Welcome to Crucible of Thought! I'm Brandon, and I was a member of conservative evangelical congregations for 45 years. This blog is about things that I've learned since 2020, as I've been undergoing a process of "deprogramming," "deconstruction," "reconstruction"... pick whatever term you want, but basically a process carefully examining many different aspects of my social, political, and religious beliefs to see what really actually aligns with the Bible and specifically the teachings of Jesus, more than what aligns with the host of dogmatic statements I inherited in years of church training. I'm not trying to persuade anyone: I'm sharing my process, in the hopes that it inspires and enlightens others. I welcome you to join me as we move forward in our faith together.
Guess who’s directly responsible for the abject poverty and violence that is forcing so many Haitians to flee to the United States? The sad answer is that France and the United States were the chief culprits.
The Sad History of Haitian Independence Read More »
Like it or not, America is pluralistic. What will it take to get along with people who are very much unlike us, while staying true to our sense of righteousness and holiness? I suggest that the answer is remembering that Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world – or of our nation.
Living in a Pluralistic World Read More »
How might our society effectively reduce abortions? The rhetoric is superheated – but both sides use lots of propaganda. This paper moves beyond my previous paper considering the morality of abortion, toward the more politically-complex process of understanding what might be the best way to address reducing abortion in our complex, pluralistic, and religiously-diverse society.
Studies on The Best Ways to Reduce Abortion Read More »
Fear traps members of a tribe from ever exploring outside that tribe. It’s a very effective system, but it’s also often smothering and prevents us from growing.
How Fear Traps People in Tribes Read More »
The recent flood of the denial of reality – and in many cases outright lies – by both former president Donald Trump and many of his followers deeply concerns me for the future of both my nation and its church.
The Mutually-Assured Destruction of the GOP Read More »
Recently I’ve been recording some interviews and conversations with some interesting people, and posting them on the Crucible of Thought Spotify podcast and YouTube channel. You can find the YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9Ul79w-MZ073ad6ljhsnOW0zl25umKXx Check out my latest conversation with Rick Pidcock, who I’ve followed for some time on various social media platforms, and in particular
Check out the Crucible of Thought YouTube channel Read More »
How on earth did I, a conservative evangelical straight man, ever become affirming? There were many reasons and steps in my journey and process; although it felt like an avalanche or landslide at times, it was worth it. So I wanted to share my story to give you hope that it’s really okay to tell God that yes, you’re willing to change and repent if God asks you to.
How a Very Straight White Conservative Evangelical Christian Man Became Affirming Read More »
Working out our faith shares some similarities with an esoteric and advanced form of calculus called “transforms.” Sometimes to solve a problem, you have to do the hard work in a completely different reference frame, and then transform the result back into our day-to-day frame.
The Calculus of Faith Read More »
I recently realized that “born again” was the perfect description of my deconstruction and reconstruction. My faith doesn’t look much like it used to; it’s been such a dramatic change that it really feels like being reborn. But being born again is an ongoing process – “be being born again,” continually.
Be Being Born Again Read More »
The idea of finding safety in the long history of doctrine from the time of the Gospels until today is a false hope. The history of Christianity is much more messy and shaped by secular forces than I would like. I have to be comfortable with what the Holy Spirit is doing in my own mind and heart, even if it requires me to step away from a place of perceived safety, and to set aside some doctrine that my tribe was taught was immutable and eternal.
Safety in Numbers? Read More »
