A Personal Update

Reflections on a Somewhat Tumultuous Year

Well, that was quite the year! Thankyou so much to those of you who have prayed, supported, and encouraged my family and I over the last ten months. It is so appreciated, and I’ve been amazed at God’s provision and blessing in various ways amidst what has certainly been the most challenging year of our lives.

Every New Year I sit down with my family to thank God for the year that’s just passed and to pray, plan, and dream about the year ahead. In early January 2023 I preached a sermon at my church where I spoke about how challenging the previous year had been, beginning with my mother’s condition unexpectedly worsening leading to her death in early February 2022.

Reflecting on this in my sermon, I challenged the church to be ready to adapt to whatever may be thrown at them in 2023, especially in light of the persecution ramping up against Christians in our culture. I mentioned the famous case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, among others, and referred to those stories you often hear about Christians “who may be fired for saying the wrong thing” (c.22mins).

Little did I know that just a few weeks later I myself would soon be one of these “cases”! I was soon being reported on in the mainstream media, and (like Vaughan-Spruce) being supported by Christian Concern. It’s worth noting that I did not intend for any of this to happen, and in many respects what I said on Twitter which caused my dismissal was simply a continuation of the kinds of things I had already felt called to talk about online over the previous couple of years on social media, blogs, and podcasts.

Since the events of early 2023 I have had numerous opportunities to speak about my situation. I’ve been grateful for the interest many have taken in the story. Yet when I think of the many Christians and families across the world in painful and stressful circumstances, facing far greater challenges and tragedies than me, I often wonder why my own situation of injustice should have received so much attention?

As I’ve said before, I believe it is not so much about “me” but about what my story represents – a kind of line-in-the-sand moment not just for religious freedom of speech but for the state of the Church in the west. There are inevitable consequences to the secular attack upon Christian convictions. As the implications of this reality dawn upon the Church, the question is: will we stand up for those convictions or will we compromise to safeguard our “repute” before the world?

The thousands of messages I’ve received from Christians throughout the world tells me there are many Christians out there who not only see the same problems as I have seen, but also see the same way forward. Rather than shrinking back before our persecutors, we must step forward in greater confidence in the Word of God at the very moment it is most disparaged.

We must be prepared to do this not only in response to persecutions from secular society but also from those in compromised versions of Christianity which have infiltrated the Church in various ways, causing many professing Christians to proudly stray from the light of the Word and to malign those who refuse to follow them into darkness.

The Need for Reform

As I outlined in my initial Crowdfunder vision back in March, I feel called to meet this moment with a renewed commitment to “shamelessly Biblical” theological education. Even now I still don’t have an entirely clear picture for what this will look like in the flesh. Indeed I have sometimes been tempted to simply bite the bullet and “start something”, fundraise for a building, gather a team, and get going. But I’ve sensed the need to wait and discern what the next steps will entail. I get a sense that it is going to require something different in form to the norm and will likely be dependent on things that are yet to happen.

I have come to realise that any reformation of academic theology in the ways I have imagined cannot truly bear fruit without a reformation of the Church. Much awakening is needed to recover what has been subtly lost over time. Nowhere is this more obvious than in my own homeland, the UK, where even much that bears the name ‘evangelical’ appears to be acutely embarrassed by the less ‘presentable’ aspects of God’s Word – not merely in terms of particular beliefs but also in the ways we may need to communicate those beliefs when challenged.

Much of the Bible has become functionally incompatible with our twenty-first century church manners. This leads many churches to subtly airbrush out those doctrines and expressions which no longer suit their delicate ears (cf. 2Tim. 4:3).

This has serious consequences for the Church, especially among the many “Bible believing” churches who do not even realise how ashamed they have become of some of those less convenient corners of Biblical truth.

Connecting and Planning

Given this wider context, I continue to strategize in dialogue with others who see this need and seek to challenge the front-line issues for advancing the light of the Gospel of the kingdom of God in these ever-darkening times. Networking with individuals and organisations also seeking to “fight the good fight” is a key aspect of this current season.

To that end, this year I’ve attended some key events, such as Christian Concern’s conference for ecclesial and missional leaders (April), the National Conservatism conference in London (May), the annual conference for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (Sept), and Christian Concern’s “Courageous” event on Christians in the firing line (Nov).  

Such events have not only been helpful for learning more about the key socio-political issues affecting the Church in the west today, but also for connecting with various believers and opening up further opportunities for engagement, including with many others who have also faced persecution for their faith.

I can’t say enough how thankful I’ve been to Christian Concern in the ways they’ve supported me, not only in terms of my legal case, but also the media side of things. I’ve been so impressed with the strength of their convictions, their strategic competence in getting a good job done, their love and devotion for the Lord, and their genuine compassion for those in times of need. I believe God has used them to bless our family and many other Christians this year in numerous ways.

Writing

I have spoken and written a fair amount of words this year (beyond just “the Tweet”!). Indeed, one of the key purposes I believe God calling me to at this time is to use my writing as a means to stir the Church to awakening, action, and reform.

Here are some of my written pieces from this past year:

·       Opinion piece for Premier Christianity on my dismissal

·       Written interview for English Churchman going into slightly more detail

·       Article for American Reformer, ‘On Invasions of the Church: Progressive Infiltration and Christian Conviction’ on the decline of Christian higher education and the Church

·       Article for Ad Fontes: A Journal of Protestant Letters, ‘Why the Church Needs Kierkegaard’, on what it might mean to consider Kierkegaard's critiques of Christendom even as we seek to rethink the importance of its legacy for the future.

·       Article for American Reformer, ‘The Return of the Kingdom’, a review of Joe Boot’s Ruler of Kings: Toward a Christian Vision of Government (2022)

·       Article for the secular conservative magazine, The Critic, ‘The Right Not to Read the Room: Why My College Fired Me and Why I Am Suing’, responding to critiques from some Christians on why I’m taking a Christian institution to court (cf. 1Cor. 6)

·       Review of Robert C. Roberts’ Recovering Christian Character: The Psychological Wisdom of Søren Kierkegaard (2022) in Studies in Christian Ethics (forthcoming 2024)

I’ve also written over 20 articles for this very That Good Fight blog, and a number of book proposals which I’ll mention further down. Perhaps it should go without saying that I also remain very active on Twitter/X. This platform continues to be a key marketplace of ideas shaping the heart of both societal and ecclesial culture today, and it continues to be a key aspect of my public ministry despite the challenges (and time costs) that often accompany it.

As I’ve argued elsewhere in academic articles and lectures, the need of the hour is for ‘radical inculturated proclamation’ which creatively interrupts such public spaces with Gospel truth. Unlike the exclusively ‘winsome’ approaches to evangelism in recent decades, speaking Gospel truth online does not always mean telling everyone God loves and includes them; it also means calling out sin, exhorting people to repentance, challenging idolatry, and proclaiming the goodness of the ways of God’s kingdom like we really mean it.

As the prophets and apostles often found, the ecclesial establishment does not tend to like it when people start doing that.

Speaking

As mentioned above, I’ve had numerous opportunities to talk about my story in the media, both in religious and secular contexts. Examples:

·       GBNews interview, Mar 2023

·       CBN News interview (I), Apr 2023

·       GOD TV interview, May 2023

·       CBN News interview (II), Dec 2023

·       Fox News interview, Dec 2023

It’s also been a pleasure to speak on various other shows and podcasts with some really great organisations and bold brothers doing great work for the kingdom. Examples:

·       Full Proof Theology podcast interview (w/ J. Chase Davis), Apr 2023

·       The Hard Men Podcast interview (w/ Eric Conn), Apr 2023

·       Family First, New Zealand interview (w/ Bob McCoskrie), Apr 2023

·       Coalition for Marriage interview (w/ Tony Rucinski), May 2023

·       Ezra Institute Cultural Reformation podcast interview (w/ Joe Boot), July 2023

·       The Fallen State interview (with Jesse Lee Peterson), Nov 2023

·       Decision Magazine interview (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association), Apr 2023

·       Inspired podcast “Faith Through Cancellation” (w/ Simon Guillebaud), Dec 2023, which got Simon’s podcast into the UK Top 5, apparently!)

Beyond interviews and conversations I’ve also spoken at various other events, ranging from Cedarwood Festival (July 2023), to an online gathering of the Wilberforce Academy alumni (Nov 2023), to delivering a session on the Biblical foundations and cultural implications of Christian marriage for the team at The Oakes Christian Outdoor Centre (Dec 2023). I also continue to record and release episodes of Pod of the Gaps with my co-host, Dr Andy Bannister, seeking “to plug the gaps between the Church and the culture”.

Perhaps my most encouraging speaking engagement this year was at the UK’s first “Mission of God” Conference (Nov 2023) with the newly launched Ezra Centre in partnership with Christian Concern.

I spoke on a theme very dear to my heart at present: ‘How to Be Shamelessly Biblical’ which opened up lots of great conversations. I am often very encouraged and challenged by things brothers are saying and doing in the US at present, but it was especially encouraging to gather with so many people from a wide variety of ecclesial contexts across the UK who also see the significance of the times we’re in, and who know the reformational need for a more thoroughly Biblical and kingdom-oriented approach to mission on this side of the pond too.

Academic Work

Despite sometimes describing myself as a ‘theologian in academic exile’ I do still have some continuing responsibilities within the current academic world, many of which were already in place before my dismissal. I am an occasional peer reviewer for academic journals such as International Journal of Systematic Theology, Modern Theology, and International Journal of Public Theology. I also occasionally attend exam boards and write reports in my capacity as an external examiner for two UK Bible colleges. Such work has been helpful to keep a hand on the academic pulse, even if it continues to remind me of why a more convictional approach is needed to better serve Church and society longer term.

Reading essays and dissertations as an external examiner now serves as a timely (and sometimes quite painful) reminder of what I miss most about engaging closely with students as I did at Cliff College for so many years. I have fond memories of many of my former students, with whom I enjoyed not only good theological conversations but also good fellowship. I am glad to be on the supervision team for an excellent PhD student at Faulkner University in the US; but other than this I have few opportunities to work with students on a regular basis.

However, I’m also aware that this is a necessity of this current phase of planning and writing for the future, where I hope to be able to engage with many more students eager to think through the complexities of what Christian belief looks (and sounds) like in the years ahead.

Coming Up in 2024…

Going forward, I will continue to speak and preach in various fora, when/as invited. I have several dates for things like this already lined up within what is already looking like a busy first quarter of the year, including an invitation to speak at the International Religious Freedom Summit 2023 in Washington, DC.

I intend to complete a couple of book reviews, one of Joe Boot’s Mission of God: A Manifesto of Hope for Society (2016) for my blog, and a (long overdue!) review of Gregory Liston’s Kingdom Come: An Eschatological Third Article Ecclesiology (2022) for the International Journal of Systematic Theology. I would also like to complete some draft journal articles, on Bonhoeffer and preaching, and the conversion of the Vikings.

Alongside my blog articles, it is book projects which will take priority. I have had proposals accepted on three different projects: a book on masculinity and mission for New Christendom Press; a book on homosexuality and the Church for Wilberforce Publications; and (another long overdue!) book on Christian exclusivism and other religions for Christian Focus publishing. I also have a book proposal on the theme of “fighting the good fight” currently under consideration with another publisher.

In terms of conferences and networking, I will continue to meet with the likes of Joe Boot to discuss ways we might work together in the future, along with a number of others I’ve been in contact with this year. I also plan to attend the Davenant Institute conference on ‘Political Theology in the UK’ (Jan 2023) and the ‘Blueprints for Christendom 2.0’ conference (Right Response Ministries) in Taylor, TX. I am also (tentatively) beginning a new occasional podcast linking in with the “Good Fight” theme.

There will also be the ongoing work on my employment tribunal case, which will likely ramp up as we approach the trial dates in May 2024.

Family Update

As expected, the last year has been a very trying time not only for myself but for my whole family. This relates not only to the situation in and around my dismissal (which hurt some of my children too), but also the uncertainty around our housing situation, which dragged on for over half the year. Those of you who have ever moved house with young children in relatively normal circumstances know how difficult it can be. In our case, having five children aged 2-12 brings its challenges even when you’re in a more ‘settled’ state of life!

We’re now blessed to have a house (with a garden!). Being in a new area, adapting to new challenges (like DIY!) means things still feel somewhat unsettled in the house at present; but by God’s grace, I hope and pray we’re en route to more settled home rhythms in 2024. This will help us to stand strong in face of what I expect will be increased opposition from those who do not see/say things the way we ought to see/say them according to God’s Word.

My wife, Molly, continues to homeschool our children, which has been especially challenging with the move to the new house/area with everything else going on. She soldiers on with all this whilst keeping up – if time allows – with her popular Instagram account on homemaking, where she connects regularly with other courageous and godly women fighting the good fight in different ways.

Another reason the last few months have been especially challenging for Molly relates to some additional news…

We’re expecting another boy! Elijah (now 3) is especially looking forward to having a little brother. However, at this point we think he’s still fully expecting that little brother to arrive fully decked out in football kit and ready to play! He has yet to grasp the wisdom of Job 1:21: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return”…

The due date is the end of April 2024. Please pray for a safe pregnancy and delivery, and especially for strength for Molly as she continues with all the usual motherly homeschooling heroics along the way.

Financial Provision

I have shared the testimony numerous times of God’s amazing provision for our family this year. To those who have supported us (and those who continue to support us) financially, thankyou so much for your generosity. We have been genuinely overwhelmed by God’s goodness and faithfulness to us. We have felt so blessed not only by those within our own church but by the wider body of Christ through the active support of so many faithful brothers and sisters further afield.

For those who wish to continue supporting us in future, we now have a Stewardship account: https://www.stewardship.org.uk/partners/20460681.

If you wish to get in contact, feel free to email me and I’ll endeavour to reply if/when I can. Email address: aaron.p.edwards@gmail.com.

10 Prayer Points

• For clarity over the path and plans ahead regarding theological education

• For wisdom, courage, and grace in navigating the inevitable tensions which result from challenging Christians/churches to think/act/speak differently

• That as I seek to challenge how the Church manages its ‘house’, I will continue to manage my own household and care for my family well

• That we would manage to sort out ongoing practical issues with the house, and that our children would continue to adapt to the transition and grow in their faith

• That the pregnancy and delivery of our new baby would go well

• That I would ‘make the best use of the time’ (Col. 4:5) in every respect

• That my writing projects and speaking engagements would bear much fruit

• That my strategic connections would be strengthened for kingdom advance

• That my trial (win or lose) would serve to awaken many in the Church and beyond

• That I would remain rooted in God’s love, fervent in prayer, and bold in faith

Thankyou so much for your prayerful support. It means so much to know there are other brothers and sisters out there fighting the good fight with us.

May God bless you and keep you and cause his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, giving you the peace that surpasses understanding as you continue to stand for Him against the schemes of the enemy in all circumstances. Whether you abound or are brought low over the next year, may God be your strength through it all, in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ.