Was Arminius an inclusivist? Some time ago, on a different discussion list, I was criticized for claiming that Arminius was an inclusivist. That criticism has come up again at the following blog: www.thearminian.org/2011/10/demarcating-wesleyan-arminianism.html. This person has also commented here recently and I posted his comment together with this link adding my own response that I don’t see the advantage of Arminians arguing heatedly among ourselves over something so secondary to our main cause. The blogger in question says (in a... Read more

So, we come to the end of another long, long “holiday season” that now begins sometime before Thanksgiving and lasts until at least New Years Day and, this year, anyway, through the day after that. Let me say first that I thoroughly enjoyed this year’s “holiday season” because it afforded special opportunities to spend time with family. I have absolutely no complaints about the family or religious aspects of these holidays and the season surrounding them–except that it’s difficult to... Read more

Going where angels fear to tread: a response to “Christian feminism” Anyone who pays close attention to my writings and especially to my blog knows I am an advocate of women’s rights and equality of women with men (and vice versa). My wife and I have enjoyed an egalitarian marriage for almost 40 years. I have two adult daughters I (with my wife) raised to resist any attempts to limit their potentials due to their gender. Within evangelical and Baptist... Read more

For God So Loved the World…That He Couldn’t Stay Away: A Christmas Meditation This is the heart of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and therefore of authentic Christianity: the incarnation of God as “one of us.” Take it away and Christianity is little more than a moralistic, therapeutic deism. The incarnation, as event and doctrine, is the distinctive note of the Christian witness and the basis of Christian hope. But many Christians believe in the incarnation... Read more

(If you’re not sure what “Atheismusstreit” means–google it.) This is my blog so I declare victory in the argument about atheism and nihilism. Unfortunately, very few who have joined in the argument (from the atheist side) have even understood what it’s all about. I suspect much of their confusion is caused by a misunderstanding of what I mean by “objective.” But what causes me to declare victory (not for me but for the argument) is the failure of any atheist... Read more

I have posted many atheists’ critical responses to my two posts about atheism and nihilism. Many other comments have gone in the trash bin because they were rabid and not civil. However, I am dismayed by the fact that few, if any, of my atheist interlocutors have really understood the argument. Most have read things into my posts that simply were not there. Henceforth I will only post responses that reflect real reading and at least rudimentary grasp of what... Read more

Why Not Atheism? Recently I posted here under the title “Thank God for Atheists.” In spite of that title, and some positive things I said about atheists and their contribution to authentic Christianity, several atheists came here to attack me calling me names and making unsubstantiated assertions (no arguments, just ad hominem attacks) about Christians and theists in general. I didn’t approve those for viewing here. However, a couple of atheists asked, perhaps sincerely, why I think theism is more... Read more

What I mean, of course, is “Thank God for allowing atheists to be atheists.” I DON’T mean “Thank God for atheism!” But I also think atheists do Christians a service–unintentionally, of course. My thoughts today are stimulated by the passing of famous atheist author Christopher Hitchens (who died Thursday). Hitchens was, of course, the author of the 2007 book God is Not Great (which is anything but a great book). And they are sparked by an article in The New... Read more

Over the years, since I “came out” publicly among evangelicals as an Arminian (beginning with my 1999 Christianity Today article “Don’t hate me because I’m an Arminian”) Ihave received many books and manuscripts about Calvinism and Arminianism from authors. Often they CLAIM to have discovered a via media between Calvinism and Arminianism or a biblical alternative to both. In most cases (perhaps every case!) I have found them to be promoting either Calvinism or Arminianism without knowing it. In other... Read more