Mark Byron has an intriguing post on why religious bloggers, particularly evangelicals, are underrepresented in the blogosphere:
One of Yglesias commenters thought that it was the lack of intellectualism that cause the theocons to be underrepresented. I'm not the only one with a terminal degree; try a couple of law degrees, or a Ph.D. in Physics. Throw in a couple of law school students, a college dropout who left because he was too good a writer, computer experts and Conan the Librarian.
No, what I think does makes evangelicals (and conservative Catholics who are in this camp as well) a lesser player is that the more we talk about religious matters, the less secular folks stop by. Libertarian sites share a common culture with liberals and also share a distaste for a less-permissive conservative morality. For the most part, the more successful evangelical/conservative Catholic bloggers focus more on non-theological topics.
I definitely agree that the evangelical camp doesn't lack brainpower. We have some very intellectual thinkers, regardless of their academic credentials, who can hold their own with anyone in the blogosphere. Whether we lack an audience because we openly discuss religious matters, however, is not so clear. I think most people are open to discussing such issues when they are presented in a stimulating, thought provoking manner. Whenever Time or Newsweek put religious topics on the cover, their sales skyrocket. There is a great need for rigorously argued religious viewpoints. Bloggers should take advantage of this opportunity and fill the void .
Personally, I believe the main problem is that evangelical bloggers are poor networkers. We could definitely learn from the politically liberal bloggers. Look at Atrios from Eschaton. How is he able to fill the number three spot just behind Glenn Reynolds and N.Z. Bear? The only way he attained that position is because liberal bloggers, 1330 of them as of today, linked to him. If we banded together we could do the same.
As it stands now we have various cliques that link to one another and rarely stray (and then not for long) outside of their circles. We admit others into our circles but it is not often. Look at the blogroll on my right and compare it to those of other evangelical bloggers. You’ll see very little overlap. Why is that? Shouldn’t we have many of the same interest and taste when it comes to blogs?
Obviously, we might have valid reasons for not linking to a particular blogger. But we can and should do more to promote one another. Every link lifts a blogger higher in the Ecosystem which in turn, often lifts the linker higher. Call it “supply-side blogging” – a rising evangelical tide lifts all boats.
I have seen some Christian blogs discuss this issue and found that the “popularity contest” aspects of blogging turn some people off. That’s fine for them but I don’t think evangelicals have that option. We are called to be “salt and light” and we can’t do that if we hide within our “holy huddles.” We need an outside audience and the only way to get the attention is for our network to grow stronger. We need to band together if we are to have an impact on the world.
[Note: I want to do something about it. If you are a blogger who self-identifies as an “evangelical” let me know. I’d like to put a list together for which others can “sample” from.]
Update: Christweb has put together an Evangelical Aggregator. Go by and add your page (just don't let it be a substitute for adding links to your own blog).
This list is a work in progress. If you know of any that should be added to this list please let me know. Visit these blogs and if you think they are worthy add them to your blogrolls. Give them a chance, though, before you turn them down. Check them over a few days. You might be surprised by what you find. (The blogs with an asterisk are ones that I read regularly but haven’t yet confirmed that they would call themselves “evangelical.” From what I’ve read I would classify them as such but I’ll leave that for them to decide.)
Adrian Warnock
Anti-Climacus
Army of One
Ben Domenech
The Billy Goat Blog
Broken Masterpieces
Certus Veritas
Christ at Work
Christ Web
Clarity Amidst Chaos
Damascus Road
Earthly Passions*
Exultate Justi
Hugh Hewitt
Jason Clark*
Josh Claybourn
Journey’s with Tim*
joyful Christian*
King of Fools
Le Sabot Post-Moderne*
Mark Byron
Matthew Stinson
New Covenant
Nuts and Dolts
Patriot Paradox*
Pete’s Journal*
Sophorist
Tim Berglund
Totem to Temple*
True Pravda
Walloworld
Wheat and Chaff
World Magazine
2
Hear hear
Lets all start linking each other- most of my blogroll are evangelical, and if you visit the Blogdom of God from my site you will find a whole load more evangelicals.
I will guarentee to link to any evangelical blog at least once, especially if they link back!
Its not about self promotion, but rather promoting each other and the gospel.
If you want to assurge your guilt, have a listen to my sermon on meekness available on my blog!
posted on 12.17.2003 3:51 PM3
Well, I consider myself Evangelical in the broad sense, though I touch on politics as much as strictly religious matters. I'm a Reformed pastor. You've already linked to me, though. Thanks.
Good post.
posted on 12.17.2003 4:05 PM4
Let's try and start working on this in earnest. While I already have a link for both Dr. Adrian and your site and Joshua's I am sure there are others that I either do not have, or that we do not know about.
Promotion is not a bad thing, as long as the goal of promotion is not merely to pursue your own self interests but to spread the message.
posted on 12.17.2003 4:07 PM5
Hey Matt,
I'm the same way. I don't necessarily think we have to talk about religion all the time. I think we are of more value when we simply present our ideas on any topic through an evangelical worldview.
There are plenty of good Christian sites that discuss religion (though mostly in a church-type way). I think we need evangelicals who can hold their own in any area that is worthy of discussion.
posted on 12.17.2003 4:09 PM6
I consider myself an Evangelical Blogger, even though my focus is broadband. (I think it shows...I hope others see the same thing.)
Sign me up.
posted on 12.17.2003 4:23 PM7
Great post, Joe.
I think that, to be fair, most of us Evangelicals are all over the board when it comes to the content of our blogs. Goodness knows my technique could best be described as "scattershot". This week alone, I've posted on topics ranging from the potentially-disturbing connections between a "moderate" Denver Imam and a radical Islamic site in the UK, to comic books about dumpster-divers.
I think that, in general, even purely secular readers will take part in thought-provoking theological discussions when they take place on blogs that feature posts that aren't limited to theology. Just a thought, though...
posted on 12.17.2003 5:15 PM8
I agree completely, Jared. When bloggers like yourself are able to show their intelligence in such diverse areas, non-believers are more likely to pay attention when the discussion turns to theology. Evangelicals don't necessarily have to be "evangelising" all of the time. Everything we do, as long as we do it well, acts as a witness for Christ.
posted on 12.17.2003 5:20 PM9
I will start linking as well. Due to the inherent business of the Christmas season I have been slow in checking out some of the other Evangelical sites out there... but I'll get there.
I agree that, typically, the content of an Evangelical blogsite should not strictly be limited to religous matters. The key is a Biblical WORLDview as portrayed in such works as How Now Shall We Live? and In, But Not Of.
posted on 12.17.2003 5:43 PM10
I definitely consider myself to be evangelical; although I don't write on Christian topics that often. I tend to focus on current events and other random miscellania. I certainly don't at all hide the fact that I'm a Christian, though (putting a daily Bible verse on my site tend to give it away ;-).
I agree with all of those that see blogging as an opportunity to bring Biblical thinking to the blogosphere. Although my blog topics are all over the map (like so many others have said), I think the world benefits from hearing how Christians think on any topic.
Although I have a Master's degree, I don't think academic qualifications are all that important. Christian bloggers have the unmatched advantage of the Holy Spirit's guidance. That's way better than any amount of education.
I tend to link to other sites pretty liberally, so I'll link as many of you as I can, as soon as I can. I appreciate links to my site as well, even though I don't get that many readers.
A question: is anyone interested in starting up some sort of association for evangelical Christian bloggers, ala The Axis of Naughty or the other loose associations (Rocky Top Brigade, etc.)?
posted on 12.17.2003 10:41 PM12
You can remove the asterisk...can't hide anything from you!
posted on 12.18.2003 12:41 AM14
Hey, I consider myself to be an evangelical, but like many of you I try not to talk about religion all the time. I'd be thrilled to add some links from other evangelicals also.
posted on 12.18.2003 5:35 PM15
We (evangelicals) don't know about each other until a site shows up in our referral logs, is linked by someone, or you leave a comment on a blog that is interesting enough to check out the author.
Keep in mind that birds of a feather flock together, and since there's only so much time in the day you can only get to a certain number of blogs. The "older" bloggers tend to have their "homeys", people that they have built relationships with over the months and years, and don't feel a need to go further besides the occasional look-see.
Blog lists are fine, but they tend to get clogged after a while (how many in blogs4god?) and lose their initial intent of drawing interest to certain "defined" blogs. I'm in the camp of not strongly seeking hits/popularity, but just enjoy blogging for what it is. If we are to make an impact for His kingdom, do we "band" together or rather put more effort into reaching out to "unsaved" bloggers and readers?
Don't mistake "holy huddles" for folks who just blog because the enjoy it. It's good to have a few evangelical "blog brothers/sisters" for support, but be careful you don't get too wrapped up in theological arguments and building lists of "approved" blogs.
posted on 12.19.2003 7:22 AM16
Could someone maybe explain once and for all what constitutes being an Evangelical? I've always thought of myself as being an Evangelical Fundamentalist, yet from what I've read elsewhere, that seems to be the same as calling myself a Republican-Democrat. Mmmmmm....
The funny thing is, while I get a respectable share of mostly secular traffic, I seem to be largely ignored....by other Evangelicals. Maybe I'm too abrasive at times (OK, I KNOW I'm too abrasive), but it bothers me a bit that I would get a bit more love from visitors and bloggers who are non-Christians than I would from those who profess to be part of the "flock".
Within Evangelical circles, I think everyone, including me, would do well not to let sharp differences of purely theological opinion fracture our overall presence in the blogosphere.
One more note, sometimes I get blogrolled by a notable blogger without realizing it, so I never blogroll in return out of courtesy. If you blogroll someone let them know. However, I did find just earlier that if you use blogrolling.com, they have a search feature for finding out who blogrolled you (though it only works within their service)
posted on 12.19.2003 11:12 PM17
Hey Mac,
I've made an attempt to define the term in this post.
posted on 12.19.2003 11:18 PM18
Thanks JP, it looks like I'm a mixture of all three.
posted on 12.20.2003 9:39 AM19
HI guys, I think we need to club together in some way. We could do this under the label 'The Blogdom of God' seen as a link from my site.
This, and the Evangelical aggregator (more tightly Evangelical) could be ways of us all working together.
We could even set up an alliance in the Ecosystem (NB please ensure your blog is listed there!)
Linking profusely to one anothers posts will help us to build a critical mass. I have a Blogroll on my site that the kind host of Christweb has put together. Anyone who wishes to could include that in their own blog.
I will also approach the guys at the Ecosystem about us being an axis there as it might be even better.
posted on 12.20.2003 7:51 PM20
PLEASE PLEASE Show your solidarity in Blogging for God, pop over and visit the new ecosystem forum and express your interest in my proposal- lets make this our joint effort to promote Christian blogs. I have deliberately used the word Christian in this context rather than evangelical (although I identify as an evangelical).
posted on 12.20.2003 8:32 PM21
Another idea is to build a virtual clone of Truth Laid Bear, or something similar that would aggregate and index Christian blogs. Blogs would be entered manually and later approved by a moderator to ensure only Christian blogs are indexed.
of course, it's likely a project like this will need some minor funding.
posted on 12.21.2003 5:35 PM22
I too consider myself (like someone's previous comments earlier) to be a hodge-podge of evangelical, charismatic, fundamentalist, and having some reformed beliefs, but like many of you I try not to talk about religion all the time. Where most of the fellow bloggers I have seen talk about politics when not talking about religion, I tend to talk more about Sports when not talking about religion because I have always wanted to 'dabble' in the area of sports journalism as a secondary interest. However, my primary motive will be to blog in order to advance the cause of Christ, win souls to Jesus, show authenticity without compromise, and somehow use blogging as a partial way to fulfill the Great Commission.
Please count me in.
Reading these comments remind me of the section in the first Lord of The Rings movie where all the representatives from the different groups (Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Strider, Legolas, and Gimili) came together and became unified in their purpose to eventually (in part 3) throw the ring in the fire. They helped and supported each other to obtain the objective. I felt this as I read the posts that this was somewhat a similar undertaking of differenting perspectives of Christianity coming together to promote our blogs and help get the Gospel out to the ends of the earth.
posted on 12.22.2003 1:09 AM23
Well we are progressing at least that which can be easily done with no moderation, no costs and being non exclusive. Remember it is up to evangelical blogs to compete with others in the main blogosphere, as such (without wanting to discourage other efforts) I would like to invite you to join the BLogdom of God- a new blogroll for God blogs over at the Ecosystem?
There are no conditions of you doing so, I just want to build a Blogdom of God list there to help promote God blogs. You don't even have to put a link there to do so.
Many thanks
Adrian
for more info visit
http://www.truthlaidbear.com/ba.php
or
www.adrian.warnock.info