Why Are We (In the U.S.A.) Headed toward a Police State?   Some time ago here I suggested that the U.S., a society that promotes itself as the “land of the free,” is headed gradually but discernably toward becoming a police state. All one has to do to discern the validity of this concern is pay attention to the news. Some police, prosecutors and judges, to say nothing of federal agencies, seem able to act outside the spirit of the... Read more

What Is the “Image of God” in the Human? A Place for Christians to Begin Thinking about the “Transhuman” In my most recent post here I raised ethical questions about the idea of “transhumanity” or “posthumanity”—technology being used to transcend normal humanity into “humanity plus.” So far as I can tell there are no examples of this yet; only ideas that seem possible to some people given the tremendous technological enhancements created and offered to persons with physical disabilities and... Read more

“Transhumanism” and Ethics: An Invitation to Discussion of a Cultural “Cutting Edge” Increasingly one reads about “transhumanism”—a broad and diverse movement to promote the fundamental transformation of humanity individually or collectively through technology. Transhumanism is not merely the promotion of human physical and mental enhancement but transformation. In other words, via technology, it is hoped, the human will evolve into a new life form with abilities not afforded by biology or current technology. This new life form will be “transhuman”—more... Read more

All last week (March 9-13, 2015) I was in Bellingham, Washington video taping two courses on historical theology for the MobileEd division of FaithLife–the new name of Logos Software. I’m not sure when the courses will be available for purchase, but eventually anyone will be able to watch them and interact with the lectures via links embedded in the texts (for a fee, of course). The FaithLife folks were extremely hospitable to me and I thank them for all their help... Read more

Somewhere Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel) wrote that “Your job is not to fit in but to standout.” One could debate the veracity and usefulness (or not) of that statement all day. I’d say it’s wrong and unhelpful insofar as it is taken as a motto for extreme individualism. However, if it means a person should not regard herself as merely part of the “crowd” but seek to excel it’s true. So much depends on how it’s interpreted. I don’t know... Read more

I was recently asked by a student whether there are any important Christian doctrines, beliefs all Christians should embrace and confess, that can be found and supported ONLY in and by the Old Testament. He was not asking about nuggets of spiritual wisdom, inspiring verses, historical events, etc. He was asking me whether there are doctrines to be believed and confessed by all Christians that cannot be found only in and supported by the New Testament but that we must... Read more

Can “Authentic Christianity” Be Found Today? Like many Christians I grew up in a church that was committed to restoring the “New Testament church”—as it was in the first century. This impulse is called “restorationism.” (I only capitalize that term when referring to a particular tradition known to scholars as “Restorationism” whose main contemporary offshoots are the Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Churches, and the Disciples of Christ. Except, of course, when the term is first in a sentence.) Restorationism... Read more

Confessions of an Egalitarian Complementarian The topic is gender. It’s a minefield. Anyone who dares to step into it must be prepared to be injured. Especially in American academic institutions it’s a minefield. And it is a major point of division among evangelical Christians. I speak from within both contexts. In academia we are in a time of recovery from rampant patriarchalism and that has led to some over reactions. Two trends are noticeable. First, any acknowledgement of real difference... Read more

The Sin of Tribalism There are many things Christians ought to resist among themselves. Not because salvation depends on that but because they are pernicious to a healthy relationship with God and others in the family of God. And because they give Christians and our God a bad name among those who watch us. Christians are aware of some of them but seemingly unaware of others that are rampant and destructive. Tribalism is one too many Christians fall prey to... Read more

Another Great “Moderate Baptist” Leader on the Necessity of Doctrines   Recently I quoted at length here a statement by moderate Baptist leader and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship founder Cecil Sherman who argued that “the faith once for all delivered” must be preserved and not tampered with or discarded. Another hero of many moderate Baptists (neither out-and-out liberal nor fundamentalist) is Edgar Young Mullins (1860-1928). E. Y. Mullins (as he is usually named) was arguably the most influential leader of Southern... Read more