Many thoughtful believers wonder how best to talk both about God’s steadfast stability and relational flexibility. Unfortunately, even some of the best thinkers end up sacrificing one to affirm the other. Unchangingly Perfect For much of  history, trained theologians in the Abrahamic faiths have sacrificed God’s relational flexibility in their desire to emphasize God’s stability. […]

In the book I’m currently writing, I address the question of heaven, hell, annihilation, and the afterlife. I take the logic of uncontrolling love to its eschatological end. And this process has led me to coin a label for my view, Relentless Love. The Usual Afterlife Theories The logic of uncontrolling love changes the way […]

I watched The Shack twice last weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the movie. It presents God in a way I mostly find helpful. But some ideas didn’t sit well with me. I recorded a Facebook Live review of the movie, and you can access it by clicking the photo here. But […]

The idea that life could get better strikes some as naïve. With recent elections, wars and their chaotic aftermath, looming ecological disasters, and more, it seems absurd that things can get better.  Some even say things inevitably getting worse. I disagree. The Pessimists Pessimists will admit that improvement of a certain sort can be made.  […]

Many Christians believe Jesus never fails. But that’s not what scripture says. Our acknowledging that Jesus sometimes failed can help us make sense of life and live more abundantly. Jesus Cannot Heal All One my favorite examples (among others) of Jesus failing is his attempt to do miracles in his hometown. The people of Nazareth […]

Amos Yong’s new book, Renewing Christian Theology: Systematic for a Global Christianity, is simply excellent! Yong is among the leading Pentecostal theologians at work today, if not the leading Pentecostal theologian. The breadth and depth of his theological work is, as far as I know, unparalleled. In this book, Yong uses a broader moniker, however, […]

“We are children of an all-powerful God,” Marco Rubio told an Iowa audience recently. “Everything that happens is a part of His plan.” I think Rubio is wrong. In his campaign speech, Rubio said he has been asked about God in light of terrorism. People wonder, “Where was God on 9/11? Where was God in […]

Most theologians would say “yes.” I say “no.” If current reports are correct, ISIS planned various attacks in Paris that killed more than 100 people and injured about 500. An attack occurred in Beirut, and other acts of terror have been committed. The death, pain, and suffering are immense. Those like me who believe in […]

A growing number of Christians think Jesus' kenotic love tell us something about God's essential nature. If true, this sheds light on ongoing questions about the relationship between divine love and power.

This year’s U.S. presidential race offers a great opportunity to ponder what rightly makes a person Christian. I’ve been following the recent political banter and thinking about the Christian identity of both major candidates.