Jesus and the Buddha: How Did They React to Suffering?
If we were to name the most important religious figures of the Western and Eastern world, they would be Jesus Christ for the West and Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, for the East. In this article, we’re going to contrast how Gautama and Jesus reacted when facing the troubles of the world. We […]
Is Jesus the Only Way?
A few years ago, a really big question on the minds of a lot of people, especially around 9/11 (September 11, 2001), was about Islam: Is Islam a religion of peace or is it a religion of war? And honestly, it’s a complicated answer. The word Islam doesn’t mean peace (that’s a misconception). Instead, the […]
Review of Justin Brierley’s ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’
Is Christian faith dying in the Western world? Have the “new atheists” succeeded in souring Christianity for thinking people? There are actually some fascinating signs of a resurgence of interest in Christianity. John Whittaker reviews Justin Brierley’s The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity […]
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 […]
Is God Silent? Making Sense of “Divine Hiddenness”
Is God silent when we can’t sense him? Although many who seek God find him, others experience him as hidden and absent. What are we to make of this “divine hiddenness”? Often, we struggle to believe in and trust God, not necessarily because we fail to recognize His existence or suppress evidence of His existence, […]
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. […]
