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.Who’s Your Enemy?
What is an enemy? Do we Christians really even HAVE enemies? For that matter, are we supposed to?
A New Kind of Testimony
Our testimony isn’t just for unbelievers. Sometimes it needs to be for our fellow Christians, inviting them to see a different perspective, expanding their existing awareness. And a gentle invitation is so much more effective than a demanding assault on what we see as error.
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The End of My Evangelicalism
It’s taken a couple years, but I realized this week that I’m completely done with being called an Evangelical and a Republican. I simply cannot abide the toxicity inherent in both labels. Here’s some thoughts about why.
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A Rainbow of Faith
Faith perhaps, should be something like a basket of Easter eggs: each one colorful and unique and ornate in its own way, each containing something different and surprising, but all together comprising the totality of Christianity, in the promise offered by Easter Sunday.
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Shoot First, Ask Questions Later: The Morality of Preemptive Violence
Do we as Christians have the moral right to preemptively use deadly force? And do we as Christians have the moral right to kill to defend ourselves or our property? Some thoughts.
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An Incomplete Bible
Is the Bible truly everything we need to know about God and the universe and history and our lives?
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What I Feared Did Happen – And That’s Good
There are many things I once feared would happen if I questioned what I believed. And all those fears came to pass. But from the other side of it, I’m so glad it happened, because I found out how wrong I had been.
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Shedding My Dragon Skin
Recently a friend asked me what it felt like to lose so much of my faith. I don’t think I lost anything: instead, I feel like I’ve shed things that weren’t mine to begin with. Let me tell you about my own encounter with Aslan.
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Am I Going to Heaven When I Die?
I’ve always believed that Christians go to heaven when we die. It’s a staple of many people’s faith. Where did that doctrine come from, and what does the Bible say about heaven? Join me as I survey the various verses that talk about heaven.
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The Preservation of Evangelicalism
What’s more important? Evangelicalism, or Christianity? Lately I’ve seen a lot of people defending the former at the expense of what I believe is Jesus’ example of how we should live as a community of faith.
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