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.Cinderblocks of Faith
I’ve discovered that once you kick out some cinderblocks from a faulty foundation, many other previously-stable things tend to be disrupted as well. And maybe that’s not a bad thing.
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Deconstruction or Repentance?
What if your life mission was to walk the streets of your city, visiting the street corners next to each church, and to cry “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand” – and what if the ones you were calling to repent were the church people who were actually faithfully and diligently living out what they’d been taught were the religious commands from holy scriptures?
This ought to sound familiar. If you did that you’d be following Jesus’ example.
Deconstruction or Repentance? Read More »
Small Groups and Synagogues
Do small groups support Sunday services, or do Sunday services support small groups? That question is very relevant to the current concerns of many believers about American Christianity’s practices. To find an answer, it’s instructive to consider the Jewish religious practices familiar to the New Test
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Let’s Not Take Brandon to Church
It’s hard to imagine a more precise illustration of “the ends justify the means” – and a more ironic one – than a Christian reverting to very anti-Christian behavior in order to obtain or preserve political power for the church. How did we ever get here?
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The Womb in the Wilderness
The wilderness can seem deeply uncomfortable – but it’s also a womb, a place of preparation and growth, bringing about what the Lord intends for us.
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Fear and Accusation
Yes, it’s a spiritual battle we’re in right now. But it’s not against COVID, and it’s not against fear. And it’s absolutely not against each other.
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Recent COVID news for October 2021
Here’s a short summary of COVID news and information that I found interesting, along with links for further reading. It covers local data as well as information about vaccinations and statistics.
Recent COVID news for October 2021 Read More »
A Rock of Ages
On Indigenous Peoples Day, I must wonder if it is true that “this land was made for you and me.”
Questions To Ask Vaccine-Hesitant Friends
Here are a few useful questions to ask friends who have avoided getting a COVID vaccination, along with source links for the information.
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How I Learned Empathy
A number of evangelical personalities are now calling empathy a sin and advocating that sympathy is the only Scripturally-appropriate way to deal with other people’s difficulties. Over the last couple years, the Lord has been reworking my heart to restore an ability to empathize, so I share that testimony and challenge this unscriptural position.
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