I take it for granted that the UMC will begin a formal division after the 2020 General Conference. We no longer practice a common polity, and thus we cannot hold together as an institution. As the Academic Dean of a seminary, I have lots of conversations with pastors. Most understand the reality we now face…
There are some Christian beliefs that through the centuries the Church has left broadly open for debate. For example, there is no single canonical doctrine of atonement. Rather, Christians through the centuries have affirmed that while Christ did atone for our sins, we have a range of options for understanding this truth. We have remained…
The recent Roman Catholic sexual abuse scandal brings to mind a question I have heard many people ask over the years: If Christians believe what they claim to believe, why do all of these scandals keep taking place? The Church and Moral Failings To be perfectly clear, Roman Catholics certainly aren’t the only Christians who…
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…