Latest Blog Entries

The title of my new book is “The Death of Omnipotence… and Birth of Amipotence.” As the title suggests, I argue that God is not omnipotent. But instead of simply saying, “God can’t do…,” I propose a view of divine power I think is more biblically supported, philosophically coherent, and experientially justified. I call this […]

Fifty years ago, a little-known theologian named Mildred Bangs Wynkoop published a provocative book. That book, A Theology of Love: The Dynamic of Wesleyanism, still sparks conversation and controversy today. It presents a powerful argument for love as Christian theology’s priority. Love as Central The first third of A Theology of Love offers the heart of Wynkoop’s […]

I recently wrote a chapter for a book celebrating the work of Keith Ward. My argument is that Ward offers a metaphysics that supports both a conceptual basis for love and a basis to view God as loving. God is Love Keith Ward believes an adequate account of love requires an equally adequate account of […]

In previous blog essays, I’ve expressed my disdain for the belief that hell glorifies God. Those who advance this idea, however, say it has biblical support. Romans 9 The ninth chapter of Romans is most often marshaled as evidence for the claim that hell glorifies God. The key passages are verses 22-24, but a quick […]

I’m writing an essay for a book on hell. Mine is among more than a dozen essays from various contributors. The book’s overall thread is a rejection of the traditional idea of hell. I’m arguing that relentless love is God’s glory. This stands in stark contrast to a widespread view that hell glorifies God. A […]

In a number of books and articles, I’ve argued for the reality of creaturely freedom. Our freedom is always limited, however, by various forces, factors, actors, and agents in our bodies and outside. Despite these limitations, there are at least nine good reasons to think we have genuine freedom. Not everyone affirms the reality of […]

I’m excited to announce a new book project! Along with co-editors Annie DeRolf, Christy Gunter, John Loppnow, and Lon Marshall, I’m inviting therapists, psychologists, and counselors to write essays on their work in relation to uncontrolling love. What is Uncontrolling Love? The “uncontrolling love” label is found in several books, including The Uncontrolling Love of […]

I recently gave a lecture in Vancouver, BC at an event co-hosted by Vancouver School of Theology and St. Andrews Wesley United Church. In my lecture, I explored seven obstacles to love and how we might overcome them. My book, Pluriform Love, provided the details for my arguments. Of the 25+ books I’ve written or […]

In various publications and recently in Pluriform Love, I define love. My definition says love acts intentionally, in relational response to God and others, to promote overall well-being. Perhaps the most common alternative to my definition says love is desire. We find theologians and philosophers from the past and present defining love as desire. In […]

Many biblical scholars and theologians fail to affirm the priority of love. In this essay, I focus on the final of five reasons why many fail to make love a priority. I’ll simply list the first four before addressing the fifth. Get a copy of Pluriform Love to read the explanations I give to the […]