Crucible of Thought
By Brandon Munday
Crucible of ThoughtAug 13, 2022
Repenting from Hell
I repent of hell. I'm sorry that I believed a lie about God and how God deals with humanity. I see how that was harmful to both me and to others, and I'll change and do better in the future.
You can also read this in text form on the blog at https://crucibleofthought.com/repenting-from-hell
Deep dive on Infernalism:
https://crucibleofthought.com/a-discussion-of-individual-eschatology/
Book reviews related to salvation and the afterlife:
https://crucibleofthought.com/book-reviews-salvation-and-end-times/
Cover art from YongL at
https://www.deviantart.com/yongl/art/Hell-Or-Heaven-278094639
(Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives Works 3.0 License)
A Conversation with Zach Lambert
Today, I had the real privilege of interviewing Zach Lambert, pastor of the Restore Austin church in Austin Texas. Zach showed up on my radar in early 2022 as I began to seriously study the issue of LGBTQ rights and whether it was possible to be a Christian and affirming at the same time. I saw Zach's powerful sermon on the topic, which I'll link in the show notes, and it really impressed me and motivated me to study the topic harder. I reached out to Zach and asked him if we could speak on Zoom, and much to my surprise he agreed. Pastors are typically pretty busy and he was generous with his time, and we had a great conversation that gave me a sense that the nudging of the Holy Spirit in my heart might really need close attention. After many months of study I eventually concluded in late 2022 that I needed to be explicit about being affirming myself, so on the National Coming Out Day in October 2022 I posted a lengthy paper detailing my process and reasoning and the results of my own study of the scriptures. Since then I've continued to study the topic, and I realize constantly that I just don't know as much as I need to if I'm going to be an effective ally and to share my own convictions in a useful fashion. So I reached out to Zach a second time, and once again he graciously gave me an hour of his time. This interview is the result. It challenged me but also gave me a sense that I'm moving in the right direction. This is Zach's sermon that I referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3d_mhbTwL4 Find us at https://crucibleofthought.com
The Conditional Power of Testimony
What's the difference between a powerful testimony, and a sad story that we perceive as condemning the one who experienced it? Often, it's only our dogma. We listen and swing from "that's amazing" to "that's horrible" in moments, based on our preconceptions of how valid that story is. Maybe, though, we can learn quite a bit from people whose stories don't fit our existing framework of understanding.
You can also read this at https://crucibleofthought.com/the-conditional-power-of-testimony/
The Minions of P.T. Barnum
P.T. Barnum is famously reputed to have said "there's a sucker born every minute." I'd add a modern corollary that says "there's a grifter born every minute to feed those suckers," especially in today's social media world. The recent bridge collapse in Baltimore brought plenty of Barnum's minions out of the woodwork. What can we learn from this?
You can also read this episode at
https://crucibleofthought.com/barnum/
and watch it at
Henry Ford Christians
Americans seem to worship efficiency and scale - and American Christians seem to apply Henry Ford's innovations to building Christians, just like he built the Model T. But maybe that's not the best way to advance the Kingdom of God.
This is episode #103 of the Crucible of Thought podcast. You can also read this in text form at https://crucibleofthought.com/henry-ford-christians/
and watch it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/zL0ZOvHRbwM
Yes, Them Too
Is God's salvation truly limited to those with right beliefs? Or is Gal 2:20 better translated as living within the faithfulness of God's son? One puts the burden on us to believe correctly. The other rests in the completed work of Jesus. And that covers everyone, not just those who believe the right things.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/yes-them-too/
Other related posts:
A Discussion of Individual Eschatology - part 4 of 4
This is part four of a four-part series on the various Christian doctrines of the afterlife.
I grew up in an evangelical church environment, and I don’t think it’s possible for any good evangelical to not know all about heaven versus hell, and streets of gold versus fire and brimstone, and to vigorously defend those concepts and then use them to convince people to repent and believe to avoid eternal punishment. But those views are not universal to Christianity, and I just began to realize this in the last couple years. So I’m making these videos to provide some awareness of the alternatives, and to discuss the doctrinal positions which I believe are probably more correct.
The following link is referenced in this video.
https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/the-severity-of-universal-salvation/
The text version of this video, with clickable links and all the Bible references in popup form is also available in blog form at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-discussion-of-individual-eschatology-part-4-of-4/
You can also watch this on YouTube at https://youtu.be/3sNnUw7Y4eU
A Discussion of Individual Eschatology - part 3 of 4
This is part three of a four-part series on the various Christian doctrines of the afterlife.
I grew up in an evangelical church environment, and I don’t think it’s possible for any good evangelical to not know all about heaven versus hell, and streets of gold versus fire and brimstone, and to vigorously defend those concepts and then use them to convince people to repent and believe to avoid eternal punishment. But those views are not universal to Christianity, and I just began to realize this in the last couple years. So I’m making these videos to provide some awareness of the alternatives, and to discuss the doctrinal positions which I believe are probably more correct.
The following link is referenced in this video.
https://www.hopebeyondhell.net/articles/further-study/eternity/
The text version of this video, with clickable links and all the Bible references in popup form is also available in blog form at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-discussion-of-individual-eschatology-part-3-of-4/
You can also watch this on YouTube at https://youtu.be/pmpdSkc6Bww
A Discussion of Individual Eschatology - Part 2 of 4
This is part two of a four-part series on the various Christian doctrines of the afterlife. I grew up in an evangelical church environment, and I don’t think it’s possible for any good evangelical to not know all about heaven versus hell, and streets of gold versus fire and brimstone, and to vigorously defend those concepts and then use them to convince people to repent and believe to avoid eternal punishment. But those views are not universal to Christianity, and I just began to realize this in the last couple years. So I’m making these videos to provide some awareness of the alternatives, and to discuss the doctrinal positions which I believe are probably more correct. The following link is referenced in this video. https://www.naccanada.org/IMIS_PROD/NAC/Believe/Service_for_the_Departed/Salvation_after_death.aspx The text version of this video, with clickable links and all the Bible references in popup form is also available in blog form at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-discussion-of-individual-eschatology-part-2-of-4/
You can also watch this on YouTube at https://youtu.be/84HlLjeFKoM
A Discussion of Individual Eschatology - Part 1 of 4
This is Part One of a four-part series on the various Christian doctrines of the afterlife. I grew up in an evangelical church environment, and I don’t think it’s possible for any good evangelical to not know all about heaven versus hell, and streets of gold versus fire and brimstone, and to vigorously defend those concepts and then use them to convince people to repent and believe to avoid eternal punishment. But those views are not universal to Christianity, and I just began to realize this in the last couple years. So I’m making these videos to provide some awareness of the alternatives, and to discuss the doctrinal positions which I believe are probably more correct. The following links are referenced in this video. https://theologyintheraw.com/biblical-support-for-annihilation/ https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/what-does-bible-say-about-annihilationism/ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/hell-as-endless-punishment/ https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2022/06/05/sometimes-eternity-aint-forever-aionios-and-the-universalist-hope-2/ https://tentmaker.org/FAQ/forever_eternity.html https://hebrewwordlessons.com/2019/10/27/sheol-the-grave-gehenna-hades-hell/ https://www.afterlife.co.nz/articles/history-of-hell/ https://exploringthefaith.com/2021/11/16/considering-the-theological-case-for-universal-salvation/ https://www.tentmaker.org/books/InFavorCh20.html The text version of this video, with clickable links and all the Bible references in popup form is available in blog form at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-discussion-of-individual-eschatology-part-1-of-4/
You can watch this on YouTube at https://youtu.be/WOKE70TxluM
Dogmatism and Shunning - An Unholy Pair
Dogmatism is often used to build a tribe, and strengthen its borders, often by threatening shunning for those who so much as question the dogma. But doctrinal humility and cheerfully welcoming uncertainty will ultimately build the Kingdom in ways that dogmatism cannot.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/dogmatism
A Conversation about Deconstructing Simplicity and becoming comfortable with Mystery
Welcome to the second video podcast episode for Crucible of Thought. You can consider this a bit of an experiment; after about a hundred audio-only episodes, I've decided I'd really like to start interviewing people that have caught my attention and are saying things I'd like to understand further. So this is a sort of warm-up experiment using the technologies I'll need for future interviews. Bethany Alvey, from the Caraid Anam spiritual direction ministry, is a close friend, and we had a discussion about the stages of faith, and deconstructing our dualism and simplicity of faith. We talk here about our own experiences of rethinking and reconstructing our beliefs, and then Bethany shares about her ministry at caraidanam.com
A Conversation About Tithing
This is the very first video podcast episode for Crucible of Thought. You can consider this a bit of an experiment; after about a hundred audio-only episodes, I've decided I'd really like to start interviewing people that have caught my attention and are saying things I'd like to understand further. So this is a sort of warm-up experiment using the technologies I'll need for future interviews.
So as a sort of practice video podcast, a close friend and I had a discussion about tithing. We both attended the same church for quite a few years, and both stopped attending that same church about the same time, as we both went through a time of rethinking the fundamentals of our faith and doctrines. We talk here about our own experiences in our former evangelical church and its teachings and practices around tithing, and some ways that those were harmful despite claiming to be biblical.
You can also find this video on the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiW1ANwwqQY
A Perfectly Imperfect Bible
The Bible is full of apparent inconsistencies. What do we do with them, and is it possible that God actually is just fine with an imperfect collection of writings about the relationship between God and mankind? I think so, and here are some thoughts about why that is.
On Babies, Baptism, and Universal Salvation
This is Episode 93. Some thoughts on infant baptism and universal salvation. It no longer seems quite as alien an idea as it did when I was steeped in evangelical theology.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/on-babies-baptism-and-universal-salvation
Partnering Despite Differing
I've been thinking about how I can safely and morally join with a church for missional work, even though I find myself fundamentally opposed to joining or building any institutional church. The word that came to me was "partnering," and here are some thoughts.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/partnering-despite-differing/
When You Look at A Nation You Should See Human Beings
When we think about foreign policy, it's easy to forget that nations are made up of people, and how we treat individual people was incredibly important to Jesus, far more than national identities.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/nations-and-individuals
About Those Maps of a Shrinking Palestine…
Those maps showing a shrinking Palestine are widely disputed by Zionism supporters, but there are some major problems with those counter claims. But there's a better way than political or military solutions.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/about-those-maps-of-a-shrinking-palestine/
A Different Kind of Testimony
Some kinds of testimony probably do more harm than good. Too often, a story about ourselves comes across as an accusation about the other, and actually harms our witness. We can do better.
You can also read this post at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-different-kind-of-testimony/
Peace Through Superior Love
Considering Israel and Gaza in light of Isaac and Ishmael, peace is not gained through superior firepower, but superior love.
You can also read this post at https://crucibleofthought.com/peace-through-superior-love/
Subjective Truth
I've been in an interesting place for a while now, trying to come to grips with a God who turns out to not meet my old expectations, and watching a lot of people who call themselves Christian act rather unlike the Jesus I read about in the Gospels. So I've been thinking hard about the nature of truth, and the nature of the Bible itself.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/subjective-truth/
Trajectory
The Bible portrays a complex, changing view of God. To find the Truth of who God really is, I need to follow the trajectory of God's self-revelation to humanity.
You can also read this as a blog post - and find the graphic I referenced during the episode - at https://crucibleofthought.com/trajectory/
This is the image: https://crucibleofthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Trajectory.jpg
There is Joy in Disconnection
When we learn to release what other people think of our doctrine or politics or God, there's a real joy and freedom. I may be feeling betrayed, but I'm also feeling released and freed.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/there-is-joy-in-disconnection/
Betrayal
Betrayal causes a trauma response in humans. Institutions, not just people, can be the source of betrayal. A normal human response to betrayal trauma is to disengage completely from the institution. That's where I am in relation to several institutions I previously trusted and depended on for my identity.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/betrayal
Papers quoted:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796709002848
https://dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/articles/sf2014.pdf
Becoming Multilingual
As my religious understanding changes, I'm discovering that so does my language about religion. But to "be all things to all men, so that I may save some," I have to become multilingual - fluently speaking the native language of whatever tribe I am with.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/becoming-multilingual
Preaching Fear Instead of Taking Action
The current trend of avoiding issues by using fear to cause division and boundaries and othering is incredibly problematic: it fundamentally opposes the very first two original purposes of God towards man: being a single unified body made of many individuals, and ruling faithfully over the creation that God gave to us. And that failing is causing deep harm to the Kingdom, by chasing people away from our God.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/preaching-fear-instead-of-taking-action/
Labels
A transformative moment for me recently was realizing that my compulsive need for labels to figure out how to treat people was harming my relationships, and keeping me from truly loving people who are very different than me.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/labels
Is the Bible the Final Word?
Did God stop speaking at the end of the first century AD? Did He tell us literally everything we need to know in the Bible? I've been thinking about the various basic approaches to reading and understanding the Bible. It seems to me that there are at least two related methods of Bible interpretation, and their interaction results in some rather different outcomes depending on your assumptions.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/is-the-bible-the-final-word/
Who's Your Enemy?
What is an enemy? Do we Christians really even HAVE enemies? For that matter, are we supposed to?
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/whos-your-enemy/
The book I reference, Faith After Doubt, can be found at https://amzn.to/3PfDKCx
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-new-kind-of-testimony/
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/the-end-of-my-evangelicalism/
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleoffaith.com/rainbow-of-faith/
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/shoot-first-ask-questions-later/
An Incomplete Bible
Lately I've participated in several discussions about the fundamental nature of the Bible. A frequent refrain is the all-encompassing, totally sufficient, utterly complete, perfect nature of the Bible. But is the Bible truly everything we need to know about God and the universe and history and our lives?
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/an-incomplete-bible/
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/shedding-my-dragon-skin/
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/am-i-going-to-heaven-when-i-die/
One of many articles discussing the Jewish doctrine of heaven can be found at https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4848230/jewish/Heaven-and-the-Afterlife.htm and I quote this web page in this episode.
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.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/the-preservation-of-evangelicalism/
How Revelation Warped My Theology
Jesus said we'd know a tree by its fruit, and perhaps we can also know a doctrine the same way. I grew up with an end-times doctrine that is widespread in the church, but which I now recognize is bearing a lot of bad fruit. Maybe it's time to recognize the harm.
You can also read this post at https://crucibleofthought.com/how-revelation-warped-my-theology/
What Defines Biblical Marriage?
I'm intrigued that for an institution so absolutely central to human life, the Bible has shockingly little information about the ideal marriage. Hardly any of the examples about marriage fit our modern Christian definition of "one man, one woman, for life, with the blessing of the church and the state."
You can find links to the sources mentioned in this episode on the Crucible of Thought blog at https://crucibleofthought.com/what-defines-biblical-marriage/
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Too many Christians seem obsessed with power and control. But being oppressed was the very thing that helped the early church grow explosively. Are we pursing the wrong thing?
Good Faith podcast episode: https://thedispatch.com/podcast/goodfaith/learning-to-live-in-exile/
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/everybody-wants-to-rule-the-world/
Outrage as Social Currency
Today's media systems use outrage as a currency to drive engagement. But is outrage a poison pill that is tearing us apart? I suggest there's a better way to exist in this modern social media world.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/outrage-as-social-currency/
It's Best Not To Ask
It's really hard when trusted people change dramatically. For the sake of our faith, often we don't really want to know why they changed. It might require us to change too.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/its-best-not-to-ask/
Can Homosexuals be Christian?
I've seen a lot of conservative Christians recently argue that gays cannot be saved, or cannot be Christian, specifically because of 1 Cor 6:9-10. What does that verse say, and is it relevant?
You can also listen to this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/can-homosexuals-be-christian/
The ChatGPT AI Pastor of the Future
A Jewish pastor read a sermon written by AI to his congregation, and they thought it was human-written. Can a robot or AI ever replace a human pastor? Perhaps that's the wrong question. Do most Christians today even understand what a pastor is supposed to be?
Read the article about that sermon here: https://www.jpost.com/jpost-tech/business-and-innovation/article-729
You can also read this episode here: https://crucibleofthought.com/the-chatgpt-ai-pastor-of-the-future/
Is the Bible the Word of the Lord?
"Which takes precedence - the Bible or Jesus?" On Twitter, this question has blown up into a rather ugly argument in the last couple days.
I've watched the dispute, occasionally chipping in here and there myself, but mostly learning from the various viewpoints thrown into the fight. There's a lot to be learned from it. Here are some thoughts about the Bible, and how it relates to Jesus, and who or what we worship.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/is-the-bible-the-word-of-the-lord/
The Gospel According to Jesus
The point of the gospel is not to get the work done. The point is accurately represent the Father. Jesus' charge in Matt 28:19-20 wasn't colonial; it was to be ambassadors in the fullest sense of the word - to personally BE an extension of the Kingdom and to fully embody Jesus to those around us. That looks a lot different than many approaches to the gospel.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/the-gospel-according-to-jesus/
Was the Bible Created, Intelligently Designed, or Evolved?
The origins of the Bible are fascinatingly complex, much more than I had understood as a younger believer. Why would God let it be so complex?
You can also listen to this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/did-the-bible-evolve/
Rejecting A Jonah Spirit
Jonah was so opposed to the people of Nineveh that he couldn't abide God's forgiveness of them. There are parallels with evangelical Christians' insistence that God punish people in a fiery hell for all eternity. Is that insistence righteous?
You can also read this post at https://crucibleofthought.com/rejecting-a-jonah-spirit/
Deadly Contempt
Treating fellow believers with contempt is a sure way to shut down any ability of the Holy Spirit to use each other to grow us up into one Body, one Bride of Christ.
You can also listen to this post at https://crucibleofthought.com/deadly-contempt/
A Caleb Generation
The younger generation of Christians are looking a lot more like Caleb and Joshua than like Moses. They're willing to go at risk with the Lord into a dangerous but bountiful new land. And it's stirring up a lot of anger among the elders.
You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/a-caleb-generation/