Facts vs. Faith? Last evening I watched a few episodes of the TV series “Young Sheldon.” I have always guiltily enjoyed “The Big Bang Theory” in spite of the hedonism of some of its characters. I was talked into watching “Young Sheldon” because I had shied away from it, suspecting the writers would, as they indeed did, pit religion against science. In one scene, in a church, probably Southern Baptist (because of where Sheldon and his TV family lived then),... Read more

The Most Basic Problem in America Today What an audacious thing to dare to say! What is the most basic problem in America today? I’ve lived in America my whole live, with the exception of one year in Germany, and I have seen it change so dramatically that it is almost unrecognizable. When I sit back and wonder what is the most basic problem facing America today and causing so much chaos and confusion in America today, I cannot help... Read more

Truth and Trump I recently viewed and listened to a fascinating interview, conducted in Toronto, Canada, with Bob Woodward. For those of you who don’t know who he is, please “Google” him. I have followed his career since his days as an almost cub reporter for the Washington Post when, together with Carl Bernstein, he exposed President Richard Nixon’s crimes in the so-called “Watergate Affair.” The video I am recommending is on Youtube and is titled “Truth and Trump: An... Read more

About “Dogmas” and Closed-Mindedness What is a “dogma?” Dictionary definitions don’t always help. Words mean how people, especially scholars and experts, use them. A “dogma” is any idea or belief that is considered basic and is somehow required within a community. (Remember, these days “community” is a pretty broad concept.) If anyone within a community faces sanctions, formal or informal, for denying a widely held belief of the community, that makes it a dogma of that community. In the above... Read more

Are UFOs Real? Back to the Claim of “Scientific Dogmas” A few weeks ago here I suggested that my readers watch two Youtube videos. One was an episode of “Science Friday” in which a well-known physicist stated unequivocally that he is a “materialist” and that only atoms and molecules exist. What I found shocking was not so much that he said that but that Ira Flatow didn’t challenge it. The second video was by biologist Rupert Sheldrake about “dogmas of... Read more

How Essential is Doctrine to Christianity? Historically speaking, doctrine has always, until recently, been an essential part of Christianity. “Doctrine” here refers to official or semi-official beliefs held and taught by churches, especially to their members and constituents. Historically speaking, Christians have been people who believed conceptually, cognitively, and not only emotionally or in terms of affections and actions. What did we believe conceptually, cognitively? No matter what the denomination or tradition, even in the case of so-called “independent” churches,... Read more

A Radical Suggestion for Christian Educational Institutions During my forty years teaching religious studies and theology at four universities, three of them specifically Christian, I have been much involved with accreditation. If you are not familiar with “accreditation” I will briefly explain here. A college, university, professional school in the United States normally seeks and acquires accreditation from at least one leading accrediting society or association. These are not government entities, but normally they are influenced by the U.S. Department... Read more

Sing a New Song? I love satire, including Christian satire. I used to devour every issue of The Wittenburg Door (intentionally misspelled). Now I’ve moved on to Babylon Bee. Both are great Christian satire publications. Not that I agree with everything in them. But I think we evangelical Christians (and others) need jokers (jesters) among us to make us stop and re-think trends, fads and downright bad stuff happening among us. As you long-time followers of my blog know, I... Read more

What Is Gravity? A Theologian Learns about Physics Recently, here, some commenters have argued that a theologian has no right to talk about things outside his or her own field of knowledge—such as science. That’s nonsense. Theology is about everything. That is not to say, of course, that a theologian knows everything. That’s also nonsense. However, over the centuries theologians have studied many realms of reality in connection to our belief in God. I studied theology under German theologian Wolfhart... Read more

Maverick Scientists and a Spiritual Worldview Recently here I recommended that my readers listen to an episode of “Science Friday” featuring a physicist who openly called himself (several times) a “materialist” and said that all that exists are things made up of atoms and molecules. I objected that this is metaphysics, not science as such. The two get confused often. I also recommended that my readers watch a Youtube video by scientist Rupert Sheldrake about “morphic resonance” that contradicted certain... Read more