Jonathan Merritt - On Faith and Culture
Culture

The Gay, Conservative Christian Who Might Be Trump’s NATO Ambassador

“I am writing to tell you that I am gay and I am a Christian.”

That was the opening line of the letter Richard Grenell, a former United Nations official, sent his evangelical parents when he decided to come out in 1999. He had kept his sexual orientation a secret from them for years, but after he fell in love with his now-longtime partner, he knew it was time to get his personal life in order.

President Trump reportedly plans to nominate Grenell to be his ambassador to NATO, a position that would make Grenell the highest-ranking gay man in the new administration, and arguably the most visible gay Christian in America. Yet his appointment could potentially influence more than the country’s ties to the military alliance—by pushing conservative Christians to reconsider their approach to LGBT rights and equality.

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April 27, 2017by Jonathan
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Culture, Media

Watch This Stunning Illustration Of Religious Peacemaking From Tribeca Film Festival

A Hasidic Jewish man approaches a Muslim man on the streets of New York City. It sounds like the opening line to an inappropriate joke, but it’s actually a scene in a campaign put out by Tribeca Film Festival called “See Yourself in Others.” The stunning one-minute short film, which is posted below, features a diverse group of people walking around Manhattan wearing mirrored boxes on their heads to make the point that peacemaking begins when we learn to empathize with “the other.”

I was so impressed by this provocative short that I tracked down the director, Jared Knecht. Still in his twenties, he has already compiled an impressive resume with clients ranging from Redbull to Victoria’s Secret, and Compassion International to Crossway. Knecht’s short film “Skumaskot,” shot on location in Iceland, was a selection at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. (It’s stunning, and you should watch it too.)

Here we discuss the imagery featured in this campaign and why he believes society is failing to foster empathy.

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April 27, 2017by Jonathan
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  • In a culture dominated by sharp opinions, admitting uncertainty comes at a cost. The Christian musician @lauren_daigle just learned that lesson the hard way by admitting she doesn’t know if LGBT relationships are sinful. She appeared on @theellenshow and when asked said “I’m not God.” It enraged her Christian fans. Is the Christian practice of discernment dead? Read my latest at @theatlantic at the LINK IN BIO.
  • No one has the power to steal your smile. No one has the power to rob you of your joy. No one can strip you of your worth. No one can force you to compromise your values or abandon your principles. But...people...will...try. They will try because they cannot shake free of their own brokenness. They will try because they refuse to break out of the prison of their own self-centeredness. They will try because they are still haunted by the ghosts of their childhood traumas and wounds. So the question that matters most is not “How did they ACT?” but rather “How will I RE-ACT?” Dwell on the second question and you will soon realize that you braver than you thought, stronger than you assumed, and more powerful than you knew. Xo, fam.
  • That time I pretended to be a professor at @UVA. So many fun firsts, unforgettable memories, and fulfilled dreams in #2018. As the great theologians, ahem, Boys II Men, once said, “It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.” One month until we say hello to a New Year! What was your 2018 like? Any obstacles overcome, dreams realized, or lessons learned?
  • I had the privilege of being in the presence of President George H.W. Bush on one occasion as a child. I don’t remember much about that moment, which itself speaks. There was no grandeur, no arrogance, no sense of untouchability. He didn’t peer down on me from a high perch; he looked me in the eyes. Our 41st President was able to be a statesman without ceasing to be a citizen. America needs a rapid infusion of that kind of grace, humility, and selflessness in a time when such attributes have become endangered species. #georgehwbush
  • As a columnist, my job is to write about ideas and events outside of myself. But for some time, I have longed to speak more personally with all of you. On the @typologypodcast this week, I got an opportunity to do that. Here I talk about my struggles and insecurities, traumas and pain with a new level of transparency. I hope you will listen to the full episode at the LINK IN BIO, and through it, I hope you find hope for your own journey. Xo, fam.
  • I call this one “Selfie of a Selfie.”

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