Many people struggle with the question, what is the meaning of life? All great thinkers from the beginning of time have asked this question. And from time to time even some not-so-great thinkers have asked the question. This is because the question is timeless. I recently conducted an informal survey on FaceBook trying to ascertain what people think about the question. As expected I got a lot of different answers. Perhaps the thing I learned most is that no one... Read more
My first book, UNenlightenment, is out today. I still don’t quite believe it. Anyone who has written a book will tell you it is a very personal experience to put one’s thoughts and ideas out there for the world to read and evaluate. I have some experience with this as a columnist for Patheos Progressive Christian. However, there is something about having my words forever immortalized in print that makes this altogether more special. Let’s Rewind A Little Bit... Read more
If you have ever read Alisa Childers book “Another Gospel”, then you will know that many within the evangelical community think of progressive Christianity as something outside of Christian orthodoxy. Or, in the case of Alisa, that progressive Christians believe in another gospel altogether. Many who dislike progressive Christianity refer to it as dangerous and heretical. And they warn their people to be aware and not fall for the logically coherent teachings espoused in progressive Christianity. Here is the thing,... Read more
Well…That’s it! I’m going to die. I can’t avoid it. Just like every other person in the history of humanity, I’m going to die. There will be a time where one moment I am here and the next I am not. And I am terrified of the prospect. I’m not sure if this will make sense, but I am not afraid of death itself as much as I am afraid to die. Let me explain. I would not hesitate to... Read more
I recently had the opportunity to interview theologian and apologist Randal Rauser about his book Progressives Love Jesus too, where he responds to Alisa Childers popular anti-progressive book Another Gospel. In his book, Rauser throws down the gauntlet on Alisa regarding her gross mischaracterization of progressive Christians as well as her lack of theological knowledge. Rauser’s book is a delightful read full of humorous zingers and plenty of “gotcha” moments. But beyond these fun elements, Rauser presents a serious... Read more
It’s 2018 and we get word that my wife’s best friend had just been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. This friend is only 37 years old and is the Executive Director of a non-profit that does an enormous amount of good in the world. She is the personification of a faithful woman of God. In all honesty, she is one of the most faithful people I have ever known in my life. If one tries to find an explanation... Read more
I have been covering the sexual abuse claims within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for over a year. As a reminder, the SBC has been accused over the years of clergy sexually abusing their parishioners. At their annual meeting in 2021, the SBC ultimately ignored the problem by putting in place an ineffective boiler-plate policy regarding sexual abuse in the denomination. Needless to say, this did not go over too well with the public. The SBC later decided to do... Read more
“Discipleship” is a buzzword in evangelical circles. I served on the Reformed Church in America’s coalition for discipleship for several years and I can tell you from experience that everyone in evangelical circles is looking for the magic potion for how they can properly train their people in the ways of the Lord. I spent years trying to convince people that discipleship is not simply about providing biblical education for people but training them in ALL aspects of the ways... Read more
I believe evangelical Christians largely do not care about what those in the world think of them. That is a problem. If evangelicals truly care about the ministry of Jesus Christ, they should care deeply about what non-Christians think of them. Part of the reason they don’t care about what non-Christians think is that non-Christians are “of the world”. If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have probably heard the statement “…be in the world... Read more
I know, yet another man writing an article on the abortion issue. With that said, I think you will find this article different from the others which only serve to vilify the opposite point of view. The greatest problem with the rhetoric between pro-choice and pro-life groups is the lack of nuance that exists within the conversation. Logic and rationality are tossed out of the window in favor of primitive reasoning and emotional gobbledygook – aimed at vilifying those... Read more
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