Assembling Our Theology – the Wesleyan Quadrilateral In my last post here, I expressed my surprise that Al Mohler and others were arguing that theism–the idea that God is active today in the world–is at stake in the age of earth debates. Like his argument or not, the argument clearly assumes that one has little to no basis for believing that God acts today apart from a YEC view of Genesis 1-3. The oddity of this argument and the ease... Read more
Now the big one: What do non-Christians think of Christians? This chp is an examination of one of the most common observations made in the last decade, and it is an observation made often among emerging folks. I’ve made the same one. This chp is the chp that made me think we’ve got to get more rigorous in what we think about Christians in America. We are looking at Brad Wright, Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites…and Other Lies You’ve Been Told:... Read more
Gina Dalfonzo created a story of a young Christian woman’s struggle with living out the dating advice of Christian circles … from waiting to not dating to not being able to find a date to dating and then marrying a non-Christian guy. The tossings and turnings of her life stands out. One of the more remarkable elements of this story in the changing perception among Christians of her status. Her story raises a serious issue: What did you learn about... Read more
The second part of Psalm 23 shifts at v. 5 from God as Shepherd to God as hospitable host. Again, we are reading through J. Goldingay (Psalms 1), and you can see the text of Psalm 23 after the jump. YHWH prepares the table in advance. YHWH does this in the presence of his enemies. YHWH anoints his head with oil. YHWH fill his cup to overflowing. Consequently, as the psalmist looks on this wonderful blessing of God, he says... Read more
We had some excellent conversations last week centered on my post Houston, Here’s the Situation and T’s post The Credibility of Our Christian Faith. A regular reader commented on both of these posts suggesting that we should refocus the conversation and consider the key theological issue involved in the creation story as the origin of sin and evil rather than the age of the earth. He has a point. So today I am going to highlight his comments, make a... Read more
This post is by my friend John Frye, who blogs at: Jesus the Radical Pastor. He’s got a very important point, and it is one that ties with T’s post last Friday: Discernment through the Spirit on how to live today. Do we really believe in the Spirit? Or, do we believe in Scripture alone and that Spirit is entirely contained there? Or, does the Spirit lead us to do things today the way the Spirit led Jesus to break... Read more
A Roman Catholic professor, employed both by the Newman center and by the Univ of Illinois, was fired when it was determined that his teaching on homosexuality was contrary to standards at the Univ of Illinois. I first read at the Tribune. This event has led Univ of Illinois to reconsider its relationship with the Catholic Church. Also see here (from links below). Thoughts? Faculty at the University of Illinois will review the case of a religion professor removed from... Read more
Commenting on Psalm 23 is like commenting on the Lord’s Prayer. The text has come to mean so much to so many that anyone’s comments fall short. Again, our guide is John Goldingay: (Psalms 1). Reading Psalm 22 is like watching a pious person wrestle mightily with God, with the self, with others, and with what the person believes in the innermost heart and soul and mind. The psalm is one of expressing utter trust and reliance upon God, and... Read more
This is the chp some of you are waiting for. In this chp, Brad Wright examines the big one: Are Christians loving? And I’m going to depart from normal custom and give the results first: When it comes to measures of love and compassion, Christians do well compared to society. They are neighborly, forgiving, and care for the poor. Church attendance increases the numbers for each. But, Christians, esp Evangelicals, don’t do well when it comes to accepting minorities, —... Read more
When you hear these two words, the words “evangelical” and “eschatology,” what is the first word that comes to mind? I’m asking you for the first thing that comes to mind. Here’s what would probably be said by conventional culture: “rapture.” What words are you hearing? What “eschatology” do you think evangelicals have? Steve Wilkens and Don Thorsen, both profs at Azusa Pacific, have a new book that takes on misperceptions of evangelicals. I like the title: Everything You Know... Read more
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