When the history books are written all of the people who have propped up Donald Trump’s fragile, fragile ego at the expense of truth, justice, and the well-being of millions will not be remembered fondly.

The Trump Administration is moral??? Only on Opposite Day. The moral responsibility incumbent upon pastors in this moment is not to baptize this government’s immorality, but to stand up, speak out, and resist (just like Jesus taught us). #trump #christianity #progressivechristianity

Everyone cherry-picks the Bible. What is revealing about someone’s theology is not “if” they cherry-pick, but what they cherry-pick and why. #cherrypicking #thebible #bible #scripture #faith

We should make a new rule: Every time America drops a bomb on another country we take the same amount of money the action cost to carry out and invest it in healthcare, education, and other life giving programs.

“End Times” theology is and has always been a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s not orchestrated, planned, or designed by God. It’s the product of empire.

Bombs don’t make for peace.

To my LGBTQ+ siblings as we begin Pride Month🌈: You are holy. You belong. You wonderfully bear God’s image. You are beloved, affirmed, and celebrated this month and always! Happy Pride🏳️‍🌈!

Paul’s words in Galatians 3, that in Christ all the hierarchies we’ve constructed meet their end, is likely an early baptismal creed. If so, the earliest creed wasn’t about believing the right things, but about announcing inclusion + belonging. We should get back to that.

So excited for this chat with my friend Derrick Weston about my latest book, “Cross-Examined: Reading the Bible in Times of Division.” amplifymedia.com/scalpelandsw...

My newest book, "Cross-Examined: Reading the Bible in Times of Division," is out today! For more info, check out the post linked below. www.joshscott.online/p/book-relea...

A Holy Week reminder: If your understanding or interpretation of the final week and death of Jesus requires antisemitism, then you’ve deeply misunderstood the story.

Friends, you can help me dislodge Al Mohler from the number one new release spot by preordering “Cross-Examined” today! It releases next Tuesday (April 15)! Let’s do this! a.co/d/jlIBse7

What an honor for “Cross-Examined” to be mentioned alongside these new releases from some amazing friends and authors!

I’m looking forward to an upcoming collaboration with my friend Tom Oord! If you’re in Nashville, save the date for Sunday, April 27, at 6pm. 1/2

I’m so grateful for these kind words about “Parables” from a friend and hero, Brian McLaren. Have you read it? If so, it would be so helpful if you’d take a couple minutes to rate and review it. It helps more people find the book. Thanks so much, friends!

Surprise! I have another book releasing soon (April 15)! This is a short book that cross-examines the way we engage the Bible and the harmful doctrines many Christians have embraced that weaponize Scripture and exclude God’s beloved children. Pre-order here: www.cokesbury.com/Cross-Examined

Trump’s plan is to make a mess, clean it up, and claim victory. I have all the confidence in the world that he can make a mess—we are watching it in real time. I have absolutely no confidence that he can even come close to solving all the crises he is creating.

When representatives of the empire quote Jesus be very leery—he’s probably being transformed into a mascot for the powerful.

The shocking claim of Jesus’s first followers was that God could be located in the broken and bleeding body of a rejected Christ, and not in the power and violence of the empire that executed him. Apparently that is now a scandalous claim to some of Jesus’s own followers.

If we have to sacrifice our values to reach our goals, then we have the wrong goals. Specifically, if Christians have to engage in and sanction unChristlike actions and attitudes to achieve our vision, then we are moving in the wrong direction.

We haven’t been overreacting. We haven’t been sensationalizing. We haven’t been blowing things out of proportion. He fancies himself a king. He will never be my king. Do not comply in advance.

What is obvious to some now, but will eventually be to more and more people, is that “America’s Golden Age” is made out of Fool’s Gold.

If you want to locate God look for the one the empire is crucifying. That’s where you’ll find God.

There is no anti-Christian bias in America. I beg my Christian siblings, just say no to Temu Constantine! www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2hSMaYE/

My Christian siblings of all labels and theological perspectives, our ancestors fell for this before with Constantine. We sold out the radical message of Jesus for a religion affirmed and supported by empire. We can’t do it again, especially for Temu Constantine.

Join me as we explore the challenge and message of Jesus’s parables for the world in which we live. “Parables: Putting Jesus’s Stories in Their Place” is available now, wherever you buy books.

It’s book release day for “Parables: Putting Jesus’s Stories in Their Place”! 🥳

“The way the world works” is only so because we haven’t yet had the collective imagination and courage to create a better way.

What became Christianity began as a movement to reclaim dignity and resist the destructive forces of empire. When the movement was converted by empire it needed a new focus. Enter the emphasis on abandoning earth for a blissful heaven, while empires turn earth into hell.

Faith is not a fixed and final collection of beliefs, but a journey of trust as we move into uncertainty and Mystery.

The Church has become so enmeshed with the values of empire that, when a Christian minister speaks truth to power like the Prophets + Jesus, people think it’s radical or partisan. It’s not. It’s our calling + tradition. Bishop Budde should be the rule, not the exception.

The message of Jesus is deeply political. It’s why he was killed. Empire, then and now, has convinced us to settle for “pie in the sky” when justice “on earth as it is in heaven” could be our reality.

When Christians become more attached to our bigotries than we are to the transforming message of the gospel the good news will sound like bad news. A plea for mercy will be received as a threat. That’s what we are witnessing in response to Bishop Budde’s powerful sermon.

Trump is attacking a bishop for suggesting that he show mercy to fearful people, the marginalized, immigrants, and children. Yet, Trump pardoned 1500 convicted felons, including those who violently attacked police officers. This tells us much about what to expect going forward.

Remembering Marcus Borg today, on the tenth anniversary of his passing. Marcus’s work shaped and impacted me in immeasurable ways. He is one of those people without whom I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today. What a gift he was and still is for both the academy and the church!

A version of Christianity that tramples the poor and marginalized in favor of the rich and powerful is a religion completely at odds with the teachings of Jesus.

A healthy spirituality isn’t grounded in fear, shame, and certainty, but trust, belovedness, and wonder.

We are now living the bad part of The Lion King.

A healthy spirituality is humble. It understands that we don’t know everything, that we’re wrong about some things (we just aren’t sure what), and that there’s always more to learn and new growth and transformation to experience.

When the Bible talks about “salvation” it isn’t talking about “going to heaven.” It’s talking about the kind of liberation that brings heaven to earth.

Imagine how different things would be if we saw theology, not as a construction site, but a laboratory. Instead of setting doctrines in concrete, we'd test theories. We wouldn't hold to the past in fear, we'd lean into the future with curiosity, wonder, and possibility.

Changing our minds doesn’t mean we are being unfaithful to God. In fact sometimes it means just the opposite. Faithfulness looks like letting go of understandings that are too small and that don’t cultivate human flourishing.

God is a Mystery, yet there’s one thing I’m confident about: Where we are wrong about God (and we are all wrong about something) it is not because we took the idea of God’s love, patience, and compassion too far. Where we are wrong it is because we didn’t take them far enough.

Christmas isn’t a conclusion, but a new chapter in an unfolding story that we are still living out today. open.substack.com/pub/joshscot...

Good news: God believes in humanity. Merry Christmas

It’s like these billionaires have never read/watched “A Christmas Carol,” and it shows.

“Do you ever feel guilty about feeling joy? Especially in moments like this one, those that are so fraught with worry and fear? How can we feel good about experiencing joy when the world is, well, a mess? Enter the brilliance of the poet Mary Oliver.” More here: www.joshscott.online/p/lonely-exi...

“You can tell a lot about someone, say the leader of an incoming administration, by the people with whom they surround themselves. Their cabinet, the people they invite to share their leadership, will likely be reflective of their agenda…” Link in next post.

If you preach about joy, but don’t read Mary Oliver’s “Don’t Hesitate” as part of the sermon, have you even preached on joy? #Advent