On this episode we’re joined by the hosts of the God and Whiskey Podcast, Drew McIntyre and Evan Rohrs-Dodge. We cover a wide range of topics, including itinerancy, favorite theological books, the pros and cons of Moby Dick, and whether or not Ernest Hemingway would have been any good on Twitter. You can access the podcast…
When I was a grad student, I taught world religions in a community college. The way I approached the topic was to say that each major religion offers a particular diagnosis of the greatest problem with the human condition. Likewise, each religion provides a solution to this problem. For example, take the Four Noble Truths…
In this episode we take on the topic of revival. What is it? What has it looked like historically? Why is it breaking out in so many parts of the world, but not in North America? You can find the podcast here on iTunes. Otherwise, click here. We mention a couple of resources in this episode.…
Scott Kisker, Maggie Ulmer, and I have launched a brand new podcast called “Plain Truth: A Holy-Spirited Podcast.” We’re going to talk about all things Christian, and probably quite a few things related to the Wesleyan/Methodist/EUB world. In our first episode, we talk about Scripture. What is it? What does it do? How can we…
It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally available for purchase: The Bible and Disability: A Commentary, ed. Sarah J. Melcher, Mikeal C. Parsons, and Amos Yong. I just received my author’s copy in the mail today (I wrote the section on Luke-Acts). It will be available in stores October 1, 2017, but you can order in…
In his Confessions, Augustine famously prayed, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” There is such profound truth in this prayer. I believe it with every fiber of my being. And yet, as we think through what this prayer might mean, there are certain questions that…
Years ago I read Brian McLaren’s book, A Generous Orthodoxy. I really liked it at the time. I thought he made a good case. In subsequent years, however, I’ve become increasingly less comfortable with the term “generous orthodoxy.” I believe it is redundant. Orthodoxy is an expression of the generosity of God. Thus to say “generous…
Recently there has been considerable interest in the blogosphere around the idea of the “Next Methodism.” This idea has elicited a spate of criticism and the predictable conspiracy posts. There is, however, no “Next Methodism” conspiracy. The Next Methodism is an idea. It is an amorphous concept that will become whatever we make it. Anyone can…
You’ve probably seen the much-ballyhooed PRRI survey, a segment of which indicates that white evangelical Christians feel that Christians are more discriminated against than Muslims in the United States. (If you haven’t, you have to scroll down for a while to get to this table.) Other groups interviewed for the survey disagree. I was intrigued by…
If you’re going to claim that Jesus is worthy, then, you’d better be ready for conflict. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt 10:34). He knew what it would mean to adopt his teaching and values in the midst of a sinful world.