The Internet Monk & Defining our Beliefs

I read a wide range of blogs on a daily basis that cover topics of interest to me. Some of these cover areas like culture, faith and politics with a broad spectrum of beliefs and opinions. I don't agree with everything I read. In fact, some of the blogs I read I do so specifically because it will challenge my thinking. I think introspection is healthy and that simply ingesting everything we're fed by others is unwise.

As a Christian, I attempt to have the Bible as the filter for the things I read. As I've grown in my faith, I've studied the Bible extensively and learned Church history. I've taken a number of seminary classes, been a member of churches from various denominations and interacted with Christians from other cultures. I've found that quite a bit of what we as American Christians hold as "God's truth" may simply be tradition passed down through the ages or interpretation based on certain cultural biases.

On of the bloggers whose writings I enjoy reading is Michael Spencer, aka "The Internet Monk." Michael teaches at a rural Christian school in Kentucky where a number of people from other countries attend. He interacts with non-Christians on a regular basis and seems to enjoy questioning the things that many of us in American evangelical Christianity take as gospel truth. He is one of the most widely read and respected Christian bloggers on the web. I don't agree with all he writes, but much of it I find myself nodding my head in agreement.

He recently wrote a post entitled, "Twenty-Five Sort of Random Things I Do and Don’t Believe." In it he outlines some of the things that he questions or accepts found within traditional evangelical circles. Most of it I heartily agree with; some of it I profoundly disagree. But one of the things I appreciate about The Internet Monk is his desire to get to the heart of Christian teaching and faith without getting caught up in the relatively minor issues that so often define evangelicals. I encourage to check out the aforementioned post and see what you think.