3 Things I Would Like to See Evangelical Leaders Stop Saying about Biblical Scholarship

Last updated on: January 10, 2013 at 10:14 am By Peter Enns

On occasion I come across some sweeping public claims made by Evangelical leaders about the state of biblical scholarship. These claims may be genuinely felt, but they are still false, though they persist in the Evangelical subculture. 1. Historical Criticism is either dying or at least losing momentum in academia. Rather than assuming that the Bible is revelatory (revealed by God, inspired) and therefore historically accurate, historical criticism seeks outside verification through various means of historical and textual analysis. Historical Criticism has... Read more

“But While He was Still Far Off” (or, what if God actually loves us?)

Last updated on: January 7, 2013 at 12:38 am By Peter Enns

But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion (Luke 15:20). A lot of people have heard of “the parable of the prodigal (i.e., wasteful) son.” Some translations call it “the parable of the lost son,” which is better but not quite there. I prefer “the parable of the jerk loser son.” Long story short (you can read the full version anytime you want to), the younger of two sons demands that his father give... Read more

Can Evangelical Colleges and Seminaries Be Truly Academic Institutions?

Last updated on: January 4, 2013 at 5:46 am By Peter Enns

Believe it or not, I’m not trying to pick a fight or be controversial here. It’s an honest question. I’ve been thinking about this for several years, and what has brought it back to mind is the recent spate of professors “resigning” (wink, wink) from their positions (see earlier posts here, here, and here). Here is the problem in a nutshell. Many evangelical colleges and seminaries in America were founded in no small part as centers for defending and propagating earlier traditional positions against forces... Read more

6 Helpful Hints for Blog Commenters So You Can Avoid Looking Criminally Insane

Last updated on: January 1, 2013 at 12:20 am By Peter Enns

I’ve been blogging for a couple of years now, and most of the comments I get are engaging–whether pro or con–and it’s been great fun and I’ve learned much from many of you. But over the past year, mainly since my book The Evolution of Adam came out, I’ve seen an increase in comments that leave me wondering whether having an internet connection should be as closely regulated as becoming a foster parent. So, for this next year, as you comment on my posts, please try... Read more

Jesus Himself Would Have Bought a Ticket and Waited on a Half Hour Line to See Les Miserables.

Last updated on: December 28, 2012 at 10:47 am By Peter Enns

If you’re not the church going kind of person, or if you were but left because Christians are fake and self-absorbed, or if your main exposure to Christianity has been TV evangelists or the Tea party, you ought to see this movie. Les Mis will help you see what the Bible means, and what the church at its best has meant, by “good news.” Sacrifice of self for the salvation of others. Don’t get hung up in the word “salvation.”... Read more

What do Turkey, Bethlehem, and Tennessee Have in Common? They Don’t Bode Well for the Conservative Christian Subculture

Last updated on: December 27, 2012 at 11:08 pm By Peter Enns

Today three pieces of news landed in my inbox that I wanted to comment on briefly. All three, though for different reasons, give conservative Christians something to think about. 1) This is not new news, but “Biblical History Daily” (Biblical Archaeological Review) posted a brief article, “The Göbekli Tepe Ruins and the Origins of Neolithic Religion.” I first heard of this a few years ago, and digs have been going on there since 1994. These ruins are of a 10,000 to 12,000 years old temple... Read more

The Bible is a Smelly, Gross, Pile of Rotting Garbage.

Last updated on: December 23, 2012 at 10:08 pm By Peter Enns

The Bible is like a compost pile. I like this image and I wish I had thought of it. But this idea comes from Walter Brueggemann’s Texts Under Negotiation. I came across this many years ago, and it’s helped me see the Bible in a more realistic and spiritually constructive way. The Bible is the compost pile that provides material for new life. I do not use this figure as an irreverent metaphor to suggest that the Bible is “garbage.” Rather, I use... Read more

What You Say Seems Strange to Us, So You Are Wrong and You Must Die

Last updated on: December 18, 2012 at 9:19 am By Peter Enns

I grabbed today’s post, with full permission, from the blog of Craig Vick, a pastor, who is a great guy, and I base that judgment on the fact that he and I agree on some things. Which brings me to today’s post. You’ll figure it out immediately, but for those few of you who, like me, need things spelled out: the story contains a lesson that can be applied to other contexts, say….oh just thinking off the top of my head…the ever-so-rare topic... Read more

On God, Shooting Children, and Having No Answers

Last updated on: December 15, 2012 at 12:26 pm By Peter Enns

Who cares what I think about all this. I’m not really sure if I care what I think about all this. I didn’t sleep well last night and I woke up sad and unsettled. For some reason, killing these 20 children and 6 adults in Connecticut yesterday burrowed deep into my heart and has decided to stay put for a while. What kind of a God would let….. This sort of thing happens all the time. We all know that. In recent months... Read more

Adam and Evolution: Praying, Going to Church, and Ancient Creeds Won’t Help

Last updated on: December 14, 2012 at 6:28 pm By Peter Enns

No, I am not against prayer, Jesus, the Bible, etc., so you can delete that comment you’re writing. I am saying that when it comes to dealing with Christianity and evolution, you have to deal with some data, namely scientific and historical. I am reacting here to an approach to the Christianity/evolution debate that I have seen raising its head and gaining some traction over the last year or so. The most recent example that comes to mind is an article in Christianity Today by Jamie Smith... Read more