I watched a Senator the other day read from a list of weapons the US has given Ukraine. Russia’s invasion and war on Ukraine is a crime against humanity. When the Russian patriarch and Putin bring God into the discussion, it is blasphemy. But it is no virtue to claim, “we gave Ukraine the ability to shoot down aircraft carrying hundreds of Russian troops.” Something is wrong with our “aid.” The impolite question is not asked. So I will. Who... Read more
Loving wisdom is the primary motivation in philosophical talks. A recent discussion with an evangelical theologian made realize the need for loving wisdom. This person was very concerned about two issues. The first was the continued evangelical support for Donald Trump. The other issue was the historical value of miracle stories. I am concerned about the first issue. But not so much about the historical importance of miracles. In the first case, History matters. In the second case, it does... Read more
Experience is a great teacher. This quality has come under scrutiny among many conservative Wesleyans. I do not understand these attacks. They are attempts to wrest authority away from a person or a group of people’s means of understanding truth. Ben Witherington makes the mistake of equating experience with emotion or “feelings” in his blogpost “Jonathan Edwards and The Ongoing Crisis in the Methodist Church.” While I agree too many people make that mistake, I believe the critics are ready... Read more
It happened yesterday. I did not see it. But some pastor or church somewhere crucified Jesus for Easter. The claim ‘Christ is Risen’ was buried under “Jesus died for your sins.” Preachers are tempted by the size of the audiences on Easter Sunday to throw in the rest of Holy Week. There is an assumption that visitors on Easter need “to hear the Gospel preached.” Pastors then do exactly the thing that makes people avoid church the rest of the... Read more
What was Jesus doing on Holy Saturday? Was he really in or spiritually out of the tomb? Among all the legends surrounding Jesus, my favorite is the Harrowing of Hell. Jesus is busy for the time in the tomb. He is bringing people out of Hell. Many enigmatic passages in the New Testament give credence to an early belief in this story. The atonement theory of Christus Victor is based in the belief. Even though it is not a completely coherent... Read more
The guide said it over and over again. “Just to give you an idea.” An idea is definitely not an experience. It is impossible to hand over one’s own experience to another person. Our guide was a former inmate in the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. It once housed James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr. It was a maximum security facility. The former prison is now a museum and distillery. Tourists like me show up and learn... Read more
The controversy over the so-called “Bethany gospel” is not going away anytime soon. I decided on a bet with my cousin Indy that I could make a translation of it quicker than him. Here is my offering My Translation [He] arrived just before the Passover. The spectacle was embarrassing. I thought about how far we had fallen. There was a time when we Jews had some dignity about us. When Alexander of Macedonia rode into Jerusalem. The crowds cheered him... Read more
Recent reports of mass graves of civilian casualties once again raise the ire of observers. The only continent with no mass graves is Antarctica. The majority may be in Europe. And these observations say more about human beings and civilization than I care to know. While some mass graves have been necessities due to natural disasters, most are the result of genocidal rage, resentment, conspiracy theories, and the desire to destroy. 21st Century Americans will consider mass executions immoral acts.... Read more
Psychiatry no longer says I am an alcoholic. The modern term is “alcohol abuse disorder.” People in Alcoholics Anonymous continue to use the term “alcoholism.” The condition is a disease. The word disorder just does not sound right. My psychiatrist uses both terms. “Relapse is part of the disease,” she says. AA says, “Relapse is not a requirement of the disease.” The discussion makes me think about how grace is involved in healing the addicted person. If an addict relapses,... Read more
Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock is the event of the present media cycle. It was a doozy too. The people are divided. Mine friends who have done stand up comedy look down on Smith. Other friends believe it was a gallant defense of the honor of his wife. Are you Team Rock or Team Smith? The Slap Case Mr. Smith’s action has the appearance of an heroic move. His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, is insulted by Mr. Rock. Mr.... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In