Roger Olson, professor of theology at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, recently blogged about something he calls Precious Moments Christianity (a term he borrows from Charles Colson). The term is intended to lead readers to think about Precious Moments figurines or paraphernalia, and to view Christianity through that lens. Olson identifies ten characteristics of Precious Moments Christianity: No or few expectations of members; Promotion of what Read More …
commitment
Low Commitment Christianity (#0609)
Yesterday, I reviewed Rodney Stark's latest book: The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion (2011). Throughout the book he offers considerable sociological insight, including the following paragraph on the shortcomings of low commitment religious groups: The conclusion that competition among faiths will favor "low cost" religious organizations mistakes price for value. As is evident in most consumer markets, people do not Read More …
Adjusting Expectations (#0403)
In an article published by the Associated Baptist Press, Amy Butler, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Washington D.C., suggests that parishioners' expectations about church are often unrealistic. She writes: I’m thinking specifically about the yawning divide between church members’ expectations and the reality of living in community. What is it really like to be the church, the gathered community of Christ? You know, the place where everybody loves each other, Read More …