It’s been fascinating reading him over the years. Motivationally there needs to be something that drives us to these costly beliefs and costly relationships. As affluence and power grow complacency settles in.

I think Donald Trump has energized the left like no Democratic candidate has for a long time but why go to church when you’ve got Twitter and Facebook and social media to express yourself in?

At some point you have to ask yourself “what playing field available to me is the most vital in terms of a meaningful pursuit of ‘salvation’?”

Prayer is an indicator of our relationship with our traditional crunchy faith. Do I, at a deep level believe that it is my writing, my speaking, my advocacy, my activism, my doing that finally rescues me? If is to an interventionist living God?

Going to church too. Many find church a costly, inconvenient thing when what they really want to see happen is that “Resist” billboards with rainbow splashes get put up because that surely will educate the public against “hate”.

By all means volunteer at that soup kitchen, but when that volunteering becomes the heart of your religion you don’t need the church and your salvationism doesn’t scale. pvk