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Walled Gardens
If you’re trying to rule a kingdom in the 1400’s, good strong walls are a great asset. If you’re trying to maximize profits, keeping competition at bay is very helpful. If you’re part of a religious organization, chances are someone has (or will) try to build some walls to “protect” it. Is this good, or…
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Shell Game Theology
To make sense of John 5, you’ve got to understand Agency. When you understand Agency, you might be surprised at where you end up. Links: LutheranSatire “St. Patrick’s Bad Analogies” Jewish Encyclopedia entry on Agency A few of the major traditional creeds (Note especially the difference between the Apostle’s Creed and the Athanasian Creed, both…
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Pitfalls for Bible Study
We wrap up our “Anatomy of a Conversion” with a final few tips about the importance of remembering that what seems ‘natural’ and ‘normal’ to us might be more a factor of our cultural presuppositions rather than the Bible’s “plain meaning.” We’ll talk about interpretation and also discuss a little bit the inherent weaknesses of…
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What if your “Biblical” Belief isn’t taught in the Bible?
If you’ve grown up believing that all your beliefs are “Biblical” (because why would your church teach un-Biblical things?!), it can be pretty disorienting to consider that one of your beliefs might be wrong. In today’s episode, we consider the need to let go of the dogmatic insistence that we only have Biblical beliefs. Those…
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Prepare Yourself
Your beliefs are being rocked, you’re not sure where to even start dealing with this new dilemma you’re facing, and you’re afraid of where this all might lead. Now what? As we continue exploring the anatomy of a conversion, we’ll discuss what to expect and some tips on how you can proceed with wisdom.
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Cross Examination
Central to the Christian faith is the idea that Jesus Christ opened the door for people of every tribe, tongue, and nation to enter into his kingdom, the family of God, by repenting of their sin and confessing him as Lord. Christianity also teaches that by nature we are rebels alienated from God. Thus, conversion…
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Prophets and Half-People – Questions we wouldn’t ask, people we wouldn’t listen to
The woman at the well knew she was talking to someone special when he demonstrated supernatural knowledge. Her impulse was to finally settle a matter of doctrinal debate! We aren’t that much different when we pore over our Bibles looking for the final “conclusive” answers that will satisfy our need for answers to all of…
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Time for Some Milk – What jealousy and strife say about our spiritual maturity
Those who highly value the Bible often assume that their years of study mean they have progressed from spiritual infancy to maturity. In today’s episode, we discover that often quite the opposite is true–that complex arguments leading to increasing division within the church do not equate to spiritual depth. Join me for a look at…
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Are YOU a heretic? The Temple, the Virgin Mary, and Jewish Misunderstandings
We’re back in John after an extended break, and once again we’ll discover some truth from the Bible alongside some church history and official doctrine. AND, since disagreement with official “orthodox” doctrine makes one technically a “heretic,” you might just discover today that you’re a heretic. I certainly am on those terms, and you’ll see…
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One
Do a quick web search for “church” in your community and odds are good that you’ll find a complete smorgasbord of local organizations that would love to have you as their guest. What do you think would happen if you asked one of those groups to tell you about the other churches in town? How…
