Get Frank Schaeffer’s new book free on Kindle today

Posted on May 31, 2014 by | Leave a comment

I just started reading Frank Schaeffer’s new book, “Why I’m an Atheist Who Believes in God.”  I’m fascinated by the title and so curious to see where he goes with his premise in the book.

I have read some angry blog posts by Frank over the years.  He has been a strong voice speaking against Evangelicalism.  I am familiar with his parent’s ministry through L’Abri and was very touched by Frank’s tribute to his mother when she passed away last year.

So when I saw blogger Benjamin L. Corey post this interview and link to get Frank’s book free on Kindle (yesterday and today only–so hurry!), I was intrigued.

WHY I AM AN ATHEIST WHO BELIEVES IN GOD: How to give love, create beauty and find peace

I think it is important to hear from people of differing perspectives.  Many Christians are taught to fear people who have drawn different conclusions than they have.  Yet Scripture says to test things.  How often do we fully consider a point of view that is different from our own?

I know plenty of people who have been wounded by Christians whose character in their treatment of others didn’t match the Gospel of grace that they preached.  It is beautiful to see Frank Schaeffer, who bears palpable wounds from a brand of Christianity that holds Truth on a higher pedestal than Love, speak affectionately about his parents and God.  It is a struggle to find the right balance between Truth and Love, and I am encouraged to see Schaeffer’s honesty about his struggle.

I appreciate what he says about the content of our character being more important than our theology.  I appreciate what he says about spiritual journeys and combatting hubris in dogma.  We are all on a spiritual journey, either moving nearer to or farther from God.  May we all embrace the paradox of our belief and our unbelief.  God is big and mysterious and present and active and we are precious to Him.  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).  May we all keep asking, seeking, and knocking.

 

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What to write when there’s nothing to write?

Posted on May 28, 2014 by | 1 comment

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. I often hide behind the amazing gifting of my co laborer and friend Ruth. I use the excuse that she is much more gifted and competent than I. Plus I work full time now and have 2 boys and a hubby to love on so my time is restricted. But honestly it’s more because I don’t believe that I’m smart enough or have anything important or profound or encouraging to write that hasn’t already been written. We are inundated with blogs and videos and links almost constantly. Why would anyone want to hear from my crazy ADD, anxious, creative brain? And then I read my friend’s beautiful post about her struggle with body image and I realize I receive that knowledge that pierces my darkness with light because I know her. I can hear her voice and see her eyes in her writing. And I love her and being loved by her, so the truth she plants in my heart with her written words roots deep down into my soul. What a gift! We read each other’s writings to move us out of despair and into hope. We read over and over again similar truths and stories because they reach deep down into our souls and wring out the pain.

So this is my public confession that I will try to do better and be braver, Ruth. To hopefully be used in writing a bit more to pull others out of despair into hope through the power of written word and wring out the pain into God’s overflowing bucket of redemption, grace, mercy, justice, and love.

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Debating God’s Gender

Posted on May 27, 2014 by | Leave a comment

I wanted to share some links to interesting articles that were posted last week as prominent Christian bloggers were debating on the issue of God’s gender and appropriate terminology for discussing God.  There were so many fascinating posts circulating that I thought I would link to some here for your reading pleasure!

It all started on Friday, May 16th, when Owen Strachan (president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood) called out blogger Rachel Held Evans via Twitter for heresy in a 2012 post in which she referred to God as “She.”

Her response: Is God a Man?

Kate Wallace at The Junia Project wrote this brilliant post: “In The Image of Man They Created God; Male They Created Him“.  Read the comments to see Owen Strachan’s responses, plus Rachel Held Evans, Sarah Bessey, Mimi Haddad, etc.  Very intense dialogue happening in the comments!

This post, “El Shaddai and the Gender of God” taught me all kinds of fascinating things.

Dr. Mimi Haddad, president of Christians for Biblical Equality, wrote this excellent series: On Earth as it is in Heaven: Is God Male?, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.

And this one from Marg at newlife.id.au: “Is God Male or Masculine?”

Elizabeth Eshter explained why she would only call God in masculine terms: “I believe in God the Father“.

I had never considered why anyone would refer to God as anything but male, as He refers to Himself as Father.  I’ve learned so much this week about feminine names and metaphors for God!

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