I grew up in a fundagelical church. We were Pentecostal and thus charismatic with a heady dose of dispensationalism and culture war conservatism. As I reflect back, it strikes me that the worldview I was given was incredibly dark and pessimistic. For example, we were raised to believe the following (either through explicit teaching or […]
Judge Caprio and the Divine Judge
Over the last couple of years, I’ve become a fan of Judge Caprio’s YouTube channel. In his videos, this judge in Providence, RI, regularly dishes out justice with mercy, compassion, and kindness. When I watch Judge Caprio, I think to myself, that is an embodiment of what a judge should be. And if we should […]
The Fallacies of Conservative Christian Apologetics
When I was growing up, the Christian apologists I read often claimed that biblical scholars and archaeologists who arrived at results at odds with conservative evangelical orthodoxy were driven by “naturalistic assumptions”. While there was a kernel of truth in the warning, for the most part, it was false. Often, these scholars were devout Christian […]
On the Rotten Spiritual Fruit of Genocide Apologetics
In Jesus Loves Canaaanites I argue that the purpose of Scripture is to make us like Jesus (2 Tim. 3:14-17). And being like Jesus means, among other things, loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 23:37-40). And your neighbor is the person you are least likely […]
The Problem with a High View of God
Many Christians say that we should have a “high view of God”. But what do they mean and is it worth having? ?
The Extraordinary Evil of Dehumanizing Rhetoric Against the Canaanites
Today, I was reading commentaries on Proverbs 20:30, a verse which commends physically beating people as a way to inculcate wisdom and goodness in them: “Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.” (Imagine how much pain and anguish has been inflicted on people as those in power cauterized their feelings […]
Jesus was a Great Philosopher
Jesus was a great philosopher. — Tentative Apologist (@RandalRauser) September 14, 2021 The majority got this right: Jesus was indeed a great philosopher. Some respondents claimed he was less than this: in their negative judgment, they are apparently unfamiliar with his eminently philosophical concerns, sophisticated argumentation with his interlocutors, unparalleled teaching style, and monumental impact. […]
God Allowing is Not the Same as God Commanding
Yesterday, I posted the following tweet. Genocide apologists insist the Canaanites needed to be slaughtered in toto because they sacrificed their children. But herem slaughter to Yahweh is itself a form of *human sacrifice*, one that included children. It's like killing a man's dog to punish him for killing his cat. — Tentative Apologist (@RandalRauser) […]
The Gospel is a Big Enough Stumbling Block Without Christians Adding Their Own
Paul famously said that the message of Christ is “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor. 1:23). This provocative statement is part of an elaborate rhetorical argument that provocatively frames the way that the heart of Christianity, the incarnation, atonement, and resurrection, challenged the received wisdom of the day. This stumbling […]
My Body, My Choice: On the Anti-Christian Logic of Christian Anti-Vaxxers
I heard a Christian woman say that she is not getting the COVID19 vaccine because her body is the temple of the Spirit and, “My body, my choice.” I beg to differ. ?
Why isn’t God Clearer? Dealing with Biblical Ambiguity
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On Sexual Predators and ‘Young Adulterous Whores’
Two years ago, I posted an article pointing out that Christian “comedian” John Crist did not simply have a “moral failing” with multiple women: he committed sexual assault and evinces the grooming behaviors of a sexual predator. Right on cue, Christians posted comments attacking his victims as morally compromised vamps of dubious character. I subsequently […]
ABBA Resurrection? A Reflection on Mortality
Yesterday, ABBA released their first new music in forty years: two singles from a forthcoming album. The first single, “I Still Have Faith in You,” features Frida on the lead. At 75, it is hardly surprising that her voice has deepened, and I don’t know what studio effects may have been added. But for the […]
Who Would Jesus Insult?
In Matthew 5:22 Jesus says: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Call your […]
