What I Appreciate about Methodism Roger E. Olson *This is a presentation I gave to a Baptist-Methodist dialogue event held at Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University on February 20, 2020.* I recently endorsed a new book entitled The Spirit of Methodism by Jeffrey Barbeau. It’s one of several books with that title. Reading this book was just the most recent in a long history of my non-Methodist encounters and interactions with Methodists. But before talking about my acquaintance with... Read more

The Possibilities and Perils of Gene Editing Here I will be talking only about gene editing of humans. That is, to be more specific, editing the genes of human embryos. If you are not familiar with the science, please watch the Youtube video of Antony Perry performing a TedTalk about the subject. I know very little about gene editing compared with scientists, but I have attended scientific symposia on the subject and watched films made by scientists and discussed gene... Read more

A Series: Christian Theology—Answers to Questions: Six: What Is the Bible? In my immediately preceding essay in this series I wrote about “revelation” and argued that good Christian theology is based on revelation reasonably interpreted using tradition, reason, and experience. I suggested also that the Bible is the primary source of revelation for “doing theology” in the sense of critiquing messages claimed to be “Christian” and constructing doctrines for all Christians. However, all who have read the Bible carefully and... Read more

Why We Should All Be Afraid There are many reasons why we should all be afraid. No, I don’t mean our lives ruled by fear. I mean reasonable fear of the reasonably possible. For example, in this sense of “fear” I fear that a reckless driver will run his or her red light whenever I come to a busy city intersection. I see it happen every day. So when I am in the front of a line of cars and... Read more

A Series: Christian Theology—Answers to Questions: Five: What Is “Revelation?” In my most recent essay in this series I discuss what Christian theology is based on and I said “revelation.” For the most part, with some notable exceptions, Christian theology has always begun with belief in God’s revelation to people. At the center of revelation, for most Christians, stands Jesus Christ as God incarnate, the “human face of God,” and/or “God’s deputy and representative” above all others. There are, of... Read more

Should I Doubt God? Recently I made an admission—to a group of fellow Christian believers—that was met with some surprise, a little shock and perhaps some dismay. Here it is: I can honestly say that I have never doubted God. I mean that I have never doubted God’s existence or God’s goodness and love. Wait, let me explain a bit more. I have doubted many, very many, messages about God—ones that I have heard from pulpits and lecterns and that... Read more

A Series: Christian Theology—Answers to Questions: Four: On What Is Theology Based?   Does Christian theology (explained in earlier essays in this series) have a method? Here, of course, I’m asking about the process type of theology—the process of evaluating messages claimed to be Christian and constructing (or reconstructing) Christian doctrines. Christian theology in this sense is generally believed to have begun in the second century after Christ although, of course, we find it inchoate in the Bible itself. The... Read more

Are All “Christians” True Christians? Again I heard it. A student related how a non-Christian friend asked him how he could be a Christian when Christians were and are responsible for horrendous abuses and terrible evils. It would be pointless to ask the person “What abuses and evils?” because we all know that so-called Christians have committed horrendous abuses and terrible evils in human history and still do today. In my experience this is one of the most commonly used... Read more

A Series: Christian Theology—Answers to Questions: Three: Can God’s Existence Be Proved?   Christian theology often begins with what is called “prolegomena”—“things that go before”—and that often includes some discussion of “natural theology”—what can be known about God before and apart from the special revelation Christians believe God has given in Jesus Christ, the Hebrew prophets and earliest Christian apostles and in scripture. Natural theology has had its “ups” and “downs” in the history of Christian theology. Here I offer... Read more

I Interrupt This Series with a Sidebar about “Folk Religion” Actually, it’s not so much an interruption as a long footnote to my ongoing series about theology. Many have asked what I mean by “folk religion.” I first learned the concept from sociologist and historian of religion Robert Ellwood, author of many books especially about American religions. I expand on his definition and description. Some years ago I wrote a book entitled Answers to All Your Questions: The Journey from... Read more