Is Materialism a “Dogma” of Science? (Yes) Have you ever had the experience of staring at someone who doesn’t even know you’re near, perhaps in a crowded room, and have them turn and look back at you? I have. Numerous times. I carried out this personal experiment especially in airports and I have taken notice whether anyone in front of the people might be doing something that signals them they are being stared at by me. Rarely, if ever, was... Read more

Trump against “Evangelical Leaders” I hate to say I told you so, but I also enjoy it. A few years ago I wrote here, and The Hill picked it up, that IF his evangelical supporters do not support Trump whole heartedly and without qualifications on everything that matters to him, he will turn against them. See on Youtube “Trump lashes out at evangelical Christian leaders” (CNN). You must watch the video because Anderson Cooper and his commentators (who seem to... Read more

“What Is Fundamentalism?” For most of my life now, I have been intensely interested in the concept “fundamentalism.” I grew up in a rather conservative, evangelical, Pentecostal denomination and church. We were very moderately Pentecostal and from the top of the denomination down we considered ourselves evangelicals. Our denomination was a charter member of the National Association of Evangelicals. As I grew older and went through a great deal of education in religious studies and theology, I considered whether we... Read more

What Does Prayer Do? *Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.* This is the third blog post in a series about prayer. I have already established that prayer is “conversation with God” that can, of course, take many forms but is never entirely “wordless.” Over the years of my life among... Read more

More about “Wordless Prayer” *Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.* This is an addendum to my immediately preceding blog post about so-called “wordless prayer” (also “centering prayer” and “contemplative prayer”). Many of you who commented obviously do not understand what this practice is. It is not merely listening to God;... Read more

“There Is No Such Thing as “Wordless Prayer” *Note: If you choose to comment, make sure it is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.* I don’t remember exactly when I first encountered the idea of “wordless prayer” (also sometimes called “centering prayer” and/or “contemplative prayer”). But I know it was “all the rage” when I arrived to teach theology at Bethel... Read more

Whatever Happened to “Innocent Until Proven Guilty?” *Note: If you choose to comment, make sure to your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.* This is a matter of justice and therefore of ethics. All Americans should be concerned about this, including Christians. We should speak up about it in churches and elsewhere (e.g., letters to editors). A basic rule... Read more

Evangelicals and the Trinity   *Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topics, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links. Do not merely express a feeling or “gut reaction,” explain your reason for commenting thoughtfully. Don’t just preach a sermon or cite scripture or quote someone.* When I was a kid growing up in American evangelicalism…. Okay, I know... Read more

About Churches: They Are All Human *Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links. Know that this is not a discussion board; I do not approve every comment. I tend to approve those that are constructive, even if critical, and thoughtful.* I am frequently approached by people, Christians, who are thinking of... Read more

Fundamentalish: A New Term for an Old Phenomenon *Note: If you choose to comment, keep it brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not argumentative or hostile), and devoid of pictures or links. Know that this is not a discussion board; not all comments are approved for posting here. I look for constructive responses even if they are critical.* I have read many books and articles about Christian fundamentalism. I’m reading a major... Read more