Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 15

What does a “Christian influencer” do?

“Christian influencers” are everywhere on social media — I even follow a few of them, hoping to find posts that address the same spiritual struggles I deal with, or kindred spirits whose backgrounds are similar to mine. In a recent Instagram story critiquing the popular self-help book, Girl, Wash Your Face, one such “influencer” I… Continue reading What does a “Christian influencer” do?

Why the Episcopal Church? Part 2

See also: Why the Episcopal Church? Part 1 Episcopalians are just one denomination in the liturgical strands of Christianity that recite the Nicene Creed every week during their Sunday services. This creed, if you’re unfamiliar with it, is basically a summation of the central doctrines of the Christian faith. It was composed in the 4th… Continue reading Why the Episcopal Church? Part 2

A year in review (of books): 2018

It’s that time again. In no particular order, here are some of the best books I’ve read this year, broken down by category. Nonfiction Seeking Peace by Johann Christoph Arnold This book about seeking true peace and contentment that doesn’t rely on circumstances is written from a Christian perspective, but still incorporates thoughts from different… Continue reading A year in review (of books): 2018

A nuanced look at the Great Commission

My editor for Patheos sent me a link to this blog post by Cross Examined, asking me to respond to it. It’s about why Christians should ignore the Great Commission, because supposedly it wasn’t meant for them — it was meant for the original disciples. I read it over, and decided to turn it down… Continue reading A nuanced look at the Great Commission

John Allen Chau and misplaced evangelical zeal

I was sitting in a coffee shop a few months ago, working on a book review for a company I was freelancing for at the time. The book was about whether or not the Apostle Paul was bigoted, misogynistic, and homophobic, given what he wrote about slaves, women, and other groups. The book was lying… Continue reading John Allen Chau and misplaced evangelical zeal

Why I still consider myself Jewish

I knew my life would change after I became a Christian — but I was also surprised by how much remained the same. I thought I was giving up Judaism…but Judaism, the religion, and being Jewish are two different things. Somehow, I never stopped believing that Jewish spaces suddenly ceased to be my spaces. My… Continue reading Why I still consider myself Jewish

Why I can’t stop calling myself Jewish

I knew my life would change after I became a Christian — but I was also surprised by how much remained the same. I thought I was giving up Judaism…but Judaism, the religion, and being Jewish are two different things. Somehow, I never stopped believing that Jewish spaces suddenly ceased to be my spaces. My … Continue reading Why I can’t stop calling myself Jewish

The inherent deception of Messianic Judaism

My phone pinged with an email notification from my freelance editor at Patheos, regarding the news of Mike Pence honoring the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims by inviting a Messianic rabbi to say a prayer at a rally. Naturally, that prayer invoked mentions of Jesus — or rather, as he is known in Messianic circles, Yeshua … Continue reading The inherent deception of Messianic Judaism

Choosing a religion that persecutes you

When my brother mentioned casually at the dinner table that he was interested in Buddhism, neither of my parents thought it was strange. In fact, in recent years there has been an increase of interest in Eastern religions among the Jewish community, and there’s nothing shocking or heretical about it (unless maybe you’re Orthodox). My … Continue reading Choosing a religion that persecutes you

Why targeted evangelism is a bad idea

For every post I write that encourages Christians to stop targeting Jews with evangelism, someone always comments, But don’t you want the Jews to be saved? I understand what the comment is asking — supposedly it’s a Christian’s duty to make sure that everyone hears the Gospel, so they can have fire insurance before they … Continue reading Why targeted evangelism is a bad idea