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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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mere Christianity

John Piper Recreates Christianity in his Image

May 4, 2022 by Randal

In this video, I critique John Piper’s narrow, sectarian take on mere Christianity. ?

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: John Piper, mere Christianity, sectarianism

Why don’t we take ‘mere Christianity’ seriously?

May 7, 2021 by Randal

Every day, people leave Christianity because they have been taught that the religion… requires one to reject the reigning theory of origins in biology or that it requires one to accept that women should submit to men or that ‘wicked’ people should and will writhe in torment in a lake of fire or that you […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: mere Christianity

The Four Saddest Words I Hear as a Christian Apologist

August 6, 2020 by Randal

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: apologetics, mere Christianity, theology

The US Supreme Court Decision on LGBT Civil Rights Meets Mere Christianity

June 16, 2020 by Randal

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a  6-3decision that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 extends to sexual minorities including gay and transgender people. Predictably, this produced cheers from some and hand-wringing from others. As for me, it provided an occasion to post the following tweet: Just a reminder to Christians on […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: gay, LGBT, mere Christianity, transgender, US Supreme Court

Alisa Childers, “Historic Christianity,” and the Atonement

June 3, 2020 by Randal

In this video, I consider how Alisa Childers adopts an idiosyncratic definition of “historic Christianity” that reduces the essentials to Paul’s creed in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7. Next, I point out how Childers attacks progressive Christians by claiming without evidence that “most” progressive Christians reject the core doctrine of substitutionary atonement.

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Alisa Childers, atonement, kerygma, mere Christianity, penal substitution

Why evangelicalism often fails to be effective

June 5, 2019 by Randal

What is more important? Being an evangelical, conservative, and/or fundamentalist Christian? Or just being a Christian? I believe it is more important to just be a Christian. Why does this matter? Because evangelical, conservative, and/or fundamentalist Christians often spend more time defending their boundary markers than the boundary markers of Christianity simpliciter (aka mere Christianity). For example, there […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Christianity, evangelicalism, mere Christianity

Do not create unnecessary stumbling blocks to Christian faith

March 23, 2019 by Randal

In my opinion, one of the absolute biggest mistakes that Christians make occurs when, in the midst of sharing their faith, they include an unnecessary stumbling block as part of the essential package. To be sure, mere Christianity has its share of genuine and non-negotiable stumbling blocks. Among them, I would suggest, are doctrines of sin, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: apologetics, doctrine, evangelism, mere Christianity, theology

What is Mere Christianity? Part 6: James Anderson Answers

October 24, 2018 by Randal

Our final installment in my series on mere Christianity comes from James N. Anderson. Dr. Anderson is Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an ordained minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is the author of What’s Your Worldview?: An Interactive Approach to Life’s Big Questions, Why Should I […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: doctrine, ecclesiology, ecumenism, James Anderson, mere Christianity

What is Mere Christianity? Part 5: John Mark N Reynolds Answers

October 17, 2018 by Randal

Introduction For the fifth installment of our survey on mere Christianity, we turn to the reflections of Dr. John Mark Reynolds. Dr. Reynolds is the President of The Saint Constantine School, a Senior Fellow of Humanities at The King’s College in New York City, and a Fellow at The Discovery Institute’s Center For Science and Culture. […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: ecumenism, John Mark N Reynolds, mere Christianity, theology

What is Mere Christianity? Part 4: Eric Reitan Answers

October 16, 2018 by Randal

Introduction Our next installment in my series on mere Christianity comes from Eric Reitan. Dr. Reitan is Professor of Philosophy at Oklahoma State University and author of The Triumph of Love: Same-Sex Marriage and the Christian Love Ethic and Is God A Delusion?: A Reply to Religion’s Cultured Despisers. He is also coauthor of God’s Final Victory: A Comparative Philosophical Case […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: ecumenism, Eric Reitan, Martin Luther, mere Christianity

What is Mere Christianity? Part 3: Myron B. Penner Answers

October 13, 2018 by Randal

Introduction Welcome to the third installment of my series, “What is Christianity?” This time, we feature the thoughts of Canadian philosopher Myron B. Penner. Dr. Penner is an Anglican priest who ministers at Trinity International Church in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Previously, he was a professor at Prairie College in Three Hills, Alberta. […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: ecumenism, mere Christianity, Myron Penner, orthodoxy

What is Mere Christianity? Part 2: John Stackhouse answers

October 11, 2018 by Randal

Introduction Welcome to Part 2 on my “What is Mere Christianity?” series. This entry comes courtesy of leading Canadian theologian and public intellectual, John Stackhouse. Dr. Stackhouse is the Samuel J. Mikolaski Professor of Religious Studies and Dean of Faculty Development at Crandall University in Moncton, New Brunswick. Previously, he was the Sangwoo Youtong Chee […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: John Stackhouse, mere Christianity

What is Mere Christianity? Part 1: Dale Tuggy

October 9, 2018 by Randal

Get ten Christians in a room and ask them what book (other than the Bible) was most impactful for their Christian formation. I guarantee that at least one person (and probably more than one) will mention C.S. Lewis’ classic Mere Christianity. (Case in point: when I asked “What’s the most formative book you ever read?” on Twitter (and […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: Dale Tuggy, mere Christianity

How to fixate on a tennis ball

November 10, 2010 by Randal

Silver Bullet asked: “Randal, Let me pose a scenario to you: The Christian god apparently once commanded that someone be stoned to death for picking up sticks on a Saturday. Was this objectively moral? If so, how?” AcesLucky has since fixated upon this question like a border collie fixated upon a sheep (or, in suburbia, […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: apologetics, atheism, debate, ethics, mere Christianity, morality, naturalism

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