The Public Theology of Noreen Herzfeld

Last updated on: July 4, 2023 at 12:38 pm By Ted Peters

The Public Theology of Noreen Herzfeld Patheos PT 5011 Public Theology? What is it? Meet Noreen Herzfeld. An upright Quaker with Lutheran leanings, Dr. Herzfeld’s investments in theological reflection enrich both the church and the surrounding culture. Let’s ask her what she thinks about public theology. Let’s ask her specifically: how should we steer the public theologian’s skiff in the wake of AI’s battle cruiser? Like so many other Quakers, Noreen has set sail on the cartel of nonviolence. Ports?... Read more

Christmas: the Great Human Dignity Conferral

Last updated on: December 14, 2021 at 11:44 am By Ted Peters

What is a progressive Christian? A progressive Christian confers dignity on all those who have been denied dignity. Actually, this is the mission of all Christians, not only the progressive ones. Actually, this is the mission of all citizens. By giving attention to the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the tax collectors, Jesus conferred dignity on each one. Whereas these marginalized had experienced lack of respect if not humiliation, Jesus conferred God’s worth on each person. Christmas means that... Read more

Are Jesus-Substitutes Blasphemy?

Last updated on: November 30, 2021 at 8:59 pm By Ted Peters

Who belongs in the manger? Who belongs on the cross? Jesus? Or, a Jesus-substitute? Does a Jesus-Substitute commit blasphemy? Christian iconography and art collapses the historical Jesus into the artist’s context. Hermeneutically, this is the principle of application or applicatio. The saving work of Jesus Christ is pro me, for me, Martin Luther emphasized (Stjerna). Because nobody took a video or photograph of the historical Jesus, every artistic depiction includes a constructive interpretation by the artist. The critical postmodern interpreter... Read more

Sin 5: Sin Boldly!

Last updated on: December 15, 2022 at 11:29 am By Ted Peters

When in a dilemma in which no purely right decision can be made, sin boldly and take action. Read more

Is Justice Just a Chain of Serial Violence? Rittenhouse One More Time

Last updated on: November 27, 2021 at 12:31 pm By Ted Peters

Is justice a serial killer? Or, with perhaps a tad more nuance: is justice just a chain of serial violence? Or, with still more nuance: when we pursue social justice do we risk scapegoating and, thereby, perpetuate the chain of violence unendingly? The public theologian, armed with the doctrine of original sin, engages in discourse clarification as a means of shedding light on dark moments of history. The chain of events leading to the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse and its... Read more

Christmas presents and God’s grace: Are they really gifts?

Last updated on: December 1, 2021 at 4:36 pm By Ted Peters

Is that Christmas present with your name on it really a gift? When the New Testament tells us that we are saved by God’s grace, is salvation really a gift? Were the Protestant Reformers wrong when they touted, sola gratia (by grace alone)? Do all gifts of grace require reciprocity? Reformation evangelicals insist that God is gracious and that we fallen and sinful creatures benefit from God’s gifts of grace such as creation and redemption. Yet, some philosophers—some theologians too--claim... Read more

Sin 4: the Invisible Scapegoat

Last updated on: December 15, 2022 at 11:27 am By Ted Peters

The dead soldier is America’s invisible scapegoat. All living soldiers are also sacred because they “risk their life” for our freedom. This should be problematic for Christians. For Christians, Jesus Christ is the Final Scapegoat because his death on the cross puts an end to the distorted delusion that some mechanism of sacrifice can purify us. When we scapegoat, we justify violence. We justify sin. We separate ourselves from God. The regrettable task of the public theologian is to make the invisible visible. Read more

Is AI a Shortcut to Virtue? Or to Holiness?

Last updated on: June 16, 2023 at 9:46 am By Ted Peters

Is AI a Shortcut to Virtue? Or to Holiness? H+ 2005 Could AI (Artificial Intelligence)–or even better IA (Intelligence Amplification)–make us more moral? More virtuous? More holy? Could we program intelligence enhancement to speed up our deification? Our theosis? Are these reasonable questions? Yes. After all, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, says “AI could be our savior.” So, let’s ask questions about the moral, ethical, spiritual, and sanctifying implications of AI and IA. Here I will continue the discussion of... Read more

The Public Theology of the Black Pastor

Last updated on: July 4, 2023 at 12:52 pm By Ted Peters

The Public Theology of the Black Pastor Patheos PT 5015 The power of the black pastor! Even if the black pastor says nothing, we see public theology at work. This is revealed in what a defense attorney says. “We don’t want any more black pastors coming in here.” What?! Really!? “If we’re going to start a precedent, starting yesterday, where we’re going to bring high-profile members of the African American community into the courtroom to sit with the family during... Read more

Are Alien Scientists the Real Gods?

Last updated on: July 31, 2023 at 4:06 pm By Ted Peters

Are Alien Scientists the Real Gods? SR 1171 UFO 1 “An advanced scientific civilization could be an approximation to what we called ‘God’.” This is what Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb told those attending the “Our Future in Space” program at the Washington Cathedral on November 10, 2021. Watch carefully: Avi Loeb touts the ETI myth. Will aliens put Yahweh of the Bible out of a job? Will Shiva, Vishnu, Marduk, and the Great Spirit also line up for unemployment checks?... Read more