Delving into the uncertainties of life with enthusiastic curiosity
The last remnant of my Christian faith came unwound when I started to confront the question of how we determine right from wrong. I knew there were various approaches to ethics, yet I was taught that we had a moral code straight from an objective moral source. How could there possibly be a better option than a morality that comes from an entirely objective and pure being, who simply told humanity what to do and how to live?
As a professing Christian, there was always one question that plagued me over the years: Why did the Bible deserve the kind of loyalty and trust I was giving it? My beliefs about that book guided almost every decision I made, and eventually I had to ask myself why I allowed it to do so. Once I stopped viewing the Bible as an authoritative voice never to be questioned, I was able to see the flaws in it and begin to look for more reliable ways to find my way...
In the Fall of 1988, my friend Dave and I were sitting in a large conference hall listening to a man named Bill Gothard as he shared with us and a few thousand other "troubled teens" about how they can get their lives on the right path by following a series of principles that he... Continue Reading →
We may feel god-like when we win the argument, complete the project, win the race, or solve the problem, but our victories only give us a temporary sense of invincibility. So when those moments start to convince us that we are not just god-like, but divine, the teacher in Ecclesiastes makes it clear again in... Continue Reading →
A funeral is no time for discussions about whether or not our theology of death is scripturally sound. However, at almost every funeral I attend, I have these concepts bouncing around in my head. I respectfully listen while some try to sort through the pain of death by reciting some of the popular ideas in... Continue Reading →
For the past couple of weeks, my men's group at St. Bartholomew's has been discussing Islam. The idea is to understand how we as Christians should view Muslims and how we might bridge the seemingly impossible cultural chasm that separates us. As part of this exploration, we decided to visit to the Islamic Center of Nashville... Continue Reading →
I usually don't have much interest in every new translation of the Bible that hits the market, but when I heard about The New Testament: The Voice, I was immediately interested because of the unique way approaches the text. The Voice is a new translation from Thomas Nelson that uses a screenplay format to present... Continue Reading →
I'm going through a phase in which I am having trouble remembering why we do this Christmas thing every year. Now some may immediately say that the answer to that should be easy, especially for a former church youth group junkie who should know better. The problem here is mostly within me. Thus far, I've spent... Continue Reading →
"[The Bible] has to be interpreted. And if it isn't interpreted, then it can't be put into action. So if we are serious about following God, then we have to interpret the Bible. It is not possible to simply do what the Bible says. We must first make decisions about what it means at this... Continue Reading →
This article is from guest blogger Brian Alex, a close friend of mine. He and his family are missionaries, currently in Estonia (web site). Enjoy! ------------------------------------ I recently asked a friend of mine what they have been reading lately, hoping to whet my appetite for some good material. Their response left me dumbfounded for moment:... Continue Reading →
