by Ben Howard and Sebastian Faust Reads of the Week 1) More Than Three Minutes: Resistance and Grace in Ferguson by Richard Beck "Because that will be a temptation. Again, if Darren Wilson is "innocent" many will feel safe to move on. And if Darren Wilson is found "guilty" many will feel safe to blame him and judge him as a sinner. The shooting of Michael Brown would have been caused by one individual's moral failure, a lapse in virtue and piety. A mistake. Or the product of a "bad person." Which means the guilt of Darren Wilson gets the system and our history off the hook. Guilt can be reduced to an individual, reduced to those three minutes. Daren Wilson can become the scapegoat for the system." 2) An Ancient Prayer Saved My Faith by David R. Henson "My faith was saved, again, that first time I blessed bread and wine, and realized I had come home after wandering so long. And in countless celebrations since, I've had my faith saved in the blessing of bread and wine, when something more than I can ever imagine or pretend happens, when simple things become holy things, revealing that all simple things are holy things. Like the oily mark of Chrism on an infant's head, on a teenager's forehead, the weight of a stole and chasuble, the new light in the darkness of an Easter Vigil." 3)Birthday Celebrations and Awkward Feelings: Let the Little Children Lead by Abby Norman "Can I tell you that it is hard to feel awkward sometimes at a neighbor's birthday party? Can I tell you that sometimes, in a store where I am the only white lady, I am extra embarrassed when my children throw a fit? Not just because my children are throwing a fit, but because I hear the things that people used to tell me, about white parents and fit throwing children. Can I tell you that my black friends deal with this every single day, but it isn't just a matter of feeling awkward? It is a matter of making sure their kids stay alive." 4)Does It Help To Know History? by Adam Gopnik "The advantage of having a historical sense is not that it will lead you to some quarry of instructions, the way Superman can regularly return to the Fortress of Solitude to get instructions from his dad, but that it will teach you that no such crystal cave exists. What history generally "teaches" is how hard it is for anyone to control it, including the people who think they're making it." 5)We Underestimate the Foolish and the Kind Ones by Sarah Bessey "I'm also suspicious of empire tactics being baptized and employed to "build the Kingdom of God." My soul recoils from the use of the very tactics of the empire - silencing, bullying, judging, other-ing, dehumanizing, mocking, name-calling, ganging up and piling on, violence - used against the oppressed and marginalized, now somehow being used for "good purpose." I see this tendency in my own soul and it grieves me." Honorable Mention Sermon on the Beatitudes by Nadia Bolz Weber The Foolish Debate by Nate Pyle What Does It Really Mean to Have Faith? by Zack Hunt
Tweets of the Week "No one saw it coming. The students took over on the 1st day of school, led by the Kindergarteners who weren't yet drones of the system." - @VeryShortStory "NBC: We exist! Since….I don’t know, we sort of lost count." - @revlucymeg
"TV filmed This Is Where I Leave You on an iPod Touch over summer break with all its friends. TV’s mom said it was 'VERY good, sweetie.'" - @tvoti Song of the Week "The Mariner's Revenge Song" by The Decemberists
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Contact us at onpoptheology [at] gmail.com. You might also like:
by Ben Howard Reads of the Week 1) Church in the Canyon by Esther Emery "I catch a glimpse sometimes, a little nod and a reassurance that this is, in fact, exactly how it works. We are supposed to do this: to rub up against one another, even in our differences. Sometimes this work is long and slow like sand on the beach. Sometimes it’s all crushed up and wild like a storm. We bump against each other and we strike each other, and it wears away the stone to show the flesh beneath." 2) In Which I Admit That I Didn't Like Paul by Sarah Bessey "But as I worked my way through the passages of Scripture that I used to hate, I began to see Paul more clearly, to understand Scripture even better. I began to see his wisdom, his subversion, his heart. When I looked at his full ministry – how he praised and esteemed women in leadership in the Church, how he turned household codes within a patriarchal society on their head, how he used feminine metaphors, how he subverted the systems, how he passionately defended equality – the verses that used to clobber me began to embrace me." 3) When World Vision Drops Me by Benjamin Moberg "Though I understand that World Vision essentially had a gun to its head after evangelical leaders incited a mass backlash of dropped funds, it doesn’t make what they did right. Their reversal hurts more than anything I read from the evangelicals ranting. It was the kiss of Judas. And in the end, this was simply wrong and ungodly and deeply defeating." 4) Burnout by Hannah Ettinger "Fuck everything, is all I can manage to say, half the time. I hear these stories and I hear the shame and the fear and the massive amounts of cultivated codependency for the sake of crowd control, and that’s all I’ve got. Fuck everything. Here we go again." 5) Hearts of Flesh by Rachel Held Evans "Fundamentalism erases people. It erases their joy, their compassion, their instincts, their curiosity, their passion, their selves. And then it celebrates this ghosting, this nulling and numbing, as a glorious “dying to the self,” just like Jesus demanded." Honorable Mention When Christian Women Cheat or Kinda Want To by Grace Biskie I Don't Know If I'm a Christian Anymore by Micah Murray Holy Relics: The Offering Plate by Martyn Jones Tweets of the Week "Tweeting funny jokes on twitter dot come sure is a nice distraction from the imminent march of death." - @ashfein "Growing up I never had a father figure. I was a kid. Why would I have the body of a father as a kid? I'm not even male." - @mrsjohngoodman
"Things took a dark turn at the Kids Choice Awards when the kids voted to declare martial law." - @CelebrityHotTub On Pop Theology Week in Review On Pop Theology Podcast: Episode 54 - Leviticus, An Interview w/ Baruch Levine "This week on the show, Sebastian continues his exploration of the Biblical texts with the book of Leviticus." The Meaning in the Music by Hannah Ettinger "I grew up listening to four musicians. Stephen Curtis Chapman, Out of the Grey, John Michael Talbot and Bob Bennett." A Series of Outright Lies About Millennials by Ben Howard and Sebastian Faust "With the fundamental ethos of the internet in mind, we bring you A Series of Outright Lies About Millennials.Opening Line." Song of the Week "Blue Moon" by Beck
Peace, Ben You can follow On Pop Theology on Twitter @OnPopTheology or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OnPopTheology. If you'd like to help us pay the bills, you can donate via the button on the right of the screen.
Contact us at onpoptheology [at] gmail.com. You might also like:
I first encountered Sarah Bessey during a pregnancy scare in 2011, when she was still Emerging Mummy and I was on a Google bender. It turned out that I was not with-child, but rather with-paranoia (ladies—you know); nevertheless, my discovery of Sarah Bessey was a date with destiny. She introduced me to the Christian interwebs: Rachel Held Evans (who had just called Mark Driscoll a bully,) Christianity Today and Her.meneutics. It took a year for me to get on Twitter and experience the full glut of Christian internet content, but for that year, it was just Bessey and a few special others.
All that to say, Sarah Bessey’s Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s Viewof Women (Howard Books, releasing November 5, 2013) holds a special place in my heart, and I am excited for those who will discover Bessey’s distinctive voice in this important work.
I will admit, I was expecting Jesus Feminist to have more of an emphasis on feminist critique, but as I got more into the book I realized that such an approach would not be “Sarah Bessey.” Just as with her oft-imitated blogging style, her work in Jesus Feminist shines most when she is telling stories and issuing rally cries. Bessey is a lover of poetry and it shows in her creative word-coinage and interesting-noun-play-with-use-of-complex-hyphenates.
The third chapter is where things really pick up, when we learn that Bessey discovered feminism not in critical theory or a social movement, but in early experiences with a church where women’s leadership was highly valued. In later chapters she expounds a feminism that is rooted in kingdom theology, God’s love of justice, and the movement of the Holy Spirit. She doesn’t need theory to prove her point; her stories testify to the value of women’s service and leadership in the Church.
The chapters that do contain more scholarly analysis are interesting, but are not her strongest points; Bessey relies heavily on sources her readership may already know very well (i.e. Rachel Held Evans) and as a result, her distinctive voice gets a bit lost. But when she enters her métier, calling the Church to a better way—climaxing with the “Commissioning” chapter to end the book—her prose-y poetics explode into full-on prophecy. Bessey characterizes her work “to build a prophetic outpost for the Kingdom’s way of womanhood” as “small ops,” but she is being self-deprecating. Jesus Feminist is on the vanguard of feminist apologetics in the evangelical world, and this initial charge manages to be both challenging and guided by Christ-like humility. Those who most need this book are the same ones who will find it most accessible, as Bessey’s voice is attuned to the needs and language of her evangelical and mainly female audience—though dudes with poetic souls will find much to like here, too.
Nadia Bolz-Weber’s Pastrix: the Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint (Jericho Books, releasing September 10, 2013) serves as an interesting counter-point to Jesus Feminist. Pastrix is as straight-forward in its language as Jesus Feminist is lyrical. Bolz-Weber’s use of scene, dialogue, narration and straight-up sermonizing is masterful—and I’m sure, much harder than she makes it look. Here we have another author whose sharp, engaging voice has won her many fans—her voice, and her commitment to the Gospel. It surprised me to discover the strongest connection between these two works on the fringe of the Christian culture is that they are both unabashedly focused on the saving message of Jesus Christ. No embarrassment, no mincing of words. These are women who preach.
I can’t really say enough good things about Pastrix. I picked up a copy at Wild Goose and despite the fact that it got soaking wet (yes, I’m harping on that again), I couldn’t stop peeling back page after soggy page. On the way home I had the opportunity to chat up my heroes—Krista Tippett and the On Being crew, with whom I shared a long layover and flight back to Minnesota—but I couldn’t think of anything to say. I just wanted to stay buried in what were by that point dry, curled pages, my copy already showing signs of being well-loved.
The concept behind Pastrix is pretty simple—hard-living former fundie finds sobriety, God, and a call to ministry. Bolz-Weber tells her story, touching on themes of addiction, death, and failure—but always bringing the reader to a place of hope, even “defiant hope.” She speaks from a pastor’s heart, crafting her work for the sake of our ultimate edification, but dang it if she doesn’t just make it fun.
My only criticism—and I don’t know if this is a true criticism at all—was that I was left at the end wanting more. More stories, more creativity, more cranky insight from someone who we might lovingly call a curmudgeon-at-heart. Could we perhaps look forward to a Pastrix II: The Reckoning of the White Collar? I hope so. In any case, Pastrix comes out this week. You need to get it.
One final reason why you should check out both Pastrix and Jesus Feminist: They exemplify so much of what is going on in the world of young Christian culture. These authors defy any attempt at categorization. They do not toe party lines. They are inspired by a variety of Christian traditions and don’t see a problem with taking the best from new things they find. These books represent a moment in history when Christians who used to strictly adhere to denominational identities are busting out and finding exciting, confusing, and promising possibilities for their faith. And as my call for sequels suggests, I’m already excited to see what might come next. Charity Erickson and her husband live and work together in the north woods of Minnesota. Check out her blog for more of her writing and follow her on Twitter @CharityJill.
by Ben Howard Reads of the Week 1)Accountable for Attention? by Lane Severson "Traditionally we have called them prophets. Their calling is to speak an
unpopular truth and to pump our stomachs in event of a Kool-aid
overdose. We are confused about them too. Often the most inflammatory
religious voices claim to be prophets. But prophets aren’t just baptized
attention whores." 2)Going to Weddings Alone by Emily Maynard "I wish there was an acknowledgement, even in vows and
til-death-do-us-parts, of the realities of the world. I wish there was a
celebration of deep rooted friendship beyond marriage ceremonies, with
just as much wine and dancing afterward." 3)For a Time by Mason Slater "For a time it can be easy to get wrapped up in movements, and
tribes, and trends, and systems, and buzz words, and
being-right-no-matter-the-cost, and forget our humanity. Because it’s tempting to pretend that we are somehow not like everyone else, that we are infallible." 4)In Which I Beg Barbie's Pardon by Sarah Bessey "I began to rethink my distrust. After all, the argument could be made that you are a feminist icon:
fifty years of careers ranging from doctor to teacher and all points
between. You seem to have a lot of friends and interests – my daughter
always has her little gang of Barbies working together to solve
problems, you see. You’re a big sister, too, and a good friend." 5)How "The Walking Dead" Solved Videogames' Christ-Figure Problem by Richard Clark "What results is an arc that drags the player along to a place of
Christ-like selflessness. There is very little actual shooting or
beating things up, even zombies. The game is about caring for others,
about living purposefully, about walking into a situation of danger
knowingly and being open to living and dying through the very worst so
that someone else might benefit." 6)There Are No Trophies Here by Micha Boyett "God was the Ultimate Grownup, smiling if I could keep up with my tasks, a
sweet teacher who liked me as long as I was nice enough to All the
People and concerned with All the Bad Things. And if I could do it, if I
could risk enough and try enough and come close enough to God, it would
be enough." 7)Christians and the Myth of "Hookup Culture" by Jonathan Merritt "The depravity of humans makes history look less like a moral ski slope and more like a moral game of whack-a-mole. Injustices and evils exist in every era, and about the time we eliminate a few of them, we’re forced to face a whole new set." 8)A Plea for Listening Well at Christian Colleges by DeLisa Thomas "There seemed be an overall misperception that we minorities were
playing the victim card and that our experiences of racism were somehow
our own fault or mere exaggerations. Honestly, this misperception is one that cuts me to the core." 9)Responding to Homophobia in the Christian Community by Rachel Held Evans "Sensing that the consideration of full personhood might sway the gay
marriage debate toward legalization, he suggests we should deliberately
move away from speaking of gay and lesbian people as multi-dimensional
human beings and instead reduce them to sex acts in order to make others
more repulsed by them. It is an unabashed attempt to single out,
stigmatize, and ostracize an entire group of people, which is the exact
opposite of what the gospel calls us to do." 10)The Onanism of "Teavangelical" Republicans by Fred Clark "Onan was dealt a more severe sentence because he was guilty of a more
severe crime. Him Whose Sandal Was Pulled Off was guilty of neglecting
his duty to provide for a childless widow. Onan was trying to weasel out
of that duty while at the same time exploiting the very woman he was duty-bound to help." Honorable Mention
"This week Ben is joined by his friend, and On Pop Theology contributor,
John Thornton Jr. for a conversation about stand-up comedy and the
economics of divinity school."
"I'm
currently lying in my bed staring up at the ceiling. The ceiling fan is
whirring on high and jostling slightly from side to side." Song of the Week
1) When We Are All Working With Seals and Polar Bears by Preston Yancey "Without regional identity or regional context, the listening for a
common language is harder to do, it is harder to find the shortcuts that
are still echoes of orthodoxy, or harder still to navigate the careful
line between what may be right and true for the church and right and
true for the Church."
2) How (Not) to Speak about Oppression by Marika Rose "There’s a reason why Marx didn’t worry about how the proletariat could
get the bourgeoisie on side, why feminists need men like fish need
bicycles, and why Malcolm X didn’t spend his time trying to win over
white people. But we don’t get to be neutral in the fight for
liberation: there is no Switzerland of the class struggle. So what
happens when we find ourselves on the wrong side of the quest for
justice?"
3) Broadway vs. Community Theater: Why Pastors and Presidents Are Not CEO's by Fred Clark "The point is that the task for a community theater is the opposite
of the task for Broadway. Broadway wants to find and to hire only the
very best possible people for every role. Community theater wants to get
the best possible contribution from every person in the community."
4) I Don't Want Kids by Emily Maynard "I’m afraid that I’m not a real woman because I don’t want to have kids.
I’m afraid that people will always see me as lesser and pity me. I hate
when they tease that my biological clock hasn’t kicked in, and imply
that I’m selfish, or that I just don’t understand the beauty of motherly
sacrifice. I do! It’s beautiful for some people, but I want to be me,
not a walking womb. I want to sacrifice in other ways. I want to take
care of the people who are already in the world, not just make new ones!"
5) In Which Words Like "Real" and "True" Mean Things by Sarah Bessey "We use these words like they are freeing or universal or helpful, but
they are forging new chains for a new law. There is no such thing as
“real” woman or a “real” man. If you are a man, you are a real man. If
you are a woman, you are a real woman." Honorable Mention The Sexiest Missionary Wins by Jamie Wright Hope for the Military's Sexual Assault Problem by Lauren Rambo We Need Thicker Skin by Zack Hunt Line of the Week "Fast and Furious 6 looks like if Axe Body Spray were a movie." - Sammy Rhodes (@prodigalsam) On Pop Theology Week in Review
Abusing Each Other for a Good Cause by Deb Winiarski "I didn't like how Karber treated the people
on Skid Row, and I did wonder if he had explained his actions before
shooting the video. But I also realized that it was not the first time I
had experienced that sour, something's-not-right punch in the gut when
watching an awareness ad."
On Oklahoma by Ian McLoud "This is what families do. They hurt together.
They cry together. They help together. They build together. Lord, hear
our prayer."
I'm Probably Wrong by Ben Howard "To be more precise I am probably wrong about
90% of things. Except cake. I'm not wrong about cake. Unless, of course,
I am. In which case I'm wrong about 91% of things."
How is God With Us? by Rebekah Mays "I
have many more friends with less extreme accounts who nonetheless swear
by a voice, maybe audible, maybe not, that directs their
paths." Song of the Week "On My Way" by SHEL (You need to check out this band, they're crazy good!)
1) Ashamed by Rachel Held Evans "I am ashamed of the bumper stickers, the t-shirts, the
logos, the fog machines, the light shows, the celebrities, and that paralyzing
fear of Silence we’re so bound and determined to avoid that we keep shouting
and shouting and shouting at one another till our words are just clanging
cymbals echoing off church walls." 2) Beware of Thinking Biblically by Micah Murray "Words are important. And “thinking Biblically” is very important. But
all my life I’ve been told lies carefully footnoted with stacks of Bible
verses, mistakes and opinions and dangerous words all cloaked in the
sacred garb of “Biblical thinking”. And now I find myself recalling
these words one by one and carefully examining them, deconstructing my
religion brick by brick until all that’s left is Jesus." 3) In Which Art is Like Manna by Sarah Bessey "I believe the freedom to create – or to “spend it all” as Annie Dillard
says – is in direct connection to our trust in God’s provision. Do we
believe, even in our art, that he is the giver of all good gifts, the
provider, the El Shaddai, my God of more-than-enough? Or are we in
charge of hoarding it for ourselves and our carefully crafted outcomes
and desires?" 4) Christian College Fires Woman For Not Getting Abortion by Fred Clark "If this woman had gotten an abortion, she’d still have her job. That’s
what San Diego Christian College apparently wanted her to do. That’s
certainly the incentive they’ve built into their 'community covenant.'
And that incentive is doubly reinforced by the double-standard in how
that 'covenant' is enforced for women as opposed to for men." 5) The Good, Racist People by Ta-Nehisi Coates "In modern America we believe racism to be the property of the uniquely
villainous and morally deformed, the ideology of trolls, gorgons and
orcs. We believe this even when we are actually being racist." Honorable Mention
