Christianity's Dirty Words

In Christian circles, there are certain things that for various reasons just aren't mentioned that much any more, words we don't like to use.

Some of them go to the very core of our faith, and it would be a surprise if anyone actually disputed their relevance or veracity. But others of these words are bonfires waiting to happen, disagreements locked away, and things its risky to talk about. But some of these things need to be talked about. Some of Christianity's dirty words need to be looked at. Considered. Thought about. Prayed over. Reconsidered. If we can't let Scripture and Church history speak into the present, then we are hard pushed to be authentically Christian. Even if that might look awkward.

Over the next week or two I want to briefly explore seven words that I think its very easy for us as Christians, or people who follow Jesus, or people thinking about Christianity, to ignore. To brush under the carpet. To pretend don't exist. Seven words that are often blockages to things, or stumbling blocks, or even used as clobbering weapons to keep people down. This mini-series follows on from my posts on "Christian Myths" and "Redefining Definitions".

Here they are, in no particular order:

Sin.

Heresy.

Atonement.

Discernment.

Exclusivity.

Hell.

Inerrancy.

Judgement.

Eight 'hot topics'. Words that relate to and drive the whole apparatus of following Jesus as 'church', and words which are so often misunderstood or ignored. I, obviously, don't have all the answers. But this is the kind of thing that I find fascinating. Interesting. Inspiring. Gripping. I hope I can find and come up with something worth engaging with, or that you guys can point me in the direction God would have me go. This is a little series thats been brewing in my mind for a while. I hope its fun.

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In the meantime, you might like to head over to my 'Red Letter Systematic' blog, where I'm slowly trying to work out what Jesus said, and what sort of Christianity comes out of that. Its not updated nearly as often as I'd like, but you can badger me, I'd appreciate it!

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