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Randal Rauser

Home of progressively evangelical, generously orthodox, rigorously analytic, revolutionary Christian thinking (that's what I'm aiming for anyway)

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academic freedom

Are Biblical Scholars Constrained by the Doctrinal Statements?

August 20, 2020 by Randal

Today, someone who watched my debate with David Smalley emailed me to ask if I could provide a more fulsome reply to his suggestion in the debate that New Testament scholars draw positive conclusions about Jesus (e.g. his existence, resurrection, etc.) because they are constrained by the requirements of institutional doctrinal statements. Here is my […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, historical Jesus, scholarship

Evangelicalism, Academic Freedom, and Robert Gagnon

August 24, 2017 by Randal

Today I read an article at the Unfundamentalist Christians blog about the departure of anti-gay firebrand Robert Gagnon from his position at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS). In the article, “Gagnon out at PC(USA) Seminary” the author Don Burrows talks about Gagnon’s limited job prospects after PTS: “Gagnon himself appears to realize [his limited prospects], as, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, evangelicalism, Robert Gagnon

Wheaton College, Larycia Hawkins, and Freethought

January 8, 2016 by Randal

Larycia Hawkins has stated that she is “flummoxed and flabbergasted” at Wheaton College’s decision to place her on administrative leave and proceed with firing. I can’t say that I am flummoxed and flabbergasted given the current reactionary and polarized state of much of evangelicalism. But I certainly am disappointed. I see no basis in Hawkins’ original […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, freethought, Larycia Hawkins, reason, Wheaton College

A Modest Defense of Wheaton College’s inquiry into Larycia Hawkins

January 6, 2016 by Randal

There is now a massive body of literature analyzing the Larycia Hawkins debacle from various angles. In this article I want to say just a brief and modest word of defense for Wheaton College. In particular, I want to focus on her most controversial statement from her December 10th post: “And as Pope Francis stated […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, evangelicalism, exclusivism, Islam, Larycia Hawkins, Wheaton College

Do naturalists have more to lose? If not, why are they crucifying Thomas Nagel?

June 13, 2013 by Randal

Matt DeStefano wrote a response to my article “Do atheists simply want to know the truth? Does anybody?” titled “Do Christians have more to lose?” Matt starts out agreeing with my observation that academics can become emotionally and personally invested in positions they defend and as a result, the pursuit of a particular thesis and […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, Norman Finkelstein, Thomas Nagel, truth

Erroll questions Randal’s academic integrity and freedom. Randal replies.

April 30, 2013 by Randal

Erroll Treslan began by quoting me: “Over the past year I’ve been under attack by a handful of Calvinists who have attempted (among other things) to ensure that I lose my job”. Erroll then offered the following response: “I’m trying to decide what causes me greater concern: the fact that a handful would attempt to […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom

Every community has controversies they don’t teach (or even tolerate)

November 10, 2011 by Randal

The Atheist Missionary replied to my post on Mike Licona and academic freedom as follows: “Licona’s experience is precisely why I am so dubious of relying on the opinion of Biblical scholars whose tenure is tied to adhering to the tenets of any particular religion.” Walter then chimed in: “Ditto. This is why I am […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, censorship, free speech

First they came for Michael Licona

November 10, 2011 by Randal

A few months back  I blogged in defense of one of evangelical Christianity’s leading apologists and academics, Michael Licona. Why? The poor chap actually had the temerity to raise probing, intellectually honest questions about the historicity of Matthew 27:51-54. Once the hounds of inerrancy caught poor Mike’s scent they started braying and the chase was on. For weeks […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: academic freedom, Al Mohler, censorship, evangelicalism, inerrancy, Michael Licona, Norman Geisler, scholarship, Southern Baptist

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