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 carefully examining many different aspects of my social, political, and religious beliefs to see what 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. Check out the book I'm writing!
Our sense of individualism has become toxic, both politically and religiously. We organize ourselves into collective groups ever more strongly. And those groups actively oppose other groups that we perceive as infringing on our own collective’s individuality.
On the final Sunday of Black History Month, I attended a local Black church. I learned something valuable about today as I heard about history.
Visiting a Black Church During Black History Month Read More »
Sometimes, the best-qualified candidate isn’t the best choice for a job. Actually, that’s kind of an aphorism which serves my purpose, but isn’t really what I mean to say. More precisely, sometimes the individual with the best technical qualifications isn’t the best qualified candidate, because of non-technical qualifications.
The Best-Qualified Candidate Read More »
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I’ve read a lot of books in the last couple of years. Here’s my personal reading list, and I believe that each of these would be valuable to you, for varying reasons.
Suggested Reading List Read More »
I ran across a fascinating image today. It’s a wall-mounted gun cabinet disguised to look just like a rugged wooden cross, advertised as a great way to share your faith while simultaneously protecting yourself with those firearms.
How should we think about the current meteoric rise in gender-fluid thinking and self-expression in today’s culture? Can LGBTQ+ people represent the Imago Dei, the Image of God? It’s a pressing question for the church.
Can Queer and Transgendered Persons Represent the Image of God? Read More »
Today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I’m struck by two things: a peace that God has the entire world in His hands, even those who haven’t heard about Jesus yet, and a determination that showing agape love to my immediate neighbors ought to be a primary focus. And I think Dr. King had a handle on how to show agape love.
Let Us Agape One Another Read More »
Roller coasters are really popular entertainment in amusement parks. But when life itself becomes a roller coaster, how will my heart and mind and soul respond to the sudden ups and downs and shaking? Here are some thoughts on finding joy, not just fun.
It’s long intrigued me that many doctrinal positions are not universally held, and I started thinking about why we lock to hard into clearly debatable positions. I think humans tend to latch onto an idea that comforts us, and then we build walls of doctrine around that idea. Let’s explore that tendency.
Doctrinal Humility Read More »
