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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

Did Jesus Lack Empathy?

February 10, 2022 by Randal

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Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: christology, incarnation, Jesus

When Jesus Exorcised Demons Was He Really Healing Epilepsy?

November 23, 2021 by Randal

In my latest video, I address the fact that some accounts of exorcism within the Gospels are described in a manner suggestive of epilepsy. With that in mind, I summarize three ways to think about this: first, it could be that these were simply exorcisms and that the presentation of demon possession is similar to […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: accommodation, christology, Conversations with My Inner Atheist, Jesus

Jesus and Sodom and Gomorrah

September 23, 2021 by Randal

A reader emailed me a question about how Jesus viewed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: “when it comes to sodom and Gomorrah it seems that Jesus affirms this event as literal in Matthew 11:23 and Luke 17:29. But if this is the case it seems as if Jesus is affirming genocide of a large […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: biblical violence, eschatology, Jesus, judgment

Jesus was a Great Philosopher

September 15, 2021 by Randal

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. […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Jesus, philosopher, philosophy

Who Would Jesus Insult?

September 1, 2021 by Randal

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 […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: holiness, invective, Jesus, rhetoric

Why Christians Should Accept that Jesus Had False Beliefs

August 8, 2021 by Randal

In this video, I explain how, in virtue of his human psychology, Jesus gained wisdom and knowledge over time and this would include Jesus having held beliefs at one time which he later came to recognize as false. ?

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: christology, Jesus, mind

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

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