Grace Emerges

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

25 Christian Blogs You Should Be Reading

I thought I would re-post this article from Christian Piatt, showing the best Christian blogs.  Thanks Christian!  And congratulations The God Article for making #1 !

25 Christian Blogs You Should Be Reading (Readers’ Choice, 2013)


After more than 33,000 hits, 400 nominations and thousands of votes, we have the Reader’s Choice list of 25 Christian Blogs You Should Be reading. I was particularly pleased to see so many women represented in the list this year. Could be much more culturally diverse, but with respect to gender and theological views, it does cover quite a bit of ground.
Though folks continued to vote and nominate well after voting was closed, this was the official list of the 25 most favored by the voting public as of Sunday evening, August 25th, 2013 at 9PM Pacific time.
Yes, there are many worthy blogs that did not make this list, and yes, there are a good number of surprises and newcomers. My hope is that this will serve as a resource for those seeking to expand their experience of faith-related thought and conversation, and that all who stumble across it will concede that this is only a sampling of the fantastic working being done in the blogosphere every day in the name of the Christian faith.
Stay tuned for my “Editor’s Picks” of blogs you should be reading, later this week.
ENJOY!
  1. The God Article - Progressive Christian Blog, hosted by the Rev. Mark Sandlin. Mark writes on matters of theology, current events, social justice and politics, all from a conversational, progressive Christian perspective.

  2. Rachel Held Evans – Rachel is a widely known author and blogger who speaks to issues of gender identity and roles in the church and who acts as a bridge between mainline/progressive and evangelical Christians.

  3. Jamie the Very Worst Missionary – A plainspoken blogger, Jamie Wright is brutally honest about her imperfections, and equally passionate about spreading the gospel.

  4. Nadia Bolz Weber - Known as the Sarcastic Lutheran, Nadia is a fresh voice that blends traditional Lutheran sensibilities with a funny, irreverent take on how to put our faith into action in a rapidly changing world.

  5. John Shore - John claims to have been “trying God’s patience since 1958.” He’s passionate about matters of social justice, and helping point out what he believes needs to change about present-day Christianity.

  6. Mercy Not Sacrifice – A less-than-perfect methodist pastor who wrestles with theology, Bible study and current events, trying to discern the call of Christ in present experience.

  7. Sarah Bessey - Sarah writes about her own faith and spirituality, about what love, mothering, ecclesiology, theology, women’s issues, social justice and “pretty much everything else that you are not supposed to discuss in polite company.”

  8. Sparks from the Soul – Maggie Johnson is passionate about bringing hope and freedom to the many forms of oppression: women who have been told that theology is masculine and therefore not for them, those who have been or are being abused, the one who is bitter because the church hurt them deeply.

  9. Red Letter Christians – An ensemble effort of bloggers, along with Tony Campolo, taking Jesus seriously by endeavoring to live out His radical, counter-cultural teachings as set forth in Scripture, and especially embracing the lifestyle prescribed in the Sermon on the Mount.

  10. Redemption Pictures – Micah Murray shares his evolving journey from a God of judgment to one of abundant grace and love. He believes life is a movie, and God is the director.

  11. Sojourners – An ensemble of bloggers writing alongside founder Jim Wallis about matters of social justice, faith in the public square and effective engagement with politics.

  12. The American Jesus – Zack Hunt’s satirical take on how we in America tend to remake Jesus in our own image. This blog is dedicated to all the silly, absurd, serious, crazy, depressing, hopeful, tragic, and strange things that make up the peculiar phenomenon of American Christianity.

  13. Jayson Bradley – Jayson is both drawn to the Gospel and repelled by the way it’s been co-opted and misrepresented to cultures that desperately need it. It’s because of this dissonance that he writes the things that I do, while also readily admitting he’s guilty of many of the very things he critiques.

  14. Peter Enns – Peter is interested in helping people rethink biblical Christianity. He is a biblical scholar, interested in helping people more meaningfully engage the Bible and how ancient Scripture intersects with modern thought.

  15. Krista Dalton – Krista is a self-identified Christian heretic, immersed in the study of Jewish history. She reviews books, shares personal reflections, and writes on her experience of both Judaism and Christianity.

  16. Homebrewed Christianity - Since 2008, Homebrewed Christianity has been bringing you the best nerdy audiological ingredients so you can brew your own faith.  You will find conversations between friends, theologians, philosophers, and scholars of all stripes.

  17. Unfundamentalist Christians – an ensemble blog effort, founded by John Shore, committed to challenging Christendom in America while promoting a progressive – yet explicitly Christ-centered – expression of faith in today’s world.

  18. Formerly Fundie - Former Christian right advocate Benjamin Corey shares insights, hopes and laments about American Christianity and culture. He writes of his break with fundamentalist religion and his awakening into a different kind of Christianity.

  19. A Deeper Story- an ensemble of Christian writers who believe that it’s easy to tell someone your opinion, but hard work telling them your story. This place, where stories about issues close to the heart of God are shared, asks the question: what if we could toss aside the brutal blunt force of our cemented opinion and engage the senses instead by painting pictures with words and igniting imagination?

  20. Theoblogy - Tony Jones poses challenging questions about theology and Biblical interpretation, while also challenging socially-held norms about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Jones is a theologian and practitioner who is not afraid to venture where many other bloggers don’t dare tread.

  21. Experimental Theology – author and blogger Richard Beck writes primarily on the interface of Christian theology and psychology, with a particular focus on how existential issues affect Christian belief and practice.

  22. Jonathan Martin –  Martin leads the liars, dreamers, and misfits of Renovatus: A Church for People Under Renovation, in Charlotte, NC. He’s a product of the “Christ-haunted landscape” of the American South, sweaty revivals, and hip-hop. He writes about about the beauty of God, being one of God’s beloved, and about finding new ways to be human.

  23. Jesus Creed – Author and blogger Scot McKnight writes mainly on the New Testament, early Christianity and the historical Jesus. He shares sermons, lectures and blog posts about the intersection of science and faith and the integration of spiritual practices into daily life.

  24. Christena Cleveland – Christena’s passion is to help the body of Christ find the power of unity. Using social psychological insights, biblical principles and practical applications, she equips people – from head to heart to hands – to do the work of unity and reconciliation.

  25. ReKnew – Author and blogger Greg Boyd invites believers and skeptics alike to ask tough questions and consider a renewed picture of God. ReKnew believes it’s time to thoroughly re-think the Christian faith—especially our picture of God and our understanding of his kingdom.