Latest Blog Entries

Chad Bahl and I contributed a chapter to a massive handbook on postconservative interpretation. The book is aimed at college students, and our task was to sketch out an open and relational vision. Here’s what we wrote… Open and Relational Hermeneutics Open and Relational Theology (ORT) addresses key questions about biblical inspiration, interpretation, inerrancy, authority, […]

My friend and fellow schemer Gloria Coffin died unexpectedly a few days ago. She was one of the most energetic and quickest thinkers I’ve ever known. She could also be feisty, which I especially liked! Since hearing of her death, I’ve been scanning hundreds and hundreds of notes we’ve sent to one another over the […]

God is amipotent, not omnipotent. That’s been my argument in several books, but I made the case extensively in The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence.[1] It’s the idea pondered by 140+ essayists in a recently published, two-volume work called Amipotence. I believe theists should reject the notion that God is omnipotent. By omnipotent, […]

My heart sank when I heard that John B. Cobb, Jr. died on December 26, 2024. I’m told that he died peacefully, surrounded by family. John was one of the greatest theologians of our time, and his influence upon me is immeasurable. His death made me realize how much I looked forward to sharing with […]

“Be it unto me,” says the Mary, the mother of Jesus. Or “let it be,” as some translations of Luke 1:38 put it. (Cue the Beatles.) Mary is responding to the angel Gabriel’s announcement of her impending pregnancy. I believe the story of Mary’s willingness to conceive has great theological import. It portrays God as […]

I don’t think God wanted Donald Trump to be elected President of the United States. Of course, I’m not certain about this. Or certain about much of anything. So I could be wrong. But I evaluate this election the best I can. And a theology of uncontrolling love helps me do that. A theology that […]

It’s common for Christians to claim God inspired the authors who wrote the Bible. If God inspired the biblical authors, goes the thinking, then the Bible is inspired by God. Steven Hause recently asked me about biblical inspiration. In my response, I claimed that biblical authors get some ideas about God right, but other biblical […]

I recently met with students at the Vancouver School of Theology. Geoffrey Clark-Tosca invited me to talk about queer issues and my expulsion from the Church of the Nazarene. I found the conversation meaningful, as I have when talking with other groups about this topic. I explained how I became fully affirming of queer people […]

A few years ago, I wrote an essay saying those who believe God can control creation might care less about fighting climate change. I called the article, “God Can’t Stop Climate Change Singlehandedly” (click title for essay). An article in the September 2024 issue of Nature supports my earlier claim. The article is titled, “Belief […]

For his “Learning to See” podcast, Brian McLaren of the Center for Action and Contemplation interviewed photographers Thomas Jay Oord and Christy Lubbers Berghoef. Here’s a link to the interview. Much of the conversation revolved around Christy and Tom talking about experiences in nature as photographers. They told stories, discussed the effects of climate change, […]