There Is No Such Thing as “Just Fiction” *Note: If you choose to post a comment, make sure it is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), civil and respectful in language (not hostile or argumentative), and on topic. Do not include any links or pictures.* Some have told me “It’s just fiction.” I think their point is that there is no point to be discerned or perceived in the story (movie, television show, novel, etc.). I disagree. I believe... Read more

Theological Thoughts bounced off “Midnight Mass” *Note: If you decide to post a comment here, make sure it is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, civil and respectful in language (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of any links or photos.* Why am I thinking “aloud” (musing) here about the Netflix limited series “Midnight Mass?” I realize many readers will not have watched it. It’s long and sometimes tedious. The makers of this horror show and others... Read more

Is the Bible a Horror Story? *Note: If you choose to post a comment, know that this is not a discussion board; I moderate the comments and post only those that are: relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, civil and respectful in language (not argumentative or hostile). I do not approve comments that attempt to misuse my blog to promote the writer’s own alternative belief system. I also do not approve ones that contain links or photos.*... Read more

Putting the Bible in Its Place *If you choose to write a comment responding to this or any other blog post, please keep it relatively brief (no more than 100 words), civil and respectful in language (not argumentative or hostile), on topic, and devoid of any links or photos. Please do not attempt to misuse my blog to promote your own alternative belief system. Know that this is not a discussion board so not all comments will be approved or... Read more

How Did the Christian Bible Come to Be? *Note: If you choose to comment, please follow these guidelines: Keep it relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, civil and respectful in language (not hostile or argumentative), and void of links and photos. Please do not attempt to misuse my blog to promote your own, alternative beliefs system.* One of the questions I’m asked most often is how the books of our Bible(s) were collected into them. That is,... Read more

Beating a Dead Horse? More about Protestantism’s Decline *If you want to comment here, make your comment relatively brief (no more than 100 words, please), civil and respectful in language, not hostile or argumentative, and do not include any links or photos. Make sure your comment is on topic and do not attempt to misuse my blog to promote your own alternative belief system.* This is a follow up to my immediately preceding blog post about the apparent decline of... Read more

Where Is Protestantism? *Note: If you choose to comment, please keep it relatively brief (no more than 100 words), civil and respectful, not argumentative or hostile, and do not misuse this blog to promote your own alternative belief system. Do not include any photos or links. Know this is not a discussion board; it is like an opinion page in a newspaper. Not all “letters to the editor” get published and some that are published are edited.* Where is Protestantism?... Read more

What the COVID Pandemic Means for Churches *Note to would-be commenters: Keep it relatively brief (no more than 100 words) and on topic. Also civil and respectful, not argumentative or hostile. Do not include any links or photos.* I doubt we will know what the COVID pandemic means for American church life for a while. It’s possible, OF COURSE, that former church members and attenders will filter back to church over the next few years. Right now, however, all my... Read more

An Excellent, Literary, Christian Novel I have here often decried the lack of good, literate Christian fiction. So much Christian fiction is just bad, cheesy, unrealistic, poorly written. By “Christian fiction” I mean novels in which the main characters are overtly Christian and the “background” story involves Christian thinking about the world and God, etc. I’ve tried reading several such novels, but almost always I have ended up disappointed because the writing is bad and/or the plot is cheesy and... Read more

Are Pentecostals Fundamentalists? Part Two *Note to would be commenters: If you choose to comment, be sure to keep your comment relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, civil and respectful in language (not hostile or argumentative), and do not misuse my blog to promote your own alternative life philosophy, worldview or theology. Do not include any link or photo.* If you have not read Part One of this blog series, go back and read that before reading... Read more