North American Evangelicalism has never more resembled the late medieval papacy than it does right now. It is captive to political power, soaked in exploitive sensuality, reveling in abuses of authority, protecting its privileges rather than serving the broken, turning worship...
...into a carnival show that makes God’s priestly people a mere audience for on-stage performers rather than holy participants in heavenly mystery. It makes the Bible its servant instead of serving the Scriptures to others; it ignores the ethics of Jesus & cherry picks verses...
... to uphold its cultural waywardness & excuse its abuses, twisting the truth to excuse oppression, violence, deception, misogyny, & abuse, while cursing the voices of prophets who bring light to this darkness. Evangelicals need a Reformation.
Lastly, a great many of the Christian hucksters online & on TV, replete with 'prophets' with their false predictions and end-time mania survival kits, make claims and promises that would make Tetzel blush. You can't clean up that mess but you can turn away from it.
So in the end, the future of North American Evangelicalism begins with Luther's first of his 95 theses - repentance as a way of life. God is merciful and always uses imperfect vessels for his perfect word to spread. But let us humbly confess our need and commit to his ways.
I am hopeful, not for the survival of a brand but for the renewal of a movement that has brought so much good to our world through the Gospel and Gospel-inspired service. This can't & won't be confined to a denomination but will embrace all in all places who cry out for mercy.
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