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Introduction to ReKnew
There’s never been anyone like Jesus. Not even close.
And yet, there’s no greater disconnect in history than the chasm between Jesus and many who claim his name.
If you’re like most thinking people, you’re frustrated by that. Or disappointed. The inconsistencies are rampant.
Or maybe you’ve recently faced a horrific tragedy and your seemingly coherent belief system has come crashing down all around you.
The good news is, there really is Good News. And after decades of reading and researching and debating and praying, it turns out it’s better than any of us dared dream.
Now there’s a movement getting back to basics, back to the simple yet radically beautiful and counter-cultural vision that Jesus unleashed two thousand years ago:
Welcome to ReKnew.
1. “But there are so many different pictures of God out there, and none of them ring true.”
We’ve found the center of the center to be that Jesus reveals what God is really like. And nothing puts a finer point on that than his willing, sacrificial death on a cross. After Jesus, everything else we know about God comes a much distant second.
2. “I just can’t believe in a God that would allow so much evil and suffering in the world.”
No doubt, the contemporary pictures of God out there leave much to be desired. Much to our relief, Jesus reveals that God is not to blame.
3. “I’m sick of power-hungry preachers and politicians claiming Jesus’ name.”
Jesus was apolitical, calling his followers to a “power under,” not “power over,” way of life. This radical love is not just God’s love for humanity but also the means by which God seeks to establish his kingdom here on earth. The far-reaching implications of that stand in stark contrast to the religions of our day.
4. “How could a loving God destine people to die in Nazi gas chambers? Or spend eternity in Hell?”
Clearly, the modern church’s obsession with God-as-puppeteer has gone off the rails. When you get back to Jesus, the picture of God is open, dynamic and truly beautiful. With no disclaimers, no hidden agendas, no fine print.
ReKnew invites you to engage in the discourse as together we seek to re-knew everything we knew about God.
Related Reading
Rethinking Our View of Faith
The second conviction of the “ReKnew Manifesto” is that we need to rethink what it means to have faith. It’s my impression that many, if not most, Evangelical Christians associate their assurance that they’re “saved” with their confidence that they believe correct doctrines. This is why many, if not most, think that heretics who believe…
Why Bart Ehrman Doesn’t Have to Ruin Your Christmas (Or Your Faith) Part 4
This is the fourth of several videos Greg put together to refute Bart Ehrman’s claims published in the article What Do We Really Know About Jesus? We hope you’re enjoying these! They really provide a great overall approach to Biblical Criticism. If you missed the first three installments you can find them here, here and here.
A ReKnew Manifesto
As our curious name indicates, ReKnew exists to encourage believers and skeptics alike to re-think things they thought they already knew. We want to promote a beautiful, Jesus-looking vision of God and his kingdom. We want to promote a host of related theological convictions that we believe were compromised or lost in traditional Christianity—especially since…
Open2013 Speakers (Video)
Here’s all of the videos of the speakers and their Q&A’s from Open2013. Unfortunately, there was a mix-up and we didn’t get Jessica Kelley’s presentation taped. We’re working to get her to speak again so we can get that to you. Thanks for posting this on youtube T. C.! And now, without further ado… Greg…
Some News and a Giveaway!
We’ve got some exciting news for you. Starting next month, ReKnew will be sending out a monthly e-newsletter to those who are interested in getting a little something extra from our ministry. We’ll be including a personal video message from Greg in each issue as well as other news and updates. If you’re interested in receiving…
Our Commitment to Love (and Avoiding Theological Idolatry)
Given that we have just launched ReKnew, I thought it would be helpful to spend a good portion of our initial blogs unpacking the theological vision of ReKnew. Our goal is to post content to the site at least three or four times a week, with two of these posts (on average) being fresh content from me addressing particular theological topics. The other posts will be things such as videos, quotes of the day, featured articles from elsewhere on the web questions from readers, and so on.
Before I begin unpacking ReKnew’s theological vision in subsequent posts, however, today I want to offer four preliminary words about the theological convictions I’ll be espousing.