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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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Jesus

Why Jesus Mythicism is a Conspiracy Theory

August 27, 2020 by Randal

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: apologetic, conspiracy theory, Jesus, Mythicism

Liar, Lunatic, or Lord. Or Legend, or …

February 16, 2020 by Randal

This morning, my pastor mentioned C.S. Lewis’ famous “Liar, Lunatic, or Lord” trilemma. (He also briefly traced it back to the sixteenth century: there truly is nothing new under the sun.) Next, he briefly noted that there is a fourth possibility — “Legend” — though he also noted that there is ample evidence to rebut […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: apologetics, christology, Jesus, trilemma

On the Hard Sayings of Jesus

January 5, 2020 by Randal

Some people worry about the so-called hard sayings of Jesus. But at least keep this in mind: no world-class teacher always says that which is expected, predictable, wholly understandable. There are ocean depths to their words and actions. If they truly are great, we should expect that they will say things which are startling, paradoxical, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: hard sayings of Jesus, Jesus

Would Jesus want you to stay married to a psychopath?

July 27, 2018 by Randal

This morning, I tweeted the following survey: Clinical psychopaths are manipulative anti-social narcissists who are incapable of experiencing love or empathy. The condition is untreatable. If you came to believe your friend was married to a non-violent psychopath, would you support your friend divorcing that individual? — Tentative Apologist (@RandalRauser) July 27, 2018 As of […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: biblical ethics, hermeneutics, Jesus, marriage, psychopathy, sexual ethics

If Jesus has not been raised, is our faith in vain?

July 17, 2018 by Randal

Back in November, 2017, I posted a survey on Twitter asking if Christianity requires the historical resurrection of Jesus. A couple days ago, I posted a similar survey with a few notable differences. First, while the original survey was directed to everyone, this survey was targeted at Christians; second, while the original survey only had […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: historical Jesus, Jesus, resurrection

What did Jesus believe about Noah and Lot’s wife? A response to Justin Schieber

May 22, 2017 by Randal

Yesterday Justin Schieber tweeted some questions regarding Jesus, Noah, and Lot and his wife and he tagged me requesting a reply: Christian bloggers,If you have a moment, I'd love a post addressing these two questions:Thanks! pic.twitter.com/HhVqHRf51O — Real Atheology Podcast (@RealAtheology) May 22, 2017 Being the obliging chap that I am, I briefly tweeted a […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: hermeneutics, Jesus, Justin Schieber, omniscience

Jesus meets Mike Pence

September 14, 2016 by Randal

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: ethics, Jesus, Mike Pence, refugee

TWU Today Archives Part 6: Would Jesus smoke a doobie?

June 1, 2016 by Randal

I wrote this article for the TWU Today Newspaper back in the spring of 1996. The topic was a timely one for me as I had just interviewed Mark Emery as my subject for a class I was taking in culture change. In the class we were assigned the task of interviewing somebody who was aiming […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: cannabis, culture, discipleship, ethics, Jesus, marijuana

Want to lose friends and alienate people? Tell ’em about Jesus.

November 2, 2015 by Randal

According to a new report, witnessing your Christian faith to people may do more harm than good. According to the study, when people were the object of Christian witnessing, 59% developed a more negative perception of Jesus and/or Christianity while only 19% developed a more positive perception. In other words, witnessing is three times as likely to produce negative […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: evangelism, Jesus, Jim Gaffigan

Songs Jesus Would Sing: The birth of a new series

October 2, 2015 by Randal

In this post I am launching a new series titled “Songs Jesus Would Sing.” This series is borne of my general sense of alienation from contemporary Christian music coupled with my deep affinity for music played “out there in the world” and a recognition that much of that “worldly” music conveys themes which are profoundly […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Jesus, Kingdom of God, music, pop culture, worship

Do you have to love Jesus more than your children?

March 20, 2015 by Randal

A little while ago I was speaking at a convention on the topic of heaven. As often happens, several people came up afterward to ask questions and share comments and stories. Over the next several minutes the conversation slowed and eventually the crowd drifted away leaving one man standing quietly. Once the others had left […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: afterlife, death, God, grief, Jesus

Mother Teresa said we find Jesus in the poor. Was she right?

September 10, 2014 by Randal

I grew up thinking that salvation consisted of praying a sinner’s prayer. I assumed that Paul had clarified that issue for posterity when he observed, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9) As a result, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: hermeneutics, Jesus, Mother Teresa, salvation, social justice

Finding Jesus at the movies, but not in the Jesus movies

March 29, 2014 by Randal

One month ago “Son of God” premiered in the theaters, the latest milquetoast retelling of the greatest story ever told. Since I couldn’t sit through the trailer without lapsing into a boredom-induced coma, I decided to give it a pass. Growing up, I would have been extremely apprehensive about making such a seemingly impious admission for fear I […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Jesus, movies, review, Short Term 12

34. Wes Olmstead on the Sermon on the Mount

January 29, 2014 by Randal

John Stott opens his book The Message of the Sermon on the Mount by observing, “The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed.” Countless people have found themselves inexorably drawn to this profound teaching, […]

Filed Under: Podcast, Podcast-The Tentative Apologist, The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Bible, ethics, gospel, interview, Jesus, New Testament, podcast, Sermon on the Mount, Wes Olmstead

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