How Cognitive Biases Produce Theological Syncretism

Last updated on: August 10, 2022 at 6:14 am By Brad Vaughn

Two things usually escape our notice: cognitive biases and theological syncretism. This is not surprising. When you’re generally unfamiliar with an idea, you’re less likely to understand it. What does this mean for us? We are unable to account for our biases and so succumb to theological syncretism rather than healthy contextualization. Definitions and Interpretations The seedbed for my thinking comes from Aaron Chalmers’ exceptional article “The Influence of Cognitive Biases on Biblical Interpretation” (BBR, 26.4). As I argue in... Read more

We are not made for online praise and blame

Last updated on: August 28, 2018 at 4:03 pm By Brad Vaughn

What happens when human relationships move online? How does the web affect our response to praise and shame? We first need to understand why "people" don't writing posts. Read more

Adam, Israel, and Union with Christ in Romans

Last updated on: August 28, 2018 at 4:04 pm By Brad Vaughn

Wendel Sun says “union with Christ” is central to New Testament theology. To make that assertion, one had better defend it from the Bible. Otherwise, we should dismiss it such claims as being mere personal preference, a theologian’s “pet doctrine.” Read more

Union with Christ creates a new people in Christ

Last updated on: August 28, 2018 at 4:04 pm By Brad Vaughn

whenever I heard phrases like “union with Christ,” I inwardly rolled my eyes. I thought it referred to a mystical concept with little relationship to the Bible and no practical importance for the Christian life. I was so wrong. Thankfully, Wendel Sun has just published a game changing book on the subject. Read more

Is honor significant for society?

Last updated on: August 29, 2018 at 3:11 pm By Brad Vaughn

Why does honor matter at a social level? Tamler Sommers’ Why Honor Matters offers several answers worth our consideration. Whatever your views on various social issues, there’s much to appreciate about Sommers’ comments. Sommers’ integrates the insights of multiple disciplines. Rather than sharping an ideological axe, he acknowledges nuance and recognizes the concerns of different groups. Here are a few issues addressed in the book: responding to refuges handling immigration restorative justice Honor, Crime, and Community The author recognizes advantages to... Read more

Love Lost for the Cause of Christ

Last updated on: August 21, 2018 at 9:56 am By Brad Vaughn

"I never made a sacrifice." It doesn't always feel like that. In Love Lost for the Cause of Christ, Brooks looks at three missionaries whose lives shunned the idea that finding "true love" was the most important thing in life. In fact, they found love but were willing to sacrifice it. Read more

Have Theologians No Sense of Shame? How the Bible Reconciles Objective and Subjective Shame

Last updated on: November 21, 2020 at 3:57 am By Brad Vaughn

Have you noticed how people use the word “shame” in different ways? What is the relationship between these perspectives on shame? These questions motivated me to write a newly published article in Themelios called “Have Theologians No Sense of Shame? How the Bible Reconciles Objective and Subjective Shame.” In it, I hope people will better grasp shame’s theological and practical significance.Everyone agrees that shame is a pervasive problem. Yet, in books and articles, we find writers often talk past one... Read more

Living without Honor is Immoral?

Last updated on: July 17, 2018 at 6:06 am By Brad Vaughn

How does honor shape our views of morality? How does not having an honor perspective influence moral behavior? We consider these questions in this third post in a series reviewing Tamler Sommers’ Why Honor Matters. (Click on links for Part 1, Part 2) What are Honor Norms? Sommers explores “norms” commonly found in honor cultures. He first explains, Norms are the rules or principles that govern human behavior within society. Every known society has norms, and human beings have an innate... Read more

How Honor Motives Moral Behavior

Last updated on: July 17, 2018 at 6:06 am By Brad Vaughn

When it comes to honor, Tamler Sommers is a realist, not a romantic. He challenges readers to set aside their assumptions about honor and morality. In so doing, we notice the pervasive and inescapable influence of honor on our lives. Honor and Identity In Why Honor Matters, he says, “Honor is social; it cannot exist for individuals in isolation” (p. 17). Sommers notes a distinction between honor and non-honor cultures–– they understand “identity” in different ways. Humans are inherently social... Read more

Why Honor Matters is a must read. Here’s why.

Last updated on: July 25, 2018 at 6:23 am By Brad Vaughn

Why Honor Matters will be one of the most significant and controversial books of the year. I waited almost a year to receive my copy of Tamler Sommers’ Why Honor Matters. I was not disappointed. It is now one of my favorite books on honor and shame. And, as you might know, I’ve read a lot of them, having written my dissertation and other publications on the subject. A Practical Perspective The author is a philosophy professor at the University of... Read more