About

Life in Tension is a Christian invitation to engage with the full complexity of faith, life, and people.

At its core, the Christian faith is an invitation from Jesus Christ, which we accept by having faith. This faith produces a daily walk, and as we accept God’s work in our lives and hearts, our character is slowly brought in line with  that of Christ’s.

In an effort to build one another up, I’d like to shine a spotlight on something we are prone to do which I believe is detrimental to this daily walk and a rejection of Christ’s impact on our lives: we flatten complexities. These complexities show up as tension, pulling us in different directions. It is part of our work to sit in those tensions, living with them in our daily lives, not falling to either side.

There are a whole host of tensions which we are called to live in biblically. These often show up in Christian catch phrases such as “already, but not yet” and “in the world, but not of the world”. Elsewhere in the bible, we find tensions going as far and as deep as the very character of the God we are called to emulate – Exodus 20:6-7 expresses the tension between a loving God desiring to be merciful to those he loves, but just to those they have wronged, whom he also loves. Being made in His image, is it surprising that we humans can contain similar antinomies and seeming self-contradictions?

In our call to live in the world, we must also carefully navigate cultural tensions. These often show up in politics, family drama, and other sources of strife. In the gospels, we also see biblical examples of being informed but not swayed – Jesus navigates political hot-button issues and recent events in Matthew 22:15-22 and Luke 13:1-5.

There is no denying that taking the time to understand these complexities is work, but it is work that bears rich fruit. Ancient scriptures talk of both this tension and the fruit in understanding it; Exodus 20 contains a poem in which God’s goodness is shown to be both just and merciful, and the very first sentence in the book of Psalms says those who meditate on the same scriptures are blessed. The New Testament also requires of us an effort to understand complexity – in Matthew 28:19, we are called to make disciples of all nations, which requires understanding individuals and different cultures in order to develop deep and fulfilling relationships.

Furthermore, I would argue that every time we simplify people or topics, we are sinfully lying – at best to ourselves, or at worst to others. The clean categories and models we use in our heads are a selfish and lazy stand-in that ignores and even denies the messy reality of individuals and the fallen world we live in; every time we flatten someone to a label or deny an opposing perspective is rational, we are telling half-truths, which – much like being half-holy or a piece of food falling on the floor and becoming half-clean – is no truth at all.

As much as this blog serves as an invitation, or perhaps a conviction, to its readers, it is just as much a journey of its authors. As we explore our faith and encounter these tensions, we want to start important conversations and ask challenging questions – What does it truly mean, to be in the world but not of it? How do we balance the merciful offer of salvation with the iniquities of this world? What can we do when we see mission and brokenness in the same Church? In particular, we will seek to explore these questions in a way which is accessible to most Christians – because we believe they are relevant to most Christians.

Speaking in the first person singular, I – Alexander, the primary founder – don’t claim to be an authority in any capacity. As I present my thoughts and viewpoints, I hope that they are challenged compassionately as much as I compassionately challenge my readers. I hope that my writings will withstand the counsel, critique, and consensus of a broader body of believers, but I am open to the possibility that I’ll be corrected.

What tensions could you navigate better in your own life?