“THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE.” JOHN 8:32 Some time ago, Jason Micheli interviewed David Bentley Hart on Micheli’s podcast Crackers and Grape Juice. (The interview can be found on YouTube under the title “All Creation Afire as a Burning Bush.”) During the interview, Hart spoke eloquently about freedom as… Continue reading
In the first part of this series, I briefly argued that our freedom to choose is limited by our knowledge of our choices. We are free to choose only when we have an adequate and authentic understanding of the nature and consequences of what we choose. One may accidentally put… Continue reading
There is no reference in the Bible to any everlasting place of punishment and torture beyond death. That belief is based on horrible translations of Hebrew and Greek words. Continue reading
There are times when translations fail miserably to capture the truth of certain words. The very meaning of those words can become lost in poor, distorted, or wrong translations. In this series, I want to mention several distortions found today in many English translations of the Bible which have had profoundly tragic consequences. Continue reading
Often, in an attempt to correct bad theology, I will ask Christians if they know people who are better than the God contained in their belief system. Most often they reply defensively, “Of course not! No one is better than God.” My response is, “I didn’t ask you if humans are better than God. I asked if you have known people who are better than the God you believe in.” They look puzzled by this question and ask for clarification. I then point out the inconsistency I see in their theological affirmations regarding God. Continue reading
Why has the church today gone on the defensive behind the walls of its fortresses protecting its complacent members?
What “weapons” can the church use in its assault on the very gates of hell? Continue reading
All her life she had heard that homosexuals could not be saved and were destined for hell unless they repented and allowed God to change them. She had heard such a message from preachers, tv evangelists, friends, and other Christians. And it broke her heart to think that the grandson she so loved was burning in hell because he was gay. Continue reading
Whether we will survive with any degree of humanity will depend on our embracing a deep spirituality which understands how everyone and everything is connected in the heart of God and in the ultimate destiny of creation. Continue reading
For every passage one may quote confirming the finality of hell for non-believers, I can quote another passage which presents a more compassionate option. In the final analysis, we must decide which is stronger—our human, puny capacity to subvert the will of God for our salvation or God’s infinite grace. Continue reading
The reality of hell in this life (in this article, I’m not referring to any concept of hell in the next dimension) should be evident to anyone who has any awareness of the evil, suffering, and oppression in our world. Continue reading
