Today, December 2, 2016, my good friends Lauren Larkin (who served as content editor for my survivor narratives) and Sarah Taras invited me to participate in a special edition of their podcast (Ezer Uncaged). In this conversation, we discuss the allegations circling around Tullian right now from a theological perspective. Specifically, we look at the sermon Tullian preached on October 31, 2016, at Spring Hills Community Church of Santa Rosa, California.
For those unfamiliar with the allegations, links are available here.
Sparking Conversation 
I don’t know. I’m a white female, and the idea of a rhythm between work and rest really resonates with me because I struggle to balance work and leisure, and I have a mental illness that often makes me see God as a harsh taskmaster who is anti-fun. I think the way Tullian has implemented the concept is abominable, but I think the concept itself is very valid. I hope I’m not wrong.
But I like the idea of death to life (not a wife or mother so I can’t relate to it so much). I’ll try to meditate on it.
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I agree. The issue isn’t whether there is a healthy concept of rest from work. Of course there is. And those who are weary deserve to find that rest.
The issue is specifically how Tullian has presented that, and how it favors already privileged persons while placing burdens upon the already disenfranchised.
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Thanks. I was just trying to point out that the teaching of law vs. gospel=work vs. rest could appeal to a privileged white female as well as a privileged white male. And that’s the problem: that Tullian had the ability to say smart things that appealed to women and used that ability to manipulate them.
And I am very privileged. Sobbing on my bed because I believed God hated me for the way I spent my spare time wasn’t fun, but it definitely reflects a level of privilege (as you pointed out, the single mom working three jobs doesn’t really have spare time). So I’m definitely taking notes on how the “God loves me no matter what I do or don’t do and I can rest in Him” theology which saved my mental health could be used to exploit or neglect the disenfranchised and encourage privileged people like me to be our worst and not our best.
Love your blog, man. Keep speaking truth to power. Grace and peace
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Thank you.
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I don’t know. I’m a white female and the all the talk about work and rest resonates strongly with me, probably because I struggle to balance work and leisure. The death to life is interesting to think about though.
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I wouldn’t say it’s patriarchy recycled. Anyone can use this fake law Tullian preached to their advantage, but men tend to do it more effectively than women. It’s gospel reductionism / antinomianism.
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Oh the ‘Tullian forgetting to take out the trash’ video yes! I heard that too in audio format and thought UHOH there are major problems here. I did not see the video even to see the wife’s reaction. Oh man. I think that was my first inkling that there were major marriage problems.
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btw when i say the “Tullian forgetting to take out the trash” video – you’re talking about a Pictures of Grace video that they published (it’s still up, btw, i think, if you’re talking about the Bryan & Mandy Robinson video). I have heard Tullian use the same kind of example with using his own family. But he would say (in a little more circumspect way) “wouldn’t it would be more effective if Kim took the trash out herself, then came and sat by me watching the game and asked how the game was going.” Something like that.
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