Latest Blog Entries

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 […]

Most Christian theologies restrict divine love. According to many, God only expresses agape. According to others, God only expresses eros. Some theologies may say God expresses hesed but cannot affirm divine ahavah. Other theologians mix and match love, depending on their philosophical and theological assumptions. In my new book, Pluriform Love, I argue that God […]

I’ve written a book that ties together many of my primary thoughts about God and love. It’s called Pluriform Love: An Open and Relational Theology of Well-Being. The preface of Pluriform Love gives the background story to its writing. And it provides a taste of some of the book’s primary ideas. I thought I’d share […]