Advocacy for Christian nationalism and acceptance of infant baptism have ended Joe Rigney’s presidential tenure at Bethlehem College and Seminary, an independent Baptist school aligned with Reformed theology. “His position on the relationship between Christianity and civil government is not…
What does complementarianism have to do with Domestic Violence Awareness Month?
“Please don’t tell my husband I said anything. These men think they can bully women into submission.” I hear statements like this from Christian women in complementarian marriages quite often. But while many of these women are aware of the…
The year of being threatened by smart women
Editor’s note: This story has been updated at the end with additional comments from Beth Allison Barr and Anthony Bradley. Maybe 2021 was the year of feeling threatened by smart women. That is, if you’re a white male conservative evangelical…
Grace and peace to you — at the tip of a sword
For weeks now, I’ve been teaching verse by verse through the book of 1 Thessalonians on Sunday mornings. Last week and this week, we hit the hinge between the last verse of 1 Thessalonians and the opening lines of 2…
Have you heard the one about empathy being a sin?
Empathy is in the news, and not in a good way. With recent controversial statements by John Piper and resignations of multiple staff at the church he put on the map and the seminary he led, attention has fallen to…
Letter to the Editor: Strong words for Piper, yes, but necessary
Letter to the Editor August 18, 2021 Dear Editor: I am writing today both to thank you for the honor of having my latest opinion piece published and offer a brief and cordial reply to Jesse Walsh. First, I am…
Letter to the editor: You not only paid the Piper but shot him for good measure
Letter to the Editor August 18, 2021 Dear Editor: This evening I read It’s Time to Pay the Piper, by David Bumgardner and found myself troubled by the way in which these critiques were delivered. Whether I agree or disagree with the…
It’s time to pay the Piper
On a crisp November night in 2016, I stumbled upon a message from John Piper that changed my theological and ministerial trajectory forever. I was an eager high school senior with a passion for (what I perceived to be at…
American Christianity in China also imports gender bias and Calvinism
Imagine if America’s coalition of conspiracy theorist, cowboy Christianity had colonized its way into the world of international politics and sexual abuse cover-ups under the guise of spreading the gospel. Research scholar Mary Li Ma believes this isn’t an imaginary scenario,…
Mohler endorses Trump while Piper disses Trump and feels the backlash
Al Mohler already has voted for Donald Trump, but John Piper won’t vote for either Trump or Joe Biden. Two bits of significant national news within the last week from the Calvinist wing of evangelical Christianity. Mohler, president of Southern…
Six ways ‘American Gospel’ is small-minded and abusive
I grew up so terrified of God’s wrath that I drove through a stoplight while staring at my speedometer, afraid I’d lose my salvation for breaking God’s law in Romans 13 by going 36 mph in a 35-mph zone. When…
In ‘Hamilton,’ King George has Calvin on his side
I watched “Hamilton” last night for the first time. And I was struck by the parallels in King George’s song You’ll Be Back to the Calvinistic view of God. The lyrics say: “The price of my love’s not a price…