Russell Moore, Editor in Chief of Christianity Today, discusses the loss of integrity in the Evangelical Church and the need for honest conversations. He explores the meaning of "losing our religion" and the breakdown of traditional religious structures. The podcast also delves into the complexities of evangelical identity and the importance of genuinely following Jesus. Check out "Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture" for more thought-provoking discussions.
The Church must let go of religious structures and prioritize genuine faith and relationship with Christ to regain its integrity and credibility in the face of cultural and political challenges.
The crisis of faith and identity within the Church is not solely caused by disapproval of Jesus or biblical teachings, but by a loss of trust and confidence in the Church as an institution due to factors such as politicization and cultural shifts.
Deep dives
Losing religion to regain the soul
In this podcast episode, Dr. Russell Moore discusses the concept of the Church losing its religion in order to regain its soul. The episode explores the idea that as the Evangelical Church has lost its integrity and credibility, it must undergo a transformation by letting go of religious structures and focusing on genuine faith and relationship with Christ. Dr. Moore emphasizes the importance of honesty, vulnerability, and addressing the challenges faced by the Church in the current cultural and political climate.
The crisis of faith and identity
Another key point discussed in the podcast is the crisis of faith and identity within the Church. Dr. Moore highlights that people are disengaging from the Church not necessarily because they disapprove of Jesus or biblical teachings, but because they perceive that the Church itself would disapprove of Jesus. Factors such as politicization, scandals, and cultural shifts have led to a loss of trust and confidence in the Church as an institution. This crisis of identity is also connected to issues of nationalism, where Christianity is co-opted for ethno-nationalist purposes.
The challenge of engaging culture with winsomeness
The podcast explores the challenge of how Christians should engage with culture today. Dr. Moore argues against the belief that winsomeness and kindness equate to weakness, emphasizing that they are not strategies but ways of embodying the teachings of Christ. He cautions against a frantic need to fight, stating that focusing solely on the ends without considering the means disregards the transformative power of gentle engagement and undermines the essence of Christian faith. Dr. Moore also addresses the sense of homelessness and longing often experienced by Christians, encouraging believers to make peace with the fact that they may not always feel completely at home in the world.
What does it mean that we must "lose our religion" in order to regain the integrity of the gospel message? What must the church do to regain its faithfulness to the way of Jesus in our polarized culture. Join Scott and Sean as they discuss these questions and more with Russell Moore, Editor in Chief of Christianity Today, and one of the most insightful commentators on the intersection of Christian faith and contemporary culture.
Russell Moore is Editor in Chief of Christianity Today and is the author of the forthcoming book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America (Penguin Random House). The Wall Street Journal has called Moore “vigorous, cheerful, and fiercely articulate.” He was named in 2017 to Politico Magazine’s list of top fifty influence-makers in Washington, and has been profiled by such publications as the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, and the New Yorker.
Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.
To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.
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