iMonk Classic: Signs I’m Weary of Weird Christians

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Undated NOTE FROM CM: Here is Michael at his best—forthright, incisive, passionate, hilarious, and clear. I love what he says about the “NORMAL” Christian life. So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” (JohnContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Signs I’m Weary of Weird Christians”

iMonk Classic: The Great Pumpkin Proposes a Toast

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Undated The following toast was taped at the 4,231st Halloween Dance and Potluck, held this year in the basement of the Salem, Masachusetts City Hall. The guest toastmaster was The Great Pumpkin, well known advocate of Halloween among children. Those in attendance included a variety of witches, ghosts, fairies,Continue reading “iMonk Classic: The Great Pumpkin Proposes a Toast”

iMonk Classic: Evangelical Anxieties 5—The End of the World

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted Feb 12, 2007 From Chaplain Mike: In the midst of all the insanity about “the end times” that Christians have produced since the Rapture theory became predominant, Michael Spencer (as usual) uttered this word of sanctified Biblical realism and common sense. There’s not a lot that IContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Evangelical Anxieties 5—The End of the World”

iMonk Classic: Jesus, Mom and Michael

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted Oct 22, 2005 Note from Chaplain Mike: In the light of recent posts about life’s messiness and ministering to people with unimaginable stress from the problems they face, I was struck when I went back and read this profoundly insightful article Michael wrote about caring for hisContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Jesus, Mom and Michael”

iMonk Classic: Niki Made Her Choice and, Apparently, So Did We

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted Oct 4, 2009 A year ago, this Michael Spencer piece really got people talking. FIRST: Read “Evangelicals and Science” at Tim Stafford’s blog. SECOND: Niki is fictionalized, but not much. I am hoping this post will make one point: the Gospel combined with anything- a view ofContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Niki Made Her Choice and, Apparently, So Did We”

iMonk Classic: Confession

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted Oct 13, 2008 MOD Note: One spiritual practice commanded in Scripture and little emphasized today in evangelical practice is the confession of sins. 1John 1, on the other hand, assumes that this is one of the marks of genuine Christian faith: “If we claim we have noContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Confession”

iMonk Classic: So Where Does an Evangelical Go For Spiritual Formation?

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted Aug 30, 2008 MOD Note: We will be focusing on the subject of spiritual formation in the days to come. In Aug/Sept, 2008, Michael Spencer had several posts on the subject, emphasizing the lack of tradition and practice with regard to spiritual formation in evangelicalism. This isContinue reading “iMonk Classic: So Where Does an Evangelical Go For Spiritual Formation?”

iMonk Classic: Three Days among the Mainlines

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted Feb 21, 2008 Unless you’ve been brought up in the insular confines of fundamentalism, it’s going to be hard to understand what it’s been like for me spending three days with “the other kind” of Christians this week. “The other kind” in this instance are mainline protestants,Continue reading “iMonk Classic: Three Days among the Mainlines”

iMonk Classic: My September 11, 2001

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted in September, 2001 Of course, it’s far from over, but it has been a week like no other in the memory of anyone who wasn’t old enough to be aware of what happened in November, 1963. Yes, our children will remember this week. They will measure theirContinue reading “iMonk Classic: My September 11, 2001”

iMonk Classic: Dumb Up, Brother: A Spirituality of Ignorance

Classic iMonk Post by Michael Spencer Originally posted September 27, 2007 Somewhere in the backlogs of this web site I recounted what it was like being on staff at a church full of seminary students. Everyone knew so much that we had real difficulty doing anything- like buying stamps- without endless debate. Of course, thereContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Dumb Up, Brother: A Spirituality of Ignorance”