Their intentions could well have been pious - as in, this way we can know and do God’s will. As I will argue more directly later in this series, world-viewing is a refined repetition of the first humans’ attempt to seize the knowledge of good and evil as a secure foundation for life in this world. But better world-viewing is not that hope. I believe deeply in the ongoing effects of sin in this world, and I believe God does not leave us without hope.

This includes the complexity of our soul wiring, the role of intentions, the pressures of our social networks and other vital details. Instead, it has driven me to learn more about faith formation and moral psychology - to wrestle with what motivates our thinking and behavior. This work has not made me the slightest bit cynical. I am seeking to understand the heart of American churches and their people.

But I have seen enough to know how tough that needle is to thread - not least when one must start with an article title provocative enough to grab attention. My hope is to join or open a genuine, searching conversation, not shut down the very possibility.

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