Did the Gospels Borrow from Pagan Mythology?
Mythology in the Greco-Roman world had dying and rising god-men—Apollo, Asclepius, Hercules, Tammuz. Serapis was called Lord. Half the Greek gods were said to be born of virgins. Hercules ascended to heaven. Just how unique is Jesus’ deity? What’s original about Jesus as being born of a virgin and being the Son of God? Is […]
Review of ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’ by Justin Brierley
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again is the culmination of years of conversations with numerous leading thinkers about matters of faith. For more than a decade, Justin Brierley was the host of the Unbelievable? radio show and podcast, which brought unbelievers and […]
Jesus Is God the Son? Exploring the Logic of Jesus’ Deity
Christians believe that Jesus was a human and God. He was somehow a God-man, God “incarnate.” But does this belief make logical sense? If you’d like to delve into some of the major reasons Christians believe that Jesus was both God and human, you might click here. But even if you conclude that this is […]
Doctrinal Misalignment: A Relational Approach
*Editor’s Note: This article is a helpful illustration of how two people can confront doctrinal misalignment in a relational way. The specific scenario deals with the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. Please note that within RENEW.org there is a spectrum of views regarding the miraculous gifts, and there is not an official RENEW.org position. […]
Preaching That Engages the Skeptic: How (Part 3)
This is my third and final article on engaging the skeptic in our preaching. Let’s take a second to review: First, why do we need to engage the skeptic in our preaching? It’s because skepticism about Christianity is rising both inside and outside the church. That was Part 1. Second, what works and doesn’t work […]
Preaching That Engages the Skeptic: What? (Part 2)
Skepticism about Christianity is on the rise. That’s why we need to engage the skeptic in our preaching. The skeptic isn’t just “out there”; he or she is sitting in your church. Perhaps they’re confused and hoping for solid answers. In this article, we’re going to look at what doesn’t work and what might work […]
Preaching That Engages the Skeptic: Why (Part 1)
In Charade, a 1963 movie starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, dangerous thieves have been cheated out of their stolen money by a fellow thief. Apparently, they kill the thief but aren’t able to recover the money. So, they turn their attention toward the widow, a woman named Regina (played by Audrey Hepburn). Unfortunately, this […]
The Watchmaker Parable Revisited
Imagine you are enjoying an afternoon picnic in a high mountain meadow. Lush grasses stretch out from under your feet. Wildflowers add brilliant splashes of color to the scene. The distant mountain peaks still hold some snow. Most of last winter’s snowfall is still working its way out of the mountain springs and lakes into […]
