The Way We Were I’m not saying here that “the way we were” was perfect or even all good. We, conservative evangelical Christians of the 1950s and 1960s, were, like everyone else, a mixture of good and bad. I’m talking here, now, about our way of life then. I’m afraid we American evangelicals have largely lost our way. Is our new way better than the way we were? I’m not sure; I actually doubt it. We have largely succumbed to... Read more

Patriotism vs. Nationalism Remembering the Difference between Patriotism and Nationalism I’ve become increasingly concerned that many American Christians (and perhaps especially evangelicals) confuse patriotism with nationalism to the extent that idolatry lurks close by. Patriotism is love for one’s country without blinders about its flaws and defects.  Patriotism seeks to actualize the highest and best ideals of one’s country which can sometimes look like disloyalty to nationalists.  Nationalists tend to confuse “country” with “government” and reject as disloyal all criticism... Read more

“Why?” Chapters 17 and 18: “Which Model Do We Choose?” And “God Is Changeable?” Does God change? If so, how and in what ways? In these two chapters our author (of “Why? Suffering, Guilt and God”), Abram van de Beek, is wrestling again with the problem of God’s omnipotence and goodness. How to reconcile them in light of the horrors of human history? In Chapter 17 “Which Model Do We Choose?” He lays the groundwork for what is yet to... Read more

Polyamory Is Not “Next,” It’s Here Now, In the Churches This blog post is a follow up to an earlier on where I asked the Texas Baptist minister who wrote a column for the Baptist News about “embracing the slippery slope.” I won’t repeat that blog post here. I will only say that I asked him where the slippery slope ends. Many churches have become “welcoming and affirming” with regard to gay marriage if not extra-marital gay sex. I need... Read more

“Why?” Part III, Chapter 16: “God Is Different” This is another installment of my continuing series about the book “Why? On Suffering, Guilt, and God” by Dutch theologian Abram van de Beek (here vdB). Several readers of this blog are reading the book and I am slowing down my commentaries in order to allow everyone to catch up. Today’s installment will be a commentary on Chapter 16 “God Is Different” in which vdB pursues further his ruminations, musings, about the... Read more

Where Does the Slippery Slope End? I recently read an opinion column in The Baptist News reacting to the Southern Baptist Convention’s rejection of women pastors. Famous American Southern Baptist mega-church pastor Rick Warren was appealing to the SBC to reinstate him and his church after they dropped their rule against women pastors and women preaching. (Warren’s Saddleback Church in California has multiple pastors and, apparently, at least one is a woman.) Warren’s appeal was rejected at the recent annual... Read more

“Why?” Part III, Chapter 15: “Gnosis” In this chapter, Abram van de Beek (vdB) continues discussing views of God, suffering, and evil that begin with God’s goodness and explain suffering and evil as not attributable to God. Very briefly put, here, in this chapter, the view under consideration is that “evil is inherent in the world and came with it.” (200) I assume most of my readers are roughly familiar with gnosticism, the belief held in various ways by many... Read more

“Why?” Chapter III, Part 14 Some here are reading with me “Why? On Suffering, Guilt and God” by Dutch theologian Abram van de Beek (vdB). We are now on chapters 14 and 15: “Evil and the Evil One” and “Gnosis.” If you are reading with me/us, feel free to comment, but if you are not reading, or have not read these chapters, please feel free to ask questions. Do not then offer comments. In chapter 14, “Evil and the Evil... Read more

June Is Men’s Health Month: New Information For some reason June is designated as several special “months” (i.e., one month with several special designations). I have no idea who identifies particular months as devoted to particular concerns, issues, celebrations, etc. But I have long known June is, among other things much more visibly celebrated, “Men’s Health Month.” I supposed because Fathers Day falls in June (in the U.S.) For at least thirty years now women’s health has gotten most of... Read more

“God” in Popular Culture I admit it. I watch more TV than I should. I always have, at least since I left home at age 18! My parents monitored my TV watching carefully and limited it severely. And much of the time we didn’t even have a TV. But somehow I have had the ability to multitask—watching TV while reading a book, even a book of theology, and even writing an essay while watching TV. Of course, that has led... Read more