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David P. Gushee

David P. Gushee is a Christian ethicist, Baptist pastor, author, professor, and public intellectual. Growing up, Gushee attended and completed… more

David P. Gushee

H-index: 9

Political science 42%

Sociology 22%

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by David P. Gushee

What Do We Owe to Caesar?

A Sermon on Matthew 22:15-22 Note: I preached this sermon today at Towne View Baptist Church, Kennesaw, Georgia.

by David P. Gushee

Why the 'Believers Churches' Have Not Been Able to Stop Our Descent into Authoritarian Reactionary Christianity

But The Story Is Not Over Yet Note: A slightly longer version of this talk was presented on Friday night, 19 September, at a conference in Hamburg, Germany called the Entscheidungschristentum (“Decision Christianity”) Conference. The title in the German program was: “Believers Churches als Auslaufmodell ? - Eine amerikanische Perspektive,” which translates as “Believers Churches as…

by David P. Gushee

First Jesus Worldview Conference set for Oct. 13-15 in Nashville

Excited to Be Featured with Drew Hart at this Belmont University Event Excited to Be Featured with Drew Hart at this Belmont University Event

Reposts 0 Aug 20

by David P. Gushee

Discovering a More Liberating Way to Read Scripture

Guest Post from Zach Lambert, A Pastor Who Chooses People Over the Church Guest Post from Zach Lambert, A Pastor Who Chooses People Over the Church

Reposts 0 Aug 12

by David P. Gushee

A Personal Update

Don’t bury the lede, they say, and so I won’t.

Reposts 0 Jun 24

by David P. Gushee

Let God Be the Judge

Sunday Sermon at North Hills Community Baptist Church, Pittsburgh Sunday Sermon at North Hills Community Baptist Church, Pittsburgh

Reposts 0 May 20

by David P. Gushee

Proclaiming the Moral Teaching of Jesus

Plenary Address to Festival of Homiletics, Atlanta, Georgia, May 14, 2025 Note: This is the formal text of my address to the wonderful Festival of Homiletics conference, which gathered over 1400 primarily mainline Protestant church leaders from around the world. I was very struck by the strong response to this message and to a workshop I offered the day before.

Reposts 0 May 19

by David P. Gushee

Convictional. Resistant. Steadfast.

Sermon, Commissioning Service, Mercer University School of Theology, May 9, 2025 Note to Readers: This message reflects the profound challenges that I believe face all ministers of the Gospel at this moment in this context, and the kind of character and faith with which we must meet those challenges. It was presented to the graduates of the Mercer University School of Theology, class of 2025.

Reposts 0 May 9

by David P. Gushee

Church Camp, Sin, and the Atonement Agenda

Guest Post from author Cara Meredith Guest Post from author Cara Meredith

Reposts 0 May 1

by David P. Gushee

Why Was Jesus Crucified?

A Palm Sunday Sermon at Restore Austin A Palm Sunday Sermon at Restore Austin

Reposts 0 Apr 16

by David P. Gushee

Faith, Justice, and the Future: A Conversation on Christianity’s Role in Civil Society

With the Folks at Eastern University Communication Studies With the Folks at Eastern University Communication Studies

Reposts 0 Apr 2

by David P. Gushee

How Jesus Subverted Nationalist Religion and Almost Got Himself Killed

A Sermon on Luke 4:16-30 and Isaiah 61 Note: I wrote this sermon last week and preached it with (this was a participatory congregation!) the lovely Edgewood Church, in Atlanta, on Sunday, 23 March, the 3rd Sunday of Lent. The Luke 4 text was selected by the pastors of the church.

Reposts 0 Mar 26

by David P. Gushee

Winston Churchill on Democracy & Tyranny

More 1939 quotes for today From a Winston Churchill speech dated 19 May 1939:

Reposts 0 Mar 3

by David P. Gushee

Winston Churchill on Appeasement

In honor and in defense of the people of Ukraine British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain went to Munich on September 29, 1938 for a last-ditch peace conference with Adolf Hitler. The issue was Hitler’s demand for the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia as the price for Germany not invading. With the Czech government refused admittance to the conference room within which its survival was being debated, …

Reposts 0 Mar 1

by David P. Gushee

The Terror of Arbitrary Power

A Meditation Based on Job 9-10 Note: I am developing a work that offers post-evangelical meditations on the book of Job. This section reflects on what Job says in chapters 9-10. This section was drafted over the last week. Perhaps it will speak to you. I hope to bring this book out in 2026, with Orbis Books.

Reposts 0 Feb 14

by David P. Gushee

Bearing Faithful Witness

Christian Public Theology in Crisis Times and All Other Times Note: The talk below was presented on 8 February to Ethiopian theologians gathered under the banner of Prophetic: The Public Theology Fellowship, led by the gifted Andrew DeCort. You will see that my task in this workshop was to address the nature, purpose, and strategy of Christian public theology. I was also asked to reflect on the content of Christia…

Reposts 0 Feb 11

by David P. Gushee

A Very Short Homily on Today's Readings

The Scripture Speaks to Today, Once Again Note: Every day I make a discipline of reading the lectionary texts scheduled for each day. These are the readings for today, as presented by the US Catholic Bishops.

Reposts 0 Feb 7

by David P. Gushee

The Moment We Have Been Preparing For

Closing Address, Q Christian Fellowship Conference, Atlanta Note: Today I had the special privilege of offering the closing keynote address at the Q Christian Fellowship conference in Atlanta. This organization describes its mission as follows: “cultivating radical belonging for LGBTQ+ Christians and allies.” Below is the text of my Sunday morning address, which followed a beautiful worship service culminating i…

Reposts 0 Jan 26

by David P. Gushee

Final Reflections on the Lessons of 2024

A Paper Presented to the Society of Christian Ethics, 1/10/25 A Paper Presented to the Society of Christian Ethics, 1/10/25

Reposts 0 Jan 14

by David P. Gushee

Forming Disciples of Jesus

The Emmaus Road Story for Post-Evangelicals (Luke 24:13-35) Note to Readers: I preached this sermon yesterday at Genesis Church in Royal Oak, Michigan. My assignment was to talk about how to create an ethic around the person of Jesus and how to do that in community. So even though this was Epiphany Sunday, I chose a text from the other end of the Jesus Story: Luke 24:13-35 — the Emmaus Road story. As it is a res…

Reposts 0 Jan 6

by David P. Gushee

My Top Ten Books of 2024

With notes on the joyful practice of reading actual books Each year I make a goal of reading at least 52 books — one per week. I generally read in four categories: project reading (tied to a book I am writing), class reading (tied to a class I am teaching), fiction reading (tied to the Classic Book Club that my wife and I lead), and general nonfiction reading as my interests direct me.

Reposts 0 Dec 28

by David P. Gushee

Give the king your justice, O God!

Psalm 72 at Christmastime -- and beyond. Psalm 72 at Christmastime -- and beyond.

Reposts 0 Dec 18

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