Category Archives: Challenging conventional doctrine

Challenging conventional doctrine, Creeds, Salvation

Faith Comes By Hearing … reexamining a familiar text

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“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 »

Apologetics, Challenging conventional doctrine, evangelism

Why Faith?

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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? »

Challenging conventional doctrine, Creeds, Trinity

Examining a frequent argument for the Trinity

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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 »

Apologetics, Challenging conventional doctrine, evangelism, hell, Salvation

Why do I believe? Part 13 — Not for Heaven’s Sake

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Lots of folks, when they discuss the truth (or not) of faith, or when they try to sell Christianity to outsiders, spend a great deal of energy on issues surrounding the afterlife.  The crassest version, but one many of us have encountered, is encapsulated in the question “do you know where you’d be if you die tonight?”  The core message, of course, is that we’re … Continue reading Why do I believe? Part 13 — Not for Heaven’s Sake »

Challenging conventional doctrine, Culture wars and Current events, Justice

How my faith impacts my politics

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With some frequency, some of my Bible-believing friends who tend toward the conservative end of American politics ask me how I can justify my more left-leaning political views.  More than a few have expressed genuine consternation that anyone who believes in Jesus could possibly vote Democratic (as I often have), or could oppose certain Republican priorities (as I usually do even when I’m not happy … Continue reading How my faith impacts my politics »

Apologetics, Challenging conventional doctrine

Why Do I Believe? Part 11 – It’s not all positive … Theodicy

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The thing that irritates me about most apologists is that they’re so damn sure of themselves. Not all of them are as cocky as William Lane Craig (who, in my estimation, uses sophistry and intimidation to cover up sloppy thinking). However, even gentle ones like Josh McDowell or Ravi Zacharias seem, at least in the stuff I’ve read, to present a neat, airtight package devoid … Continue reading Why Do I Believe? Part 11 – It’s not all positive … Theodicy »

Apologetics, Challenging conventional doctrine

Why Do I Believe? Part 12 – My personal experience is no help!

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In some ways, this may be the most difficult bit I’ve written in my whole apologetics series.  I’ve wrestled with whether to post it at all, but I feel honesty demands it.  If I’m going to talk about why I believe what I do, I can’t ignore the fact that my personal experience of the divine is a big fat nothing.  So here goes … … Continue reading Why Do I Believe? Part 12 – My personal experience is no help! »

Apologetics, Challenging conventional doctrine, Creeds, evangelism

Why do I believe? Part 5 – A parenthetical apologia

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One of the greatest comedy movies of all time, I am convinced, is The Princess Bride.  And one of my many favorite lines, when Inigo has heard Vizzini describe one too many things as “inconceivable,” is “You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means.”  Well, that can certainly be said about apologetics, as I realized when a … Continue reading Why do I believe? Part 5 – A parenthetical apologia »

Apologetics, Challenging conventional doctrine, Creeds, Culture wars and Current events, evangelism, Salvation

“Speaking of Jesus – The Art of Not-Evangelism” by Carl Medearis (book review)

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This is a review, but mostly a recommendation, of Carl Medearis’ book Speaking of Jesus – The Art of Not-Evangelism.  I’ll get to the review in a minute, but I’ll start by saying up front:  seriously, this is a book you should buy and read.  If you’re a Christian who’s interested in evangelism, you should read it.  If you’re sick to death of Christians trying … Continue reading “Speaking of Jesus – The Art of Not-Evangelism” by Carl Medearis (book review) »