… a God without wrath does not plan to do much liberating. Indeed, that God’s anger is kindled when harm is done to the least among us not only gives us hope that earthly injustices don’t have the last word but also insight into God’s compassionate nature.
Deanna Thompson, Deuteronomy (Belief: a Theological Cimmentary on the Bible), 31
This is an excellent point. We need to think about what is necessary when evil asserts itself.
My pastor, Dr. Wesley Wachob, comments on science and theology in his current letter to the congregation, though it is mostly quoted from John Polkinghorne. I wish more pastors would address these issues with their congregations.
This question, which I’ve written about before, was brought to my attention again both through reading and through some conversations. As an ex-Seventh-day Adventist, I’m often asked whether I believe my former denomination is truly Christian, or whether it is some sort of cult. Ignoring what I consider the hopeless muddle in the usage of…
Rachel Held Evans says some things I wish I had said about the so-called masculinity crisis in the church. I guess I’m one of those “dudes who are still sort of chicks.” (Read the post if you don’t get it.)
Easter services are much better attended than Good Friday services. I suspect this is inherent in human nature. We prefer the solution to the hardship getting there. We prefer the happy ending to the suffering that led up to it. It’s not surprising that we do. Who doesn’t prefer those good times? Who doesn’t want…
One of the most interesting and troubling things I’ve found about myself and my church (any of the churches of which I’ve been a member!) is the number of things we know we should do and even decide we will do, but which never get done. Seven Marks of a New Testament Church is certainly…
… or any scripture, for that matter. In graduate school I became progressively less interested in listening to sermons or in reading devotional items. While I was very interested in reading poetry, fiction and other non-technical materials, I applied a largely technical approach to scripture and theology. I say this to make clear that I…
It’s interesting to contrast modern culture’s resistance to the idea of God as wrathful with the modern tendency to react with rage about perceived injustice. If it’s valid to be extremely angry with what you see as injustice, how can it be invalid for God (who perceives injustice far more accurately than we ever can) to be just as angry?