Author Archives: Chaplainmike

iMonk Classic: “I Forgive Myself”: The Hardest Words?

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer From February 2009 One of the things I really don’t like about run-of-the-mill evangelical spirituality is the assumption that we’re all basically clones of each other. Cheerful clones. Mentally healthy clones. Good family clones. Conservative political clones. Happy at church clones. Like the same music clones. Clones who copeContinue reading “iMonk Classic: “I Forgive Myself”: The Hardest Words?”

Why I Just Can’t Hate Religion, Though I Love Jesus

There is an increasing sentiment, especially among younger Christians, that is not only apathetic toward organized and formally structured religion (read “church”), but is antagonistic and opposed to it. So when I came across this hugely popular You Tube video (over 15 million views and counting), I found myself ambivalent. There is a core angstContinue reading “Why I Just Can’t Hate Religion, Though I Love Jesus”

They’re Not All Clowns

Update: Thanks to all who pointed out that Michael Spencer, the original Internet Monk, came up with the phrase “evangelical circus.” Credit duly noted. I don’t know who first came up with the phrase “evangelical circus” here at the iMonastery. It was either Chaplain Mike or myself, but we both use it frequently to describeContinue reading “They’re Not All Clowns”

Stories of Circus Acts Past

I am making an effort to read more Christian history this year. Right now I am working through Diarmaid MacCulloch’s impressive Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. On Friday, I will post the first in a series of articles on “God’s Marvelous, Massive, Messy House,” working our way through the long and complex story ofContinue reading “Stories of Circus Acts Past”

Creation Police at Toys-R-Us

Parents, you can be reassured. The creationists are keeping watch. And now a new front has opened on the war against those who don’t take the Bible literally and promote Evil-lution: the toy store. Brian Thomas, science writer for ICR (The Institute for Creation Research) posted a dire warning on January 9 against perhaps theContinue reading “Creation Police at Toys-R-Us”

Allen Krell on “Unitarian Christianity”

At Allen Krell’s blog, our friend has outlined a direction with respect to what he will write about in 2012. I asked Allen if he would share his thoughts with the Internet Monk community, and he graciously sent me the following post. It describes his current perspective on the evangelical movement he has left behind.Continue reading “Allen Krell on “Unitarian Christianity””

The Bible, through a Scientist’s Eyes

The Bible, through a Scientist’s Eyes, part one Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible by John Polkinghorne • • • Today, we begin walking through a new book by John Polkinghorne on the Bible. I believe this will give us a unique vantage point from which to consider the Scriptures? Why? — because PolkinghorneContinue reading “The Bible, through a Scientist’s Eyes”

Daniel Jepsen on “How I became Non-Political”

I see the presidential election season is heating up.  Soon, it will be a two-man race, Obama versus a candidate to be named later. I find I care less each election cycle. Now, don’t get me wrong. I still vote, and I do so after a good deal of reading about the candidate’s positions.  ButContinue reading “Daniel Jepsen on “How I became Non-Political””

Hate Religion? Love Jesus?

Jefferson Bethke has certainly received a lot of attention for his video, “Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus, which went viral on YouTube last week (over 10 million views). In it, he raps a poem expressing a common evangelical perspective: Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. In fact, Jesus came to abolishContinue reading “Hate Religion? Love Jesus?”