This time on The Tentative Apologist Podcast we are joined by Father Matthew Hysell, who was ordained one year ago as Canada’s first deaf Catholic priest. After a bout with meningitis as a toddler, Father Matthew lost all hearing in one ear and is now only able to hear in the other with a hearing aid. […]
Archives for October 2013
The Swedish Atheist ebook is free on October 30th only! And half-price for November
Good news! InterVarsity Press has scheduled a promotion for my book The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails. For one day only, on Wednesday, October 30th, the e-version of The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails (InterVarsity, 2012) will be available *for free!* at the following online […]
Is naturalism in crisis? A review of “Naturalism: A Critical Analysis”
William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland, eds. Naturalism: A Critical Analysis. London: Routledge, 2000. Most of the greatest theologians have not only been conversant with the philosophical movements current in their time (e.g. Neoplatonism, Aristotelianism), but have been highly articulate expositors and critics of them. However, most theologians today appear singularly uninterested in, if not wholly […]
The Church in a Postliberal Age: A Review
George A. Lindbeck. The Church in a Postliberal Age, ed. James J. Buckley. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003) ISBN 0-8028-3995-9. Pp. xviii + 300. In the last thirty years the deep division between “liberals” and “conservatives” has been challenged by a growing number of “postliberal” theologians, perhaps most notable of which has been Lutheran George Lindbeck. […]
The chimera of “In light of the best current arguments and evidence, is it rational to believe a god exists?”
Yesterday I wrote an article offering some reflections on my soon-to-be released debate on the rationality of theistic belief with Chris Hallquist. Chris asserts that theism is always irrational and I argued that it isn’t. In other words, I argued that at least sometimes theism is rational. Yes, my thesis is as modest as Chris’ […]
Randal talks God or Godless on 99.1 CHRI FM
Hey all, here is a fifteen minute interview on God or Godless I did recently with Brock Tozer of 99.1 CHRI FM in Ottawa. (My thanks to Brock for sending me the link.) Check it out:
Is belief in God irrational? My soon-to-be-released debate with Chris Hallquist
Back in the middle of September I received an email from Justin Schieber. (Yes, that Justin Schieber, aka the teen pop sensation of the Reasonable Doubts Podcast!) Justin was writing to invite me to debate Chris Hallquist who blogs as The Uncredible Hallq. In emulation of Schieber’s Reasonable Doubts debate with Max Andrews the format would be […]
Rethinking Fundamental Theology: A Review
Gerald O’Collins, S.J. Rethinking Fundamental Theology (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), 365 pp. $65.00 (£ 35.00). ISBN 978-0-19-960556-9 In this wide ranging volume O’Collins seeks to lay out a program for relaunching fundamental theology. He certainly is qualified for the task given that this is his fourth book on the topic. Over thirteen chapters O’Collins […]
21. Depression and Christianity: An interview with Stefano Piva
Have you ever experienced the dark night of the soul? What about the dark month? Or dark year? Have you ever dreaded facing another day? If so, then this interview is for you. In this episode of The Tentative Apologist Podcast we sit down with Dr. Stefano Piva, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Richmond, B.C. Dr. […]
Predestination. Biblical and Theological Paths: A Review
Matthew Levering. Predestination: Biblical and Theological Paths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), pp. 228. $110 (£ 63). ISBN 978-0-19-960452-4 In recent years the perennial debate over predestination has moved centre stage in North American Protestantism with the rise of the so-called “New Calvinism”. Unfortunately that debate is typically restricted to the relatively narrow dogmatic confines […]
Process Theology. A Guide for the Perplexed: A Review
Bruce G. Epperly. Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed (London and New York: T&T Clark, 2011), 177 pp. $24.95 (£ 14.99). ISBN 978-0-19-960452-4 Early in Process Theology Bruce Epperly quotes the reminiscence of J.M. Whittaker on attending Whitehead’s Gifford Lectures. Whittaker observed that while the attendance was initially about six hundred, that quickly dwindled […]
Why Jesus was NOT “tempted” (and why it matters)
The following is a repost of an article originally published at The Christian Post in 2009. * * * In their trials and temptations many Christians have drawn strength from Hebrews 4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been […]
20. Theologian Michael Hardin on violence and atonement
This time on The Tentative Apologist Podcast we sit down for a conversation with theologian Michael Hardin. Michael is a scholar who has studied the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Rene Girard and who also counts Girard as a personal friend. Michael is also a visionary and activist, and together with his wife Lorri he founded the […]
The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture: A Review
Yoram Hazony, The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Yoram Hazony’s book begins with a question: “Is there something crucial missing in our understanding of what the Hebrew Bible is all about?” (ix) His answer, as you might have expected, is yes. But the nature of the answer is something you might not have anticipated. […]
