If you grew up in evangelical Christianity, you probably learned a version of prayer that treats God like a cosmic vending machine – put in the right coin, get out the answer you want. But what if that’s not how prayer works at all? This post explores two very different theologies of what Jesus came to do, and how each one shapes what we expect when we pray. If you’re deconstructing your faith but want to stay Christian, this might reframe the question in a way that actually helps.

What if the very way your brain processes information is actively distorting your picture of God – and driving you to harm other people in God’s name?

Most of the time that conservative Christians encounter the doctrine of universal reconciliation, they usually describe it with a bunch of caricatures, and I thought it would be useful to discuss those caricatures and contrast them to the truth about this doctrine.

Are there such things as demons? Are the principalities and powers mentioned in the Bible real, individual, entities with independent awareness and volition?

I started reading in 2021, and I’ve read a TON of books since then. It’s really changed me, and I think that’s good. Here’s why.

Over my evangelical lifetime, I’ve experienced a number of occasions where we chased after some manifestation we thought was of God, but probably was not. It’s too easy to get busy worshiping this kind of experience, instead of God.