How Do Buddhists Do the Problem of Evil?

The simple answer is that they don’t. For Buddhism, it’s the problem of desire. Christianity has the problem, not Buddhism. Why is this? Buddhism starts with the problem of evil, suffering or “dukkha,” as its first statement of faith in the four noble truths. However, it is not the problem we think. Buddhism concedes that [...]

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Critiquing Christians: A Founders Warning

Critiquing Christians: The Lord’s Prayer, A Founders Warning
The Lord’s Prayer is one of the most recited and well known prayers worldwide. Yet, it is probably the least understood. We speak it so freely and frequently in Western society implying we understand its message. As a child, I memorized the prayer, but not until college did [...]

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A Case for Religious Possibilities: Jonah, a Whale of a Story

For some, the book of Jonah in the Hebrew Old Testament is reminiscent of a grand fishing story. Not only did the fish get away, but the tale seems larger than life. It makes a great children’s story, but is of little use in our modern lives. Even the theologians have reduced it to a [...]

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Evil: The Dark Night of the Soul

The problem of evil has many faces. Unfortunately, none of them are pretty, but all of them very real. Elie Wiesel book, Night, is one of those faces.
The believer’s tragedy is how a good God could allow such suffering and injustice. Is God good? Is God all powerful? Evil can’t be glossed over in theoretical [...]

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The Use of “I AM” in John 8:24

The following is an excerpt of an email conversation on John 8:24 from a message delivered by Andy in July of 2006 
Andy,
I thought your message last Sunday morning was excellent. It’s not often you hear a message on Deity of Jesus, let alone Trinitarian theology. And, I appreciated your candid “So what?” question. It was the better [...]

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The Second Coming: Teasing Out A Personal Perspective

The following is excerts of an email converstation from the message on Christ’s second coming given in November 2007
Hi Bruce,
I enjoyed your talk on Sunday night, especially your approach on such a difficult topic as the second coming. Of course, it also was the topic of discussion at growth group this week. It’s been awhile [...]

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Framing the Problem of Evil

The following is based on the book UNSPEAKABLE: “Facing up to evil in an age of genocide and terror.” By Os Guinness
A five week study of seven questions raised by evil in our world.
For the next five Sundays, I’ll lead us in a discussion on the Christian’s understanding and response to evil (head, heart, and [...]

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Pride versus Poverty of Spirt

Definition of: “an unreasonable conceit of superiority,” or and “overweening opinion of one’s own qualities.” Oxford English Dictionary.
Synonyms: egotism, arrogance, hubris, selfishness, vanity, haughtiness, presumption, boastfulness, bigheadedness, self-satisfaction, self-centeredness.
It does not mean self-respect; it means “selfdom.”
Background:
• Consider the most deadly of the seven sins, the very essence of evil itself.
• A sin of the spirit
• [...]

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Vice and Virtue

The following is study on vice and virtue based on the book STEERING THROUGH CHAOS, Vice and Virtue In an age of Moral Confusion, by Os Guinness
Or, The Seven Deadly Sins
“Sin creates [an inclination] to sin; it engenders vice by repetition of the same acts. This results in perverse inclinations which cloud conscience and corrupt [...]

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Biblical Narative Discussions

Post to come

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