“Reformed” and “Calvinist” Are Not Synonyms I know I have written about this subject here before, maybe more than once. But I have new readers and readers who may have forgotten what I said then. Recently I invited readers to join me in the future in a discussion of one of my favorite books: “Why? On Suffering, Guilt, and God” by Dutch Reformed theologian A. (Bram) van de Beek. I will be reading it for the fourth time! Some potential... Read more

How Dynamic Is God? This is the first installment of a series about the Christian doctrine of God. I will be focusing on one question: How dynamic is God? Let me explain the question. I was personally shocked to learn, during my theological education, that “classical Christian theism” included belief that God cannot change in any way and cannot be affected by anything outside of himself. This idea of God was and is labeled “aseity.” That is God’s self-sufficiency, independence,... Read more

Is “Power” Something a Christian Should Want? This is not an easy question to answer because “power” is such a vague and contextual concept. Here I am ONLY talking about what some Christians, mostly progressive ones, say they want—“empowerment.” (Of course they are not the only ones who want that!) But I want to discuss, and ask, whether “empowerment,” as progressive Christians mean it, is something a Christian should want. Is there anywhere in the Bible where Christ’s followers are... Read more

Angry Theologians A recent column published by Christianity Today asks “Why Are There So Many Angry Theologians?” The author is Ronni Kurtz, assistant professor of theology at Baptist-related Cedarville University. Before proceeding to read my response, read the essay. You can find it by using key words. I did. An understandable problem with Professor Kurtz’s column is the lack of identification of any angry theologian. But I don’t doubt that many theologians are angry at or about something. The question... Read more

What Is “Theology?” Here I am asking only about Christian theology, not philosophical or theologies of non-Christian religions. Here is the best brief definition of Christian theology I have read: “Theology…attempts critically to review the assertions Christians make. They are tested in light of the real actions of God. For Christians do not make their assertions at random; they are of the opinion that in making them they are doing justice to God; they believe they are correctly saying that... Read more

Christ’s Atoning Death was NOT “Divine Child Abuse” Many feminist and womanist (and other) theologians claim that traditional atonement theories, including any and all that consider Jesus’s death on the cross part of a divine plan, constitute “divine child abuse” and wrongly justify human abuse of children and women. This is simply absurd. Why? Because, Jesus was God voluntarily becoming human to, among other things, die as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. When I hear or read a... Read more

Thank God for Womanist Theology, But… As a new Anabaptist, I subscribe the magazine “Anabaptist World.” If you are an Anabaptist (e.g., Mennonite) or have real interest in what is happening among various kinds of Anabaptists today, you really ought to subscribe to “Anabaptist World.” I am a “new Anabaptist” only in the sense that, for the first time, finally, I attend a Mennonite church. I have inclined toward Anabaptist theology and practice for many years, regarding the early Anabaptists... Read more

Whatever Happened to Common Sense? Recently I was asked to help the manager of an apartment complex to revise and update the Rules and Regulations by which both owners and renters must abide. As I was talking with the complex manager about the details, he suggested some additions to which I responded “But aren’t those common sense?” He rightly responded “There no such thing as common sense anymore.” I couldn’t argue with that. Was there ever such a thing as... Read more

A Call for Universal Communion (among Orthodox Christians) The divisions among Christians is a tragedy and not pleasing to God. Jesus prayed to the Father than his disciples would be one, even as he and the father were one. Surely neither Jesus nor the apostles envisioned a future in which Christians would be so divided. However, I’m a realist (maybe a pessimist) and don’t see any hope for one world Christian church. Denominations (whatever people call them) are here to... Read more

Is America Now “Decadent” (as Khrushchev Predicted)? Can anyone who has lived long enough (60 plus years) doubt that American culture has changed dramatically in the past half century? Can anyone who has watched television for a half century or more doubt it? I well remember when Soviet Union premier Khrushchev pounded his fist (some say his shoe!) on the podium at the United Nations and declared “We will bury you!”—speaking to and about “the West,” especially the USA. He... Read more