Every Known Theistic Approach to Old Testament “Texts of Terror” The phrase “texts of terror” usually refers to stories in the historical books of the Hebrew Bible that describe God as commanding his people to slaughter groups of men, women and children and “show them no mercy” (to quote on such command). Here I will lay out all the theistic approaches to interpreting these texts I am aware of. Every “other” approach I know about seems to me to fall... Read more

In about a week to ten days I will begin discussing That We May Be One: Practicing Unity in a Divided Church by Gary B. Agee (Eerdmans, 2022). Be careful because there are other books with the same basic title (That We May Be One). Buy the right one. It is available for Kindle. I am attracted to this book because I am a masochist. I have written two “Against” books—Against Calvinism and Against Liberal Theology. Agee mounts a biblical... Read more

Before the German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, Christian talk about God “becoming” was shockingly heretical. It still is in some conservative Christian circles. Hegel started the ball rolling by talking about all consciousness becoming; for him there is no consciousness that does not become. For him, finite and infinite consciousness are intertwined together and by the very nature of consciousness itself both become through a dialectical process that involves negation and sublation (German: Aufhebung, suspension and transformation). After Hegel,... Read more

Everyone involved in Christian higher education knows that many contemporary liberal American colleges and universities were once quite conservative and even evangelical. This trend has become so well-known and talked about in evangelical academic circles that many people are highly sensitive to any rumor or hint of progressive thinking or teaching in their alma mater or college/university/seminary associated with their church or denomination. I served in American evangelical higher education for forty years. I avoided administration. One of my seminary... Read more

I have taught Christian theology in three major evangelical Christian universities over forty years. I also served as editor of a scholarly journal supported by fifty of them. Each one sent a representative to our annual board meeting and I communicated with them often about a wide range of subjects, often about controversies surrounding their universities. (Some were colleges that had not yet chosen to change to “universities.”) That is to say I have a wide and deep acquaintance with... Read more

When asked what kind of Christian you are, most people would name a denomination. Or, at least that’s the way it was. “Catholic,” “Orthodox,” “Lutheran,” “Presbyterian,” “Baptist,” etc. That’s not the kind of answer sought here. I’m going back to a very strong custom among especially conservative, evangelical Christians in the US when I was growing up. My parents were Pentecostals. My father was a Pentecostal pastor for 53 years. He pastored only two churches during that time. Many of... Read more

What is a “heresy?” The dictionary helps little. As a religion scholar and theologian (four graduate degrees) I claim qualification to define it. No doubt some will disagree. A heresy is a serious deviation from a normed and norming doctrine of a religious community. “Heterodoxy” is a less serious one. Examples: For most Christian communities, including the World Council of Churches, “Jesus is God and Savior”is the central, unifying Christian doctrine. It is normed by the Bible and tradition and... Read more

All Christians believe there is only one God—Yahweh—who exists as three “persons” or “hypostases.” (The word “person” is problematic because of American individualistic culture. Augustine rightly said we do not say “persons” because we want to but because we have no alternative.) However, traditionally, Christian theologians have argued that our one God has only one nature whereas Jesus Christ, God incarnate, has two natures—human and divine. But, if Jesus is still human, as the Bible more than implies, doesn’t God... Read more

Recently I posted an essay here about the concept of “apostasy.” Here I will add to that and correct some commenters’ objections. The dictionary defines “apostasy” as either abandoning one’s religious identity or renouncing it. My question was whether a self-identified Christian who joined a non-Christian church or religion has committed apostasy. As a theologian, I said that “apostasy” is usually understood by theologians to mean two things, either together or separately: 1) Falling away from grace, or 2) Abandoning... Read more

During the 1930s in Germany some German Protestants declared themselves “German Christians” and openly supported the Nazi Party and Hitler. They declared them a new revelation from God and more than implied that Hitler was a savior, at least of the German people. They gave uncritical and total support to Hitler and hailed him as God’s leader. Even some Protestant theologians joined in this movement, refusing to join the “Confessing Church” that arose in opposition to Hitler and the Nazi... Read more