1 Corinthians 6.9−10 is often cited as the final word on the Christian understanding of homosexuality. It’s trotted out as definitive proof that not only is homosexuality inherently sinful, but also that homosexuals cannot be Christians. But it’s crucial to read these verses in their wider context and to carefully consider what Paul is and isn’t saying to the church in Corinth. (more…)
One of the hallmarks of evangelicalism is its emphasis on the Bible as the final authority regarding spiritual truths. Evangelicals hold the Bible in high regard, looking to it as God’s definitive revelation to humanity and the essential guide for Christian life. And while there is much to be commended about such an understanding, pushing this idea too far often results in distorted and dangerous theological positions. (more…)
I was going to do a nice write-up for Halloween about Lucifer as a name for the devil, especially in relation to Isaiah 14.12. But the more I dug into the topic, the more shadowy the truth behind it all became. To put it simply, there are more lies and half-truths about Satan floating around than I care to deal with. So rather than trying to write something more comprehensive, I’m going to tell you where I’m at and move on to other things. (more…)
This lovely meme crossed my path today. I was going to print it out and hang it on my refrigerator next to the magnet with the plumber’s name and number, but instead I thought I’d share it here.
Despite my issues with the presentation and substance of this meme, I want to make it clear that I do think we should turn to God when we’re afraid or depressed or worried or sick. I think that’s great. But I don’t think we should reduce God to a trite set of platitudes, for in doing so, we’re at best offering nothing more than a Biblical placebo, and at worst we’re actually contributing to the very problems we’re seeking to address.
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The story of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22 offers fertile ground for theological reflection. It is a tale that is simultaneously reassuring and disconcerting, straightforward and complex, pragmatic and melodramatic. These divergent challenges are a crucial part of its enduring relevance to Christians, Jews and Muslims. It’s a story that defies reductive interpretation — attempts to distill simple life-lessons risk losing the nuances that have resonated so deeply with so many for so long.
I certainly don’t have a definitive interpretation of the tale, but I do think the story itself offers some guidance for how to approach it. That is, at least part of its message is that we should be cautious about being overly certain of our understanding of that message — or indeed of any message. (more…)
Today is the public launch of The NALT Christians Project. Modeled after Dan Savage’s It Gets Better Project, NALT Christians offers public proclamations that Christians are Not All Like That: that many, many of us believe in full LGBT equality.
I’m proud to be a part of this project, both as a web designer/developer and as a creator of a NALT video. It’s my hope that this project will serve as loud message to those who view Christianity as inherently anti-gay and that it will further the progress that is already being made on this issue.
If you agree with the message of NALT Christians, there are a few ways you can help out:
And if you don’t agree with what we’re doing, then please do number 2 and 3 anyway, because any publicity is good publicity!
N.T. Wright on the Bible:
There are many, many issues where I say I am committed to believing this text whenever I figure out what on earth it’s supposed to mean, which at the moment I don’t think I know.
Let’s briefly take a look at one of the knottiest textual problems in the New Testament: 2 Peter 3.10.
For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll set aside issues of canonicity (hotly-contested) and authorship (not Peter) and simply focus on the text of this single verse.
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We all have an innate sense of right and wrong, of good and evil. We all have moral law written on our hearts. We don’t all have perfect knowledge of that moral truth and we all fall far short of living up to moral standards, but in general we recognize the universal and transcendent nature of morality.
We know what is sin and what isn’t. We have a deep intuitional realization that murder and rape and theft are wrong. We know that when we hurt another person, whether through words or actions, we’ve done something wrong. We don’t need the Bible to tell us that, we don’t need the church to tell us that — we already know it. This is why the Bible isn’t, and doesn’t need to be, an exhaustive rule book. It’s why the Greatest Commandment resonates so deeply within us — not because it’s something we’ve never heard before, but because it’s something we already knew, whether we realized it or not.
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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about differing opinions on important matters — primarily in terms of religious and theological issues, though there are similar discussions to be had when it comes to matters of politics or philosophy or virtually any area of inquiry. By differing opinions, I simply mean that reasonably intelligent people, when presented with the same general information, can still come to drastically different and mutually incompatible understandings of important issues.
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