Category Archives: Christianity

No Angst Over Declining Political Clout

Posted on September 24, 2022 by salooper57

What changes would the Republican Party make if Christians, who have been a key bloc within their base, could no longer deliver enough votes to compete with Democrats for national offices? How would the party react to a 12 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, In the News, Mission, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t Use Religion to Impress People

Posted on September 17, 2022 by salooper57

One of the most influential teaching sessions in history took place on a mountainside – possibly because of the acoustics – and is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is not a sermon in the modern sense of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Faith, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

How Did Jesus Treat Women?

Posted on September 10, 2022 by salooper57

To read some Bible scholars, one would think that Jesus viewed women through a twenty-first century feminist lens. Other equally-well regarded scholars, seem to think that Jesus looked at women through a pre-Nineteenth Amendment lens. It seems to me that … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Marriage and Family, relationships, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

News Consumption May Be Affecting You Adversely

Posted on September 3, 2022 by salooper57

During the last few years, I have seen people break off relationships with family and church because they had been transported into pandemic-related stories, election stories, and war stories. This has happened among both liberal and conservative media consumers.

A critic might contend that something similar occurs among consumers of the Christian gospel. Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, In the News, relationships, Truthfulness, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Come Follow Me (Following Christ Today)

Posted on August 21, 2022 by salooper57

What does it mean to follow Jesus? What is required? This class begins where following Jesus began: on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Seeing what discipleship meant for those first followers of Jesus will help us understand what … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Following Christ Today (Class), Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to See the World Differently

Posted on August 20, 2022 by salooper57

I am currently co-teaching a class titled, “Following Christ Today.” Some may consider the “Today” in the title unnecessary for surely following Christ was not much different yesterday than it is today. They would be right in thinking that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Spiritual life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Following Christ Today (1): The Smartest Man Who Ever Lived

Posted on August 17, 2022 by salooper57

Kevin Looper and I have begun a class on real discipleship in the 21st century – what it looks like and what it takes. This introductory class reveals what we must believe about Jesus to actually follow him. (The video … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Faith, Following Christ Today (Class), Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Are People Basically Good?

Posted on August 13, 2022 by salooper57

Lewis’s reasoning was, as usual, spot on. But I, who have quoted Lewis more often than any other source, save the Bible itself, am forced to admit that the premise on which he founds his argument is faulty. He is assuming that total depravity means absolute depravity, which is not what most theologians mean by the term. Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Faith, Theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why God Wants People to Believe in Him

Posted on July 30, 2022 by salooper57

Most religions have some concept of salvation. This salvation might be expressed as life after death, heaven, enlightenment, Nirvana, or union with God. The way to salvation varies by the religion. In some, the way to salvation runs through good … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Faith, Peace with God, relationships, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Prayer We Repeat Over and Over

Posted on July 9, 2022 by salooper57

In the church circles in which I have moved, and lived, and had my being, people sometimes speak of “a life of prayer.” They have in mind a person who prays more frequently than others. But beyond a life of … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Prayer, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments