"Merritt represents a hopeful new current in evangelical America."
- USA Today
Jonathan is a faith and culture writer who has published over 300 articles in respected outlets such as USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, BeliefNet, Christianity Today, The Huffington Post, and CNN.com. He is author of Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet (2010), which Publisher's Weekly called "a must-read for churchgoers," and the forthcoming A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars (April 2012). As a respected Christian voice, he has been interviewed by ABC World News, NPR, CNN, PBS, Fox News, The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Jonathan first entered the public eye when a classroom epiphany prompted him to organize a national coalition of Christian leaders who care about the creation, founding the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative. Since then, he's been on the front lines of pressing cultural conversations from poverty to orphan care. He is a member of the national board of directors for Bethany Christian Services, America's largest adoption agency. Outreach magazine recently named Jonathan one of "30 Emerging Influencers" reshaping Christian leadership.
Known for his ability to tackle difficult issues through both the written and spoken word, Jonathan has become a sought after speaker by colleges, seminaries, churches and conferences on cultural and religious issues. He holds a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC) and a Master of Theology from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology (Atlanta, GA). Jonathan resides outside of Atlanta, GA where he serves and teaches at Cross Pointe Church.
You can follow Jonathan, but please, only on twitter: @jonathanmerritt
SELECTED WRITINGS:
· “Christians and Civil Disobedience: When Is It Right to Fight?,” Relevant Magazine (November/December 2011)
· “What’s in a name? A lot for the Southern Baptist Convention,” USA Today (September 2011)
· “Ten Years from Normal: Lessons Learned from 9/11,” QIdeas.org (September 2011)
· “Redefining Hate: Pro-Gay Marriage Activists Should Reform Rhetoric,” Huffington Post (August 2011)
· “America, The Arrogant,” Relevantmagazine.com (July 2011)
· “Lovesick: Why do fools fall in love?,” Collegiate (Summer 2011)
· “Should Christians Celebrate the Death of Osama bin Laden?,” Relevant Magazine (May 2011)
· “Christians Must Fight Oppression, But How?” Washington Post “On Faith” (March 2011)
· “Evangelical Shift on Gays: Why Clobber Scriptures Are Losing Ground,” Christian Science Monitor (March 2011)
· “What Skyscrapers Tell Us About Us,” Huffington Post (March 2011)
· “Tea Party Gospel,” Relevant Magazine (January / February 2011)
· “Eco-friendly Christian Theme Park Confounds,” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (January 2010)
· “What My Father Taught Me,” Outreach (January 2011)
· “Loving God, Living Green,” Collegiate Magazine (Winter 2010 – 2011)
· “American Exceptionalism Rooted in Bad Theology,” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (December 2010)
· “Review of What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly,” Paste (December 2010)
· “The Pope and Prophylactics,” RelevantMagazine.com (December 2010)
· “The Worst Environmental Problem You’ve Never Heard Of,” Relevant (November / December 2010)
· “Interview with Bush Speechwriter Gerson on Tea Party, Religious Right, Bush Legacy,” Huffington Post; Christian Post; QIdeas (November 2010)
· “Debate Over President’s Faith is Distracting,” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (November 2010)
· “Young Christians Move Away from Partisan Politics,” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (November 2010)
· “More than a Mountain,” Christianity Today (November 2010)
· “Christian Right Noticeably Absent in Conservatives’ Fight to ‘Save America’” (co-authored with Gabe Lyons), Washington Post’s “On Faith” (October 2010)
· “Searching for Life Amid the Death of ‘Christian America,’” Huffington Post; Christian Post (October 2010)
· “Whose Fault Is It? Why just pointing fingers at BP isn’t enough,” Relevant (September / October 2010)
· “Tired of “Wannabe Cool” Churches? So Are Young People.” Gwinnett Citizen (September 2010)
· “A Faith Perspective on Arms Treaty” (co-authored with Joseph E. Lowery), Atlanta Journal-Constitution (September 2010)
· “Will “Radical” Christianity Have Any Effect on the American Church?,” Huffington Post (September 2010)
· “A Deeper Shade of Green,” HomeLife (September 2010)
· “The Creativity Crisis,” QIdeas.org (August 2010)
· “Is Prop 8 Fight the Culture Wars’ Last Stand?,” CNN.com; Christian Post; Huffington Post (August 2010)
· “Why Our Generation Doesn’t Care About Prop 8,” RelevantMagazine.com (August 2010)
· “In Praise of Dissent,” QIdeas.org (July 2010)
· “My Take: How Should Christians Respond to the Oil Spill?,” CNN Belief (June 2010)
· “Born to Sin,” QIdeas.org (June 2010)
· “A Christian Response to the Oil Spill,” Relevantmagazine.com (June 2010)
· “How Concerned Should Christians Be about Environmental Care? As Much as God Is,” Christianity Today (June 2010)
· “Preaching Gone Green,” Preaching (May / June 2010)
· “Rebranding Atheism,” QIdeas.org (May 2010)
· “Why Aren’t Christians Mourning The Oil Spill?” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (May 2010)
· “Sociologist Says the Right Leader is Handling the Oil Spill,” Huffington Post (May 2010)
· “Does the Environmental Movement Need the Faith Community,” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (May 2010)
· “Will Atheism Replace Religion in America?” Huffington Post (May 2010)
· “Is God Green?” YouthWalk (May 2010)
· “Faith and Factory Farming,” Huffington Post (April 2010)
· “12 Ways to Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day,” BeliefNet (April 2010)
· “Earth Day: Why We Should Care,” RelevantMagazine.com (April 2010)
· “Keeping an Eye on the Sparrow,” Creation Care (Spring 2010)
· “Jesus and Free Culture,” RelevantMagazine.com (February 2010)
· “In 2020, ‘Green Living’ Will Just Be Living,” Relevant (January / February 2010)
· “There Will be Nothing to Eat,” Relevant (January / February 2010)
· “. . . Or Drink,” Relevant (January / February 2010)
· “Grading Obama One Year Later,” RelevantMagazine.com (January 2010)
· “Are Christians Key to Anti-Nuke Movement?” Huffington Post (January 2009)
· “Reuse or Recycle? Try Freecycling,” Huffington Post (January 2009)
· “Generational Perspectives,” HomeLife (January 2010)
· “War On Christmas: Who Is The Enemy?” Huffington Post (December 2009)
· “Is Availability of Contraception a Pro-Life Issue?” Huffington Post (December 2009)
· “It’s OK To Be Angry,” Charisma (December 2009)
· “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along,” Relevant (November / December 2009)
· “Manhattan Declaration Unlikely to Inspire Young Christians,” Washington Post’s “On Faith” (November 2009)
· “When Worlds Collide: Four Religions You Ought to Know,” Christian Single (October 2009)
· “Tell Your Nation They Will Be Annihilated: Lessons from The Life of ‘The Weeping Prophet,’” The Brink (Fall 2009)
· Review of Scouting the Divine, Charisma (October 2009)
· Earth Review, Relevant Magazine (September / October 2009)
· “Incivility Muffles Interactive Debate,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (August 2009)
· “Abortion Reduction: The New Discussion in America’s Most Vicious Debate,” Relevant (July / August 2009)
· “Travel Guide: Grand Rapids,” Christian Single (June 2009)
· “Just War,” Relevant (May / June 2009)
· “An Evangelical’s Plea: Love the Sinner,” USA Today (April 2009)
· “Review: Earth,” RelevantMagazine.com (April 2009)
· “Why I Believe the Resurrection,” Christian Single (April 2009)
· “Taste of Tuscany,” Christian Single (March 2009)
· “Review: Green Revolution,” RelevantMagazine.com (March 2009)
· “Faith in Action,” Outreach (March 2009)
· “America’s Bohemian Hideaway,” Christian Single (February 2009)
· “A San Francisco Treat,” Christian Single (January 2009)
· “Abortion Reduction: Priority promise should not be broken,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (January 14, 2009)
· “Bridge to Baby Boomers,” Outreach (January 2009)
· “Flight of the Conchords” in “Nine Shows to Watch in 2009,” RelevantMagazine.com (January 2009)
· “Family Matters,” Christian Single (January 2008)
· “The Rising Tide of Universalism,” Relevant (November / December 2008)
· “The Uncertain Future of Evangelical Voters,” Washington Post “On Faith” (November 2008)
· “How’s Your Thanksgiving Posture?,” HomeLife (November 2008)
· “Help for the Helpless,” Christian Single (November 2008)
· “Prepare Now for Departure,” HomeLife (November 2008)
· “Seeking Refuge,” Christian Single (November 2008)
· “That’s Not What I Heard: The dangerous, destructive nature of gossip,” Christian Single (October 2008)
· “McCain & Obama Face Off,” RelevantMagazine.com (October 2008)
· “Three Ways to Show Your Pastor Thanks,” Christian Single (October 2008)
· “Partisan Faith,” Christian Single (October 2008)
· “What is Art?” Relevant (September / October 2008)
· “Post-Convention Pastoring,” NeueMinistry.com (September 2008)
· Review of “The Sacred Echo,” Charisma (September 2008)
· “Behind the Counters: LifeWay Pulls Magazine from Shelves,” Neue Quarterly (September 2008)
· “Tailgating Touchdown,” Christian Single (September 2008)
· “Pastimes of Purpose,” Christian Single (September 2008)
· “Culture Shock,” Christian Single (September 2008)
· “Saying Goodbye to Guilt-Driven Christianity,” RelevantMagazine.com (August 2008)
· “Face Off at The Faith Forum,” RelevantMagazine.com (August 2008)
· “Welcome Home … Finally,” HomeLife (July 2008)
· Review of “Conquering the Religious Spirit,” Charisma (June 2008)
· “Living in a Post-Christian Culture: What does it mean to you?,” Christian Single (May 2008)
· “WWJD? Vote for Obama, more and more evangelicals say,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (April 2008)
· “In Cink: PGA golfer Stewart Cink keeps his priorities in line,” Sharing the Victory Magazine (April 2008)
· “Disciples hope Earth Sunday will inspire change,” DisciplesWorld (April 2008)
· “Natural Selection: Reflections from an ex-earth hater,” Christian Single (April 2008)
· “More than Bribery,” Outreach (April 2008)
· “Yakama hikes ahead despite loss of DHM funding,” DisciplesWorld (March 2008)
· “Baptist plea turns up a tempest,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 2008)
· “Reaching Refugees,” Outreach (February 2008)
· “Southern Baptists believe in stewardship,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 2008)