A call to a new Reformation in the teaching and life of Jesus' followers
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Gal. 5:13, NIV). You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Gal. 5:13, NIV) Be careful, however, that the … Continue reading Freedom in the Time of a Pandemic
Once again, we Americans are getting together to barbecue our hot dogs, chill our beers, and light our fireworks for the Fourth of July celebration of American independence. I’ll celebrate too … I love a good party and I have been known to contribute my share to the libations and explosions that accompany such events. I’m also grateful to live in the United States. This … Continue reading 4th of July and 13th of Romans
At the wedding in Cana you met those who’d seek you, Three days since the dove from the sky. Wine for the feast from the water they brought you: Your very first miracle was to provide. In the cup of rejoicing you made yourself known, Unexpected, bewildering, kind. In remembrance we do this, whom you’ve called your own, So make yourself known in the … Continue reading From Cana to Emmaus — Known in the Bread
Recent events have Americans once again debating (more like shouting at each other) the relative merits of private firearms vs. gun control in our country. As usual, the rhetoric is extreme, emotions are high, and friendships are strained over the disagreement. There are legitimate discussions to be had over various policy alternatives, and I have opinions aplenty on many of the issues myself. I’m not … Continue reading Christians and the Second Amendment
It dawned on me recently that a great deal of my frustration with conservative Christianity is the role that fear plays in the narrative of the faith. In their theology, their evangelism, and their politics, it seems to me, conservative Christians rely on and promote fear as part and parcel of the Gospel. This perspective is deeply antithetical to the God whose most frequent command … Continue reading Jesus, Christians, and Fear
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17, KJV) So reads a popular text that is often used by Christians for various variations on a theme that usually centers around listening to the preacher. The usual interpretation is best distilled, actually, by the rendering in the New International Version (2011, not 1973 or 1984): “Consequently, faith comes from … Continue reading Faith Comes By Hearing … reexamining a familiar text
Last week Nicholas Kristof, a New York Times reporter for whom I have a great deal of respect, published an interview he had with Tim Keller, a theologian and pastor I also respect greatly. In it, Kristof says “… I deeply admire Jesus and his message, but am also skeptical of themes that have been integral to Christianity — the virgin birth, the Resurrection, the … Continue reading How Should We Respond? When non-Christians ask us about faith …
I just had an atheist with whom I’ve been interacting ask me a great question: “What’s so good about faith?” He went on to describe the concept as “believing without seeing,” and compared it to walking across the street blindfolded … something he and I would agree is pretty dumb. So here’s my answer: Nothing, in the way you describe it. That idea that there’s … Continue reading Why Faith?
There are two historical arguments that I find intriguing for the way in which they have been used for and against Christian apologetics: the first is Occam’s (or Ockham’s) Razor, and the second is Pascal’s Wager. I address these, not because I find either particularly compelling (in fact I don’t), but rather because I’ve seen them come up in apologetics debates with sufficient frequency that I … Continue reading Why Do I Believe? Part 15 — Occam’s Razor and Pascal’s Wager
Recently a friend of mine, while debating my objections to Western Christianity’s doctrine of the Trinity, referred me to Greg Boyd’s post Does the Doctrine of the Trinity Matter? I respect Greg Boyd greatly, as anyone who’s followed me for some time will undoubtedly know. But that post is illustrative of precisely my objection to the usual arguments for the Trinity … the evidence presented, … Continue reading Examining a frequent argument for the Trinity