I’m not surprised some people are blaming God. Maybe “crediting” God is more accurate. I’m reading social media posts saying the Coronavirus (Covid 19) is God’s will. Our current suffering is part of some predetermined divine plan. One post put it this way: “Sorry to break up the big panic, but the Coronavirus will not […]

Many people think a timeless God created the universe and is its eschatological hope. By contrast, I think we make better sense of creation and eschatology if we think God is timefull rather than timeless. In a previous essay, I identified four dimensions of an open and relational — “God-in-process” — view of providence. Here’s […]

I spent the last few weeks at Fuller Theological Seminary considering issues in psychology and theology. Most of the time, psychologists and cognitive scientists introduced our little group of scholars to the latest research and theories in their fields. The conversations were rich and varied. I loved it! I thank Bringing Theology to Mind workshop […]

I believe the natural world can be an arena for feeling God’s love. In fact, some outdoor enthusiasts say nature is their church. The idea nature is sacred may be why geological wonders are often called cathedrals, gardens of the gods, heavenly, or angels’ rests.

My title suggests a topic far too large to consider in one essay. Intellectual giants today and throughout history have wrestled with how science and religion ought to relate. And they have often considered questions of evil. Those who separate science neatly from religion think addressing evil well requires two entirely different conversations. Those who […]

A growing number of Christians see the need to care for creation. But most of these Christians affirm the ancient idea that God created the universe out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo). Does care for creation fit well with creatio ex nihilo? I don’t think so… I’ve been writing a book chapter for a new […]

Few people wake up one morning and say, “Today, I will renounce the idea God created our universe from nothing.” I suspect that most people have not even heard of the idea, which is expressed by the Latin words creatio ex nihilo. And those who have heard of creation from nothing probably have no reason to question […]

An essay I wrote has just been published. I argue humans and God have genuine but limited freedom.  The new book is What’s with Free Will? Ethics and Religion after Neuroscience, edited by James Walters and Philip Clayton. The book responds to some neuroscientists who claim human free will is an illusion. These neuroscientists base […]

My new theory of initial creation denies that God creates out of nothing. It says God always and lovingly creates out of that which God previously created. God is ever Creator. But I recognize that my alternative view is open to misunderstandings. So I want to address the most common. Upon first hearing my view […]

In three previous blogs, I explored 9 reasons many Christians affirm the theory that God initially created our universe from absolutely nothing. Although some of the reasons have validity, I found none of them to be ultimately convincing. In this blog, I want to offer my alternative to creation from nothing. The Basic Idea: creatio ex […]