Benjamin L. Corey

Last updated
Benjamin L. Corey
Occupation Columnist, author
NationalityAmerican
Genre Christian
Website
www.benjaminlcorey.com

Benjamin L. Corey is an American political activist, theologian, author, blogger, and speaker. He is a prominent figure within the Emerging Church Movement, [1] Progressive Christianity, [2] [3] [4] [5] and radical Christianity [6] [7] while self-identifying as an Anabaptist. [8] He is the author of the books, Undiluted: Rediscovering The Radical Message of Jesus, [9] and Unafraid: Moving Beyond Fear Based Faith.

Contents

Biography

Corey is an alumnus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA, holding graduate degrees in both theology and intercultural studies (graduating cum laude [10] ), and received an earned doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary in the field of Intercultural Studies. [11] His academic interests include Christian Nonviolence, Syncretism, and the applications of a theology of shalom in Human Trafficking aftercare, which is the subject of his doctoral dissertation. [12]

Corey is a medically retired while getting injured off duty Professional Military Education Instructor from the United States Air Force, [13] and has written extensively about his transition from a Christian fundamentalist in the military, to a prominent Anabaptist. [14] After his conversion to Christian Nonviolence Corey became a notable peace activist in the areas of war, gun violence, and the abolition of capital punishment.

Challenges to Christian fundamentalism

Corey has frequently challenged Christian fundamentalism. In 2014, the book Distortion: How the Christian Left is Twisting the Gospel & Damaging the Faith, promised to name the names of the new "Christian Left," in America [15] and Corey was among the Progressive Christian leaders referenced. [16] This was in large part because of his stance against what he calls "Pro-Life Hypocrisy" on the part of some conservative Christians. [17] Corey has also been a key figure in the progressive political movement, Vote Common Good, and has toured the United States since 2018 holding political rallies in an attempt to sway religious voters away from the Republican party under Donald Trump.

In addition to speaking out against Pro-Life hypocrisy while advocating for a more holistic, nonviolent Christian ethic, Corey has frequently challenged other key aspects of Christian fundamentalism such as the modern end times movement, which Corey states is a 19th-century invention and outside the realm of historic Christianity. [18] Corey is also one of a growing number of prominent Christians who are disputing Christianity's traditional teachings on hell, arguing in Time magazine that the traditional view of "eternal conscious torment" is inconsistent with both the Scriptures and the character of a loving God. [19] Corey has also been a frequent voice against American nationalism [20] [21] within the Christian community, holding the position that Christians should pledge their loyalty only to God, and never to a nation state. [22] In addition, Corey has publicly challenged fundamentalism's treatment of the LGBTQ community. [23]

Syncretism within American Christianity

Corey argues that much of American Christianity has fallen prey to syncretism, and that instead of the Christianity taught by Jesus, it has been diluted by the mixing of conservative cultural norms (such as war and individualism) which Corey asserts are actually opposed to Christian values. [24] This process of grafting American ideals into the message of Jesus is something he argues has caused Christianity in America to develop "cataracts of culture" which serve to obscure the more radical nature of Jesus' message. [25]

Personal life

Corey is the father of two children adopted from Peru. [26] He is an outspoken advocate of adoption who has urged the Christian community to rethink the trendiness of adoption to ensure children are adopted ethically, and adopted by properly equipped families. [27]

Bibliography

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creed</span> Statement of belief

A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets.

Evangelicalism, also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasises the centrality of being "born again", in which an individual experiences personal conversion; the authority of the Bible as God's revelation to humanity; and spreading the Christian message. The word evangelical comes from the Greek (euangelion) word for "good news".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fundamentalism</span> Unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs

Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that is characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, along with a strong belief in the importance of distinguishing one's ingroup and outgroup, which leads to an emphasis on some conception of "purity", and a desire to return to a previous ideal from which advocates believe members have strayed. The term is usually used in the context of religion to indicate an unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs.

Christian fundamentalism, also known as fundamental Christianity or fundamentalist Christianity, is a religious movement emphasizing biblical literalism. In its modern form, it began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among British and American Protestants as a reaction to theological liberalism and cultural modernism. Fundamentalists argued that 19th-century modernist theologians had misunderstood or rejected certain doctrines, especially biblical inerrancy, which they considered the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legalism (theology)</span> Pejorative for performative Christianity

In Christian theology, "legalism" is a pejorative term applied to the idea that "by doing good works or by obeying the law, a person earns and merits salvation."

The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent influenced other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its emphasis on the doctrine of a second work of grace, generally called entire sanctification or Christian perfection and by the belief that the Christian life should be free of sin. For the Holiness movement, "the term 'perfection' signifies completeness of Christian character; its freedom from all sin, and possession of all the graces of the Spirit, complete in kind." A number of evangelical Christian denominations, parachurch organizations, and movements emphasize those beliefs as central doctrine.

The term Full Gospel or Fourfold Gospel is an evangelical doctrine that summarizes the Gospel in four aspects, namely the salvation, sanctification, faith healing and Second Coming of Christ. It has been used in various Christian traditions, including Keswickian, Pentecostal, Anabaptist, and Baptist denominations.

Nonresistance is "the practice or principle of not resisting authority, even when it is unjustly exercised". At its core is discouragement of, even opposition to, physical resistance to an enemy. It is considered as a form of principled nonviolence or pacifism which rejects all physical violence, whether exercised on individual, group, state or international levels. Practitioners of nonresistance may refuse to retaliate against an opponent or offer any form of self-defense. Nonresistance is often associated with particular religious groups, such as Anabaptist Christianity.

Progressive Christianity represents a postmodern theological approach, and is not necessarily synonymous with progressive politics. It developed out of the liberal Christianity of the modern era, which was rooted in the Enlightenment's thinking. Progressive Christianity is a postliberal theological movement within Christianity that, in the words of Reverend Roger Wolsey, "seeks to reform the faith via the insights of post-modernism and a reclaiming of the truth beyond the verifiable historicity and factuality of the passages in the Bible by affirming the truths within the stories that may not have actually happened."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Howard Yoder</span> American Mennonite theologian and academic

John Howard Yoder was an American Mennonite theologian and ethicist best known for his defense of Christian pacifism. His most influential book was The Politics of Jesus, which was first published in 1972. Yoder was a Mennonite and wrote from an Anabaptist perspective. He spent the latter part of his career teaching at the University of Notre Dame.

The Radical Reformation represented a response to perceived corruption both in the Catholic Church and in the expanding Magisterial Protestant movement led by Martin Luther and many others. Beginning in Germany and Switzerland in the 16th century, the Radical Reformation gave birth to many radical Protestant groups throughout Europe. The term covers radical reformers like Thomas Müntzer and Andreas Karlstadt, the Zwickau prophets, and Anabaptist groups like the Hutterites and the Mennonites.

Conservative Christianity, also known as conservative theology, theological conservatism, traditional Christianity, or biblical orthodoxy is a grouping of overlapping and denominationally diverse theological movements within Christianity that seeks to retain the orthodox and long-standing traditions and beliefs of Christianity, it is contrasted with Liberal Christianity and Progressive Christianity which are seen as heretical heterodoxies by theological conservatives. Conservative Christianity should not be mistaken as being synonymous with the political philosophy of conservatism nor the Christian right which is a political movement of Christians who support conservative political ideologies and policies within the realm of secular or non-sectarian politics. The two major subdivisions of Conservative Christianity within Protestantism are Evangelical Christianity and Christian Fundamentalism while the Confessing Movement, Confessionalism, and to an extent Neo-orthodoxy make up the remaining within Protestantism. Theological conservatism is also found in Roman Catholicism and is also found within Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Church of the East; and throughout all of Mainstream-Nicene Christianity in both Western Christian and Eastern Christian traditions, although not every community has had a direct connection with the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Claiborne</span> American activist (born 1975)

Shane Claiborne is an evangelical Christian leader, an author, one of the founding members of the non-profit organization, The Simple Way, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, cofounder of the Red-Letter Christians. Claiborne is also a social activist, advocating for nonviolence and service to the poor. He is the author of the book, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scot McKnight</span> American New Testament scholar, historian, theologian and author

Scot McKnight is an American New Testament scholar, historian of early Christianity, theologian, and author who has written widely on the historical Jesus, early Christianity and Christian living. He is currently Professor of New Testament at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lisle, Illinois. McKnight is an ordained Anglican deacon and canon theologian for the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others with anabaptist leanings, and has also written frequently on issues in modern anabaptism.

The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth is a set of ninety essays published between 1910 and 1915 by the Testimony Publishing Company of Chicago. It was initially published quarterly in twelve volumes, then republished in 1917 by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles as a four-volume set. Baker Books reprinted all four volumes under two covers in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protestantism</span> Major branch of Christianity

Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began in the 16th century with the goal of reforming the Catholic Church from perceived errors, abuses, and discrepancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelicalism in the United States</span>

In the United States, evangelicalism is a movement among Protestant Christians who believe in the necessity of being born again, emphasize the importance of evangelism, and affirm traditional Protestant teachings on the authority as well as the historicity of the Bible. Comprising nearly a quarter of the U.S. population, evangelicals are a diverse group drawn from a variety of denominational backgrounds, including Baptist, Mennonite, Methodist, Pentecostal, Plymouth Brethren, Quaker, Reformed and nondenominational churches.

Dr. Vernon Carl Grounds was an American theologian, Christian educator, Chancellor of Denver Seminary, and one of the leaders in the development of American evangelicalism.

The believers' Church is a theological doctrine of Evangelical Christianity which teaches that one becomes a member of the Church by new birth and profession of faith. Adherence to this doctrine is a common defining feature of an Evangelical Christian church.

References

  1. ↑ Publishers Weekly. http://publishersweekly.com/978-0-7684-8890-6. Retrieved 8/2/14.
  2. ↑ Vicari, Chelsen Distortion: How The New Christian Left is Twisting the Gospel and Damaging The Faith (Charisma House, 2014), p. 84.
  3. ↑ "Christian Blogs You Should be Reading (2014) | Listly List".
  4. ↑ "25 Christian Blogs You Should be Reading (Readers' Choice, 2013)". 27 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Initiators - CANA Initiative". Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  6. ↑ Merritt, Jonathan Have Evangelicals Diluted Jesus' Radical Message? Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine Religion News Service, 9/11/1/4. Retrieved 1/5/15.
  7. ↑ "Benjamin Corey's Book, UNDILUTED, is Named One of the Revangelical's Most Anticipated Books of 2014".
  8. ↑ Benjamin L. Corey, Patheos Biography. Retrieved 12/29/14.
  9. ↑ Corey, Benjamin L. (19 August 2014). Undiluted: Rediscovering the Radical Message of Jesus. Destiny Image, Incorporated. ISBN   978-0768488906.
  10. ↑ "About | Benjamin L Corey". Archived from the original on 2015-01-11. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  11. ↑ Benjamin Corey, Sojourners Biography Retrieved 1/5/2015
  12. ↑ Foundation for Hope and Grace, Board of Director Biographies Archived 2015-03-12 at the Wayback Machine . Accessed 12/14/14
  13. ↑ Benjamin L. Corey, Patheos Biography. Retrieved 12/29/14
  14. ↑ "Christian Nonviolence Archives".
  15. ↑ St. John, Christian. “Distortion” – New Book Warns of Evangelical Left Influence on Millennials. Christian Review, retrieved 10/19/14.
  16. ↑ Vicari, Chelsen Distortion: How The New Christian Left is Twisting the Gospel and Damaging The Faith (Charisma House, 2014), p.84-85
  17. ↑ Huffpost Live Hypocrisy From Pro-Life Legislators Original air date, 7/15/2013.
  18. ↑ "Why the Rapture and Santa are Both Fairy Tales: A theological explanation". 23 September 2013.
  19. ↑ Corey, Benjamin "5 Reason Christians Are Rejecting the Notion of Hell". Time. August 28, 2014.
  20. ↑ Swartz,David America(s) in the Bible. University of Chicago 2014
  21. ↑ Mennonite World Review. http://mennoworld.org/2014/09/17/is-it-time-to-remove-the-flag-from-the-church-sanctuary/ Retrieved 12/2/14
  22. ↑ "Why Christians Might Want to Abstain from Reciting "The Pledge of Allegiance"". 20 May 2014.
  23. ↑ Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/13/pastor-alienate-gay-kids_n_5491931.html Retrieved 7/21/14
  24. ↑ Corey, Benjamin L Undiluted: Rediscovering the Radical Message of Jesus (Destiny Image: 2014) p. 17-18
  25. ↑ Corey, Benjamin A Living Alternative: Anabaptist Christianity in a Post-Christendom World (Ettelloc Publishing, 2014), p.193
  26. ↑ Benjamin L. Corey, Patheos Biography. Retrieved 12/29/14
  27. ↑ "Love Isn't Enough: Some things you need to know about adoption". 3 December 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.