should church creeds and confessions change with advances in human knowledge?

Last updated on: March 19, 2014 at 7:15 pm By Peter Enns

…while the reality of God and God’s acts for human salvation in Christ remain constant, human apprehension of their truth and significance changes and develops. Our access to the truths is through historically, culturally and socially conditioned interpretations. Credal statements do not escape this and are therefore not immutable. That we live in different, and equally limited and partial, historical, cultural and social conditions entails…that, even when we repeat the same words as the writers of Scripture or the formulators of the... Read more

a random thought on being shapers of our theological traditions

Last updated on: March 16, 2014 at 8:56 pm By Peter Enns

Taking seriously our embodiment as finite and as situated within a particular space and time means that we are all inevitably placed somewhere within an unfolding historical and cultural tradition and that thinking we are able to attain a universal and timeless understanding through the exercise of critical reasoning is illusory. We are both shaped by tradition and shapers of tradition in that we construe our tradition in particular ways in order to guide our present and our future. The quote is from Andrew T.... Read more

Denis Lamoureux’s conclusion to his series on biblical genealogies

Last updated on: March 14, 2014 at 7:51 am By Peter Enns

Today we conclude the 6-part audio-slide series by Denis Lamoureux on biblical genealogies (part 1 is here). In this episode, Lamoureux summaries the main findings and conclusions of his previous episodes, namely how the genealogies of Jesus, the Patriarchs, and Adam function. He also reminds us of the “agenda” that drives him to make this series of slide shows in the first place. The audio-slide show can be accessed here. Lamoureux holds three earned doctoral degrees (dentistry, theology, and biology) and is associate professor... Read more

The Casualty Problem (Hardman, parts 3 of 3)

Last updated on: March 13, 2014 at 6:15 am By Peter Enns

Today we have the third and final post in Randy Hardman’s 3 part series on his experiences as an official Christian apologist and why he felt he had to move on from that vocation (see part one and part two). (Readers interested in similar posts on this theme can find them beginning here, here and here.) Hardman holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from Appalachian State University and will graduate this Spring from Asbury Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Biblical Studies and an... Read more

The Exodus of Inerrancy and Entrance Into Authenticity (Hardman, part 2 of 3)

Last updated on: March 12, 2014 at 7:09 am By Peter Enns

Today we continue our 3-part series by Randy Hardman on his experiences as an official Christian apologist and why he felt he had to move on from that vocation. (The first part is here, with an important disclaimer. Readers interested in similar posts on this theme can find them beginning here, here and here.) Hardman holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from Appalachian State University and will graduate this Spring from Asbury Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Biblical Studies... Read more

On Being an Ex-Apologist (Hardman, part 1 of 3)

Last updated on: March 11, 2014 at 7:37 am By Peter Enns

Below is the first of three posts by Randy Hardman on his experiences as an official Christian apologist and why he felt he had to move on from that vocation. (Readers may remember an earlier post with a similar theme.) Hardman speaks his truth from his experience and has a deep story to tell, some of which we read about in these posts (and I hope to see more of it in time). He holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion... Read more

North Korea and a reminder to western Christians

Last updated on: March 9, 2014 at 4:50 pm By Peter Enns

Each year my New Testament intro students watch a one hour video of N. T. Wright explaining the Gospel in a lecture entitled “Kingdom and Cross: The Forgotten Message of the Gospel.” Wright uses an analogy of four “speakers” in four corners of the room that need to be balanced so the entire musical score is heard in its fulness, as it is intended to be. Two of those Gospel speakers, Wright claims, are turned up too far in American... Read more

a story of questions, grace, and everyday prayer (interview with Micha Boyett)

Last updated on: March 7, 2014 at 10:23 am By Peter Enns

Today’s post is an interview with Micha Boyett, author of a spiritual memoir Found: A Story of Questions, Grace & Everyday Prayer, available now for pre-order and releases April 1. Micha (pronounced “MY-cah”) is a writer, blogger, and sometimes poet. A born and raised Texan, Micha lives in San Francisco with her husband, Chris, and their two sons. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and at at her blog Mama Monk at michaboyett.com. Found is Micha’s candid account of her own rediscovery of prayer–and faith–through Benedictine spirituality, a large... Read more

does the genealogy of Adam make Adam a real person (Lamoureux on genealogies part 5)

Last updated on: March 6, 2014 at 7:43 am By Peter Enns

Today we continue with part 5 of a 6-part audio-slide series by Denis Lamoureux on biblical genealogies (part 1 is here). This episode is called “Adam and the Biblical Genealogies,” and to address this issue, Lamoureux brings together two factors: (1) early Israel and oral traditions (which included short genealogies of real people), and (2) ancient science and origins (which involved retrojecting their experience of how reproduction works, reasoning back to a first couple). Connecting these two parts requires thinking (as much as we... Read more

quick preview of my next book, “The Bible Tells Me So” (or, respecting the Bible enough not to defend it)

Last updated on: March 5, 2014 at 9:44 am By Peter Enns

My next book is coming out at the end of August and the title is The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It. I lobbied for Pete Enns Tells Me So: Why Arguing with Pete Enns Is Futile (by Pete Enns), but the legal team at HarperOne would have none of that (using words like “sales figures,” “stupid,” and “get help” in their email). The book is just over 65,000 words long, and I am... Read more