Musings about Prayer: What It Is and Does Prayer is not exactly a controversial hot button issue, but maybe it should be. Not that I want it to divide people or want people to fight over it. My point is that people, and here I’m concerned mainly about Christians, should think about prayer as well as pray. Is everything called “prayer” really prayer in a biblical and theological sense? Does simply calling a practice prayer make it so? Also, can... Read more

A Few Words about Oppression So, for the last week, we’ve been talking here about feminism. I want to thank all those who have contributed in constructive ways. We need more spaces where people concerned about oppression in society can discuss their different perspectives without rancor or dismissiveness. We’ve discovered that there is no universal agreement or even consensus about exactly what that word means. Perhaps we should talk about “feminisms,” rather than “feminism” as if that is a monolithic... Read more

Please excuse the inevitable errors here; I’m using an ipad whose virtual keyboard is new to me. I hope to stimulate some constructive dialogue with these questions. I apologize in advance for any inadvertant offenses I may cause. I am reading bell hooks’ Feminist Theory (2nd ed.) and I hope to learn from it. (For those who might not know she does not capitalize her names.) So, with some fear and trepidation, here are my questions: 1) If power corrupts,... Read more

I invited someone I admire and respect, who considers herself a feminist, to provide a guest blog post about feminism. It follows here. I have to say, as with all guest posts, that it does not necessarily reflect my own views. But I wouldn’t post it to my blog if I didn’t think it worthy of serious consideration. (P.S. I will not post to my blog responses that are not constructive in some way: at the very least civil, respectful... Read more

Long ago someone said that orthodoxy has heresy to thank for its existence. What he meant was that before there was heresy, as we generally think of that as “theological correctness” there was heresy. All the major tenets of Christian orthodoxy were carved out in response to false teachings among Christians. Now, however, the word heresy has become problematic in most circles, secular and Christian. So has orthodoxy. Like many good words and concepts these have been stretched to the... Read more

Thoughts about A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans I had planned to wait until the last week of October to review this book—as requested by the publisher. The book’s official publication date is October 30, but it is already being widely discussed and criticized by people who have received “advance reader’s copies” (like me). Some complementarian bloggers are attacking it without reading it (based on what they’ve heard about it from others who may or may not... Read more

Recently someone asked me to recommend books that will help understand creeds and confessional statements. I mentioned Philip Schaff’s magisterial (but outdated) Creeds of Christendom. Here are three excellent sources for your consideration: Creeds of the Churches: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present by John H. Leith (John Knox Press). I hope it is still in print. If not, I’m sure used copies are available at the usual outlets on line. Christian Confessions: A Historical... Read more

Why I Like Denominations One of the sea changes taking place in American religious life is a popular turn away from denominations. Some say we are entering, if not already in, a “post-denominational” era. Nearly all traditional denominations are struggling with membership declines and revenue shortfalls. As I put my ear to the ground of popular opinion about religion, I hear rumblings of discontent about denominational labels and behaviors and a preference for what I call “plain label” Christianity. I,... Read more

Reasons for Believing the Bible is God’s Word Whenever I talk about biblical inerrancy or the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit (as the basis for believing the Bible to be God’s Word) the same questions arise. People ask: 1) How can I trust the Bible to be true theologically if there are any errors in it? and 2) How does the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit escape sheer subjectivism? Here are my answers. 1) If you are depending... Read more

In The Spectrum of Evangelicalism (to which I contributed a chapter and responded to other authors’ chapters), Al Mohler touted what he calls “confessing evangelicalism.” I suspect he thinks I’m not one. In fact, he more or less wrote (in his response to my chapter and the book’s conclusion) that I’m not an evangelical at all. He said it in a nice way, though. 🙂 I want to go on record that I AM (!) a “confessing evangelical.” Many people... Read more