Recently, I announced that I was switching from theology to philosophy. I understand it caused some consternation and confusion. I hope this corrects that. Theology is not the same as Religious Studies or Biblical Studies. Theology is speculative discussion on what ultimately exists in the supernatural realm. What is God? Who is God? What other beings exist beyond our perception and how do they act? The reasons we care about such things is how should life in our world be... Read more

Before Christians became gladiators, they were the victims of gladiatorial contests. Mostly, this was done in “the arena” to begin the days’ events. Send a few traitors and criminals in to be torn up by wild animals to get the crowds really going. My own county hosts a “Christian boxing club.” And most churches, including my own, use Super Bowl Sunday to raise money for a local food bank. We say, “the Lord moves in mysterious ways>” I also understand... Read more

Bill O’Reilly recently stated that he was angry at God because all of the attention given to Mr. O’Reilly’s alleged bad behavior. I have heard other people express their displeasure against the divine for a number of reasons. Lee Strobel, the evangelical author, once claimed that during a period of atheism in his life he was angry at God for not existing. As paradoxical as that sounds, I suspect he was not the first person to ever be in that... Read more

I reminded my Bishop last June how during a service celebrating racial reconciliation that she had served my family Holy Communion (she was not a bishop then). I told her I was in favor of full inclusion in our Church and that she was stuck with me. She said it was fine with her. I take her at her word. But, it has not always been that way in our churches. We have congregations that will take issue with a... Read more

Fundamentalism and evangelicalism have become synonymous terms. Popular usage demonstrates that the words mean the same thing. Liberty University is considered evangelical while a generation ago its founder Jerry Falwell described himself as “fundamentalist.” We no longer need academic hair-splitting to define the terms. They each share the most important characteristics. They are intellectually and morally bankrupt. Jesus accused the Jewish leaders of his day with “straining out gnats but swallowing camels” (Matthew 23:24b). And so in March 2003 fundamentalists... Read more

Christian people wish to experience love, grace, and beauty. St. Paul urged the Philippians to allow their minds to dwell on those things as well as other admirable attributes. Conversely, we do not wish to experience exploitation, destruction, and death. The world as it is seeks “justice” as the primary virtue of an established order. And so a system of laws are put into place to enforce or impose order on society at large. The understanding demonstrated here is that... Read more

Arthur Conan Doyle once stated that the colorful bloom of a flower is simply an extra. The color was beautiful and had no functional reason for being colorful. Botanists argue that the color of the flower attracts specific pollinators which are in turn looking for specific nectar. The argument only minimizes Doyle’s point. Large-brained upright hominids enjoy the bright colors and sweet smells of flowers. What the scientists sees as a biological by product is a source of pleasure to... Read more

Vacation time is supposed to be a time for recreation and renewal with relaxation. I spent mine contemplating the assertions of Leonardo Boff in his Toward and Eco-Spirituality and Joel Salatin’s The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs. No, I am not obsessed with work. I am obsessed with life. Since theology is a discipline of made-up words, Thomas Berry called himself a “geologian.” I could be called a “biologian.” But I must say I don’t like the term. To me life... Read more

Conflict avoidance has become so much a part of our lifestyle that even devout believers conclude to depart as a protest rather than to meet an issue head-on. Planning one’s own exit is merely an act of cowardice. Discretion is not the better part of valor if conflict avoidance is the rule when conflict resolution is what is called for in the battles we face. And yet, how many times do we hear the words in church gatherings “if…then I... Read more

There is a difference between orthodox christian doctrine – the basic doctrine of Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, and eastern Orthodox churches – and christian fundamentalism. On the surface the more conservative voices of the orthodox position appear the same as the fundamentalists. Yet, the difference is a watershed difference. It is a difference of where the teachings lead and how Christians are to engage the greater culture surrounding them. As modern evangelicalism becomes more confused, we see traditional doctrines breaking down... Read more