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Why be good? Plato and the Gospel

In Plato’s Republic, one of the central questions is Why be good? On the face of it, it seems that being immoral or unjust is more profitable than being good. If so, then no one is willingly good—and perhaps then we have found a pragmatic reason for religion—fear of divine wrath keeps the immoral masses from perpetrating evil acts. I say this is exactly backwards—and Plato’s own answer to his question points us in the right direction.  

Divine Mathematics: Jesus + Nothing = Everything, Part Two

In my previous post, I began to explore the divine equation Jesus+Nothing=Everything by thinking about what our longings reveal about human nature. In this post, I want to consider how embracing this divine equation can define your life in bright and liberating ways.

Divine Mathematics: Jesus + Nothing = Everything, Part One

I’ve been reading Tullian Tchividjian’s book Jesus+Nothing=Everything and have been thinking about this mathematical equation. His central thesis is that when you get Jesus you get everything the heart ultimately desires: peace, happiness, rest, joy, meaning, significance and relationship.

Religious Pluralism and the God of 31 Flavors

For my last post in my series on defeater beliefs for Christianity, I want to consider the claim that there is no one true religion. First, a little episode from my past: The little pamphlet read “Come Grill the Christian.”

The Problem of Evil: A failure to ask preliminary questions

This week, in my series on defeater beliefs for Christianity, I want to consider the problem of evil. There is no one problem of evil, but several, depending on what kind of objection is in view.

Miracles are impossible or just plain unnecessary

I’m continuing my series on defeater beliefs for Christianity. This week I want to consider the claim that miracles are problematic—that is, they are impossible or (if not impossible) just plain unnecessary. Of course, if miracles can’t (or don’t) happen, then it is fairly easy to see how this is problematic for Christianity. For example, if the resurrection didn’t happen, then (as the Apostle Paul says), “our faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14).

God is Better Than You Think: The Moral Monster Charge (Part Two)

In a previous post, I talked about how the God of the Old Testament is not a moral monster. In fact, God is better than you think—because he pursues you, even when you run. In this post, I want to kick off my series on defeater beliefs for Christianity by again considering the nature of the God of the Bible.

Defeater Beliefs to Christianity

I’ve been thinking a bit about the fact that within every culture there is a set of defeater beliefs (as Tim Keller calls it) that shape the culture and its receptivity to the gospel.

On Crumpling Paper and Throwing Books Down

In 1850 Harriet Beecher Stowe was a thirty-nine year old, little known writer living in Brunswick, Maine. Late that year, Harriet received a letter from her sister-in-law Mrs. Edward Beecher, who along where her husband, were firm and active abolitionists.

God Is Better Than You Think: The Moral Monster Charge

I just finished reading two excellent books on how to understand the nature and actions of God in the Old Testament: (1) Paul Copan’s Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God and David Lamb’s God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist?