Panentheism and Theoenpanism
As part of the systematic theology of love I’m writing, I address providence. And part of a chapter on providence explores God’s relation with creation. Below is an excerpt of that chapter, and it explains panentheism and theoenpanism. To read the whole chapter and eleven previous ones, check out my Substack account. Panentheism The intimate […]
Ex Nihilo and Other Creation Theories
(This is chapter ten of the systematic theology of love in progress. Free subscribers get a portion of the chapter; paid subscribers get the entire chapter. Paid subscribers [only $8 a month] will also get a signed copy of the book and be mentioned in the book’s acknowledgements. Consider subscribing!) Just about every believer — […]
Eleven Ways to Rethink Religion in Light of Science
I was recently invited by the Center for Christogenesis to give a paper. (Thanks, Ilia Delio, Robert Nicastro, and team!) It was part of the Center’s “Rethinking Religion in an Age of Science” online conference. Given the invitation, I took the opportunity to reflect on what precisely I’d like to see changed in religion. And […]
God and Climate Change
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 […]
Why We Deconstruct: Evolution, COVID, & Climate Change
Tripp Fuller and I are writing a project we’re calling God After Deconstruction. We’re doing an online class starting soon on the subject, and we encourage you to sign up for it. We’re also organizing in-person God After Deconstruction conferences, the first of which is February 9-10 at Drew University in New Jersey. The second […]
Responding to Miracle Questions
My friend Ryan Patrick McLaughlin sent a series of questions and criticisms. I’ve responded to several in previous blog essays. This is the final essay in my series of responses. Ryan wonders about my view of miracles. He gives voice to questions I’ve heard from others, so I suspect my response will interest many. What […]
Everlasting Creating and Essential Love
The T&T Clark Handbook of Suffering and the Problem of Evil has just been published. Editors Matthias Grebe and Johannes Grossl have an all-star lineup of writers contributing to this volume, a book with 80 chapters! Here’s a link. My contribution is called “Everlasting Creating and Essential Love.” To give you a taste of my […]
Statistics & Free Will
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 […]
What is Uncontrolling Love? What About Therapy?
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 […]
God’s Knowing Isn’t Causal
Open and relational theology says God doesn’t foreknow everything that will happen in the future. If God did foreknow all with certainty, the future would be settled. A completely settled future is incompatible with our making free choices. Some hear this and think open and relational thinkers are saying God’s foreknowing would cause the future […]