Many people think the adequacy of a theology of providence or a theodicy is dependent on whether it can be “preached at the gates of Auschwitz”. But is that a reasonable criterion? In this video, I suggest otherwise.
pastoral theology
The Cross and the Gun: Stephen Bedard on Military Chaplaincy
What hath the cross to do with the gun? How does the peaceable kingdom that exists proleptically in the church relate to the realpolitik of civil government? And what guidance can we find for a Christian who finds themselves straddling these two worlds? In this article, I interview Canadian apologist Stephen Bedard on his work […]
Is Preachability at the Gates of Auschwitz a Proper Measure for Good Theology?
On several occasions, I have seen Arminians make the following objection to Calvinism: if you can’t preach this to those who suffer, you shouldn’t believe it. Here’s an example from Roger Olson: “Someone has said that no theology is worth believing that cannot be preached standing in front of the gates of Auschwitz. I, for one, […]
Does the systemic sexual abuse among Catholic clergy undermine the Catholic Church itself?
Yesterday, a Pennsylvania grand jury released a report chronicling the crimes of more than three hundred priests throughout Pennsylvania, predators who raped and traumatized more than one thousand children and young people dating back to the 1940s. The grand jury further chronicled how dozens of people in the church covered up the crimes, acting in essence like a […]
Dementia: A Philosopher’s Lament
Douglas Groothuis. Walking Through Twilight: A Wife’s Illness–A Philosopher’s Lament (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Books). On December 19, 2017, we received the official diagnosis: Alzheimer’s disease. While it was terrible news — a literal death sentence — we were not surprised: Dad had been on the decline for months, and truth be known, the doctor was […]
The Question that Never Goes Away: A Review
Philip Yancey. The Question that Never Goes Away (Zondervan, 2014). Philip Yancey launched his illustrious publishing career close to forty years ago with the publication of Where is God When it Hurts? In his aptly titled 2014 book The Question that Never Goes Away Yancey returns to the enduring question of evil and suffering: why? Three events in 2012 […]
85. No Easy Answers: Kelly Kapic on God, theology, and suffering
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” So go the words of the Celebrant in the Ash Wednesday service that initiates the season of Lent. Dust we may be, but we are dust that thinks, dust that knows, dust that feels. We are dust that suffers as it is forced to grapple with […]
The Humanist Chaplain: A Response to the Bart Campolo / Friendly Atheist Interview
You may recall that back in 2014 Tony Campolo’s son Bart made news because he was serving as a humanist chaplain at the University of Southern California. This is news first because Tony is evangelical royalty: a prolific Christian author, public speaker, and preacher. It’s doubly news because his son Bart (who is now in his […]
Compassion Reformed? Exploring the pastoral implications of Calvinism
A disclaimer: This article actually explores the implications of David Houston’s Calvinism. However, David’s Calvinism is, so far as I can see, a consistent and historically mainstream articulation of the tradition. David Houston: “I believe in the doctrine of original sin so I believe that all children are born with a depraved nature and are […]
