beauxbonhoeffer.com

Category: faith

  • The Commandment Americans Keep Admiring Instead of Obeying: Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

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    “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  — Matthew 22:36-39 There is something unsettling about how…

  • A Moral Response to Putin’s War Crimes and The Kidnapping of Children in Ukraine

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    Why Christians Must Respond Why the language of war crimes—and, for some, genocide—keeps returning to Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, and what the fight over words reveals about law, evidence, and the politics of witnessing. A parent whose child has disappeared into the war does not start with a courtroom word. The parent starts with…

  • Why Sexual Assault and Rape Are Moral Issues the Church Must Speak On More Forcefully

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    Sexual assault and rape are not only criminal acts, though they are profoundly that. They are not only social problems, though they tear through families, communities, and institutions. They are moral horrors. They are violations of human dignity, breaches of trust, expressions of domination, and direct assaults on the image of God in another person.…

  • What American Evangelicals Forgot

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    The Trees and the Forest Too many Christians become so focused on the details of faith—what I call the “trees”—that we lose sight of the forest. We argue about the proper way to believe, the precise mechanics of salvation, the exact formula of baptism, the correct style of worship, the right vocabulary for prayer, and…

  • Called to Love Everyone, Even When We Feel Uncomfortable.

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    Many of us grow up learning that love is a virtue, even a command—something we owe to family, friends, neighbors, and people who feel familiar. Yet the true measure of love is not how warmly we treat those who already fit our preferences or beliefs; it is whether we can extend dignity, care, and goodwill…

  • Hospitality Toward Foreigners

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    A Christian Call to Welcome the Stranger in an Age of Fear In times marked by fear and division, God’s people are tempted to draw tight circles—our people, our culture, our comfort. Scripture consistently interrupts that instinct with a clear command: welcome the stranger. Christian hospitality is not social politeness or political signaling; it is…

  • A Christian Argument Against Anti-Muslim Prejudice

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    Christians can—and should—reject anti-Muslim prejudice for explicitly Christian reasons. While Christianity and Islam make competing truth claims, disciples of Jesus are commanded to treat every neighbor with dignity, honesty, and mercy. This means refusing stereotypes, resisting fear-based rhetoric, opposing discrimination and violence, and pursuing respectful, peaceable relationships with Muslim people in our communities. 1. Every…

  • A Christian Case Against Antisemitism

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    Antisemitism is incompatible with historic Christianity. The God Christians worship first revealed himself in covenant with Israel, Jesus and the apostles were Jewish, and the New Testament forbids contempt, slander, and violence toward any people—especially toward the people through whom God brought the Scriptures and the Messiah. A Christian case against antisemitism is therefore biblical,…

  • The Christian Case for Nonviolence

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    Nonviolence is not merely a personal temperament or a political tactic; it is a moral commitment rooted in Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection. While Christians have disagreed across the centuries about war, self-defense, and the role of the state, there remains a substantial Christian case that faithful discipleship calls believers to renounce violence and…

  • Is the War in Iran a “Just War?” Why Are Christians so Silent?

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    One of the great failures of American Christianity is our consistent failure to hold officials of both parties accountable to moral principles and standards when they send Americans into harm’s way. I understand how ridiculous it sounds to talk about war in moral terms. However, society – as well as various religions including Christianity –…

  • MAGA, Trump Supporters, and Dietrich Bonhoeffers essay “On Stupidity.”

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    The central thesis of Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s essay “On Stupidity” is that stupidity is not merely a lack of intelligence, but a moral and social problem. Bonhoeffer argues that stupidity arises when individuals surrender their autonomy and critical thinking to external influences, such as propaganda or mass movements, making them susceptible to manipulation and incapable…

  • Christians owe LGBTQ Americans a huge apology.

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    Christians owe LGBTQ Americans an apology for past cruelty and disrespect. Emphasizing love and respect, the message advocates adherence to Jesus’ teachings on loving neighbors. It critiques the misuse of scripture to justify discrimination and calls for reflection on behaviors that harm others, urging believers to engage respectfully, regardless of differing beliefs.

  • Christian support for Trump is harming Christianity in America

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    The author reflects on the response of Southern Christians to Donald Trump, contrasting their support for him with the moral stance they should uphold regarding racism and human dignity. This support damages Christianity’s reputation, alienating non-believers and contributing to the decline of faith in God, as hypocrisy becomes evident through actions taken by Christian leaders…

  • Don’t get mad about Trump and rising authoritarianism, get focused.

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    Most of you reading this have no direct control over what is happening in Washington. Yet you get angry or frustrated, perhaps even irate. Yes, Trump and MAGA are undermining our courts, our free press, the FBI, and generally led an assault on democracy and freedom. Trump and his cronies are involved in what is…

  • Love Over Hate: Transforming American Leadership

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    The author advocates for non-violence, compassion, and unity, emphasizing that leaders should promote harmony over division. They criticize nationalism, racism, and the treatment of prisoners, urging society to embrace love as a fundamental value. Ultimately, the piece calls for a collective rejection of hatred and a commitment to kindness and respect in all interactions. Click…