God’s Omniscience Grows
Open and relational thinkers say the future does not exist. Because it does not, God can’t know with certainty what will happen in the future. Does this contradict the idea God is all-knowing? In Open and Relational Theology: An Introduction to Life-Changing Ideas, I say that God can’t foreknow with […]
Those Who Love Work With God
The idea God needs our cooperation is more common in the Bible than most realize. Because many assume God can accomplish tasks and establish relationships alone, they overlook it. But sometimes translators are to blame. Romans 8:28 is a great example of translator decisions that hide the […]
It Takes a Community
We often consider the lone theologian our standard of theological excellence. In some ways, that’s understandable. In other ways, our standard should be different. Often overlooked are the collaborators, cooperators, and team players. Instead of standing alone, they form communities and together […]
Does the Bible Say God Controls?
I’ve been in conversation lately with people thinking through my theology of God’s uncontrolling love. Many like my view that God cannot control others. But they think the biblical writers say God sometimes controls. Two examples of God’s alleged control often arise in our conversations. Both are […]
A Triune God Who Essentially Loves Creation
Most open and relational theologians believe God is essentially loving. But if Keith Ward is right that God is not a social Trinity, how can God love be an essential attribute of God’s nature? Must God love, create, and be related to creatures? In my previous blogs, I noted that in his new book […]
When Jesus Fails
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 […]
Theological and Scientific Research on Love
The well-being of the world depends, in part, upon our decisions to promote overall well-being. That’s just a fancy way of saying: we need to love! Many people know that love, altruism, and compassion plays central roles for making sense of life and living life well. For centuries, various religious […]
Squirrels as Spiritual Icons
As far as I know, no scripture or great piece of spiritual literature praises the squirrel. We find references to foxes, eagles, snakes, and locusts. Judah is a lion. Doves are harmless. Sparrows have value, even though not much. But nothing on the squirrel. It’s not that squirrels are rare. They […]
My Response to Christianity Today Review
I thank Derek Rishmawy for his Christianity Today review of my new book, The Uncontrolling Love of God. I offer this response as a way to clarify and note differences between Derek’s views and my own. Derek begins his review (click here) with a concise summary of the general drift of my book. This […]
My Response to Howard Snyder
My friend, Howard Snyder, has written a review of my new book, The Uncontrolling Love of God. I thought it might be helpful if I responded. I have great respect for Howard and his work. Although we disagree on several theological issues, I count him as an important voice in Wesleyan Theology […]