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Theology

Theological Hipster Bullies

It seems like we never really grow out of high school social structures. And even theology nerds can grow up to become the new bullies on the block.

When I browse around certain theological circles, particularly on the internet, I’ve discovered a strange hipstery attitude that accompanies with it an intellectual snobbery that borders on bullying.

Here’s what I mean.

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Why Not Become Eastern Orthodox?

For some time now, I have found myself comfortable within the Anglican tradition, but I have still thought of myself (rightly or wrongly) as an Anglican with some Eastern Orthodox tendencies. And I have to confess that I have questioned and wrestled over whether or not the Eastern Orthodox church is the way to go. I’ve had wonderful professors who I possess great respect for from that tradition as well as friends and family who have joined the Orthodox church.

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“Post-Evangelical” Evangelicals

For a long time there has been a trend among North American evangelicals who grow up in conservative evangelical culture, and then at some point leave “traditional” evangelicalism for some flavor of progressive Christianity. On the popular level,  I’m thinking here of people like Rachel Held Evans or Rob Bell. Usually, these “post-evangelicals/ex-evangelicals” claim to have cut ties with evangelicalism and they no longer identify as evangelical; they disavow evangelicalism.

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3 Things I Love about Evangelicals

Evangelicals often get a lot of flak…including from fellow evangelicals. And sometimes deservedly so. I don’t care to defend the stupid things evangelical Christians do. It’s safe to say they can be easy target.   Yet in spite of their problems, here are three things I love about evangelicals: 1. Evangelicals are all about the Bible. I want the sacred text of the Old and New Testaments to be the primary governing and shaping element in my life. So, I love that evangelical Christians are committed to the authority and truth of the Bible. They have it on their phones, attend home Bible studies, open it up on Sunday mornings, highlight its pages, get multiple translations, read it early in the mornings, put verses on their walls, etc. Evangelicals are uncompromising on their priority of Bible. 2. Evangelicals get that it’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus. In a religious world that can often be about empty rituals, endless doctrinal checklists, or emotional excitement, the mantra of evangelicalism that ultimately “it’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus” holds true. Evangelicals despise legalism and speak… Read More »3 Things I Love about Evangelicals

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Batman and Violence

One critical response or obstacle some people may have to making any connection between Batman and Jesus is that Batman seems to be such a violent and vengeful character. Someone may think, “How can you uphold someone who is so aggressive and commits such violent deeds as a Christ figure?” I can certainly sympathize with that critique, so let me try to offer a few different responses 1. Batman does not go out on the streets of Gotham because he wants to commit violence. Bruce Wayne isn’t sitting in Wayne Manor thinking, “I really just want to get my hands bloody tonight.” In other words, he doesn’t get his thrills from committing acts of violence. He sinks down into Gotham to rid the city of corruption, evil, wickedness, and uses physicality as a means to do that because sadly in the case of Gotham, it has become infected with such great evil and it is so widespread that Batman has to use extreme tactics to expunge out the infection. It cannot be solved easily or neatly, rather it takes great suffering and pain.  2. Given… Read More »Batman and Violence

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Conversation with Eric Peterson about Batman and Theology

I recently had the privilege of talking with Eric Peterson, (pastor of Colbert Presbyterian Church) about Batman and Theology. Check out our conversation below: EP: So I gather you grew up enjoying comics? SV: I think I read the comic books later. I first watched Batman on TV, the Adam West 1960’s Batman, then I watched the cartoons. Then for a while there was a series of pretty bad Batman films in the 90’s, which I watched, but I lost interest in the character. Then in 2005, this new director Christopher Nolan made Batman Begins which was just really great. Good story, great writing, entertaining. And that’s when I really got interested in the character again. And then of course The Dark Knight which was the sequel which had huge cultural impact and became sort of an iconic version. And I think it was really after that one that I thought about Batman and theology. I thought, wow there’s all this great stuff in here, I want other people to see this too. EP: So that’s when you thought about writing the book? SV: Yeah,… Read More »Conversation with Eric Peterson about Batman and Theology

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