the established order. They could be fined, imprisoned,... Read more

American History

American Christianity

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