All tagged reason

243 Suffering (11) Does Evil Outweigh God's Goodness?

Discussions of evil and suffering usually focus on the horror and quantity of suffering. But life is, across the planet, about more than horror and anguish. Too often we neglect the wonders God daily rains upon us, we ignore the magic of life's fabric. In this episode I put evil into life's larger framework. We also explore the intentional policies of the current whitehouse. We're told poor ol' Joe can't catch a break. But is that really what's going on?

230 Were America's Founders Christian? A Conversation with Dr. Darren Guerra (1)

In this conversation with Political Science professor Darren Guerra I ask, were the Founders Christian? Or better, how were they? What were they doing with their faith that is so lacking in the contemporary Church? What is presentism and how does it shape people's assessment of history? What were the Founders' core commitments about being human? What did they borrow from Greek philosophy to build society? Why do core principles matter so much? And, why oh why did they value the Old Testament so much?

182 Beauty in Theology—A Conversation w/Pastor Mitchell

Beauty is not in a fight with reason, but transcends reason. Beauty flows from the character and being of God himself. So why do Protestants so miss out on God's beauty? How might we recover a sense of beauty? How might beauty be used as a conversation starter in our relationships? All those topics and questions are addressed in my conversation with PhD student, pastor Michael David Mitchell. Come laugh and think with us!

059 Heaven and Hell (9) Hell? Oh Why Bother?!

Why does the Church teach about hell? I will note four reasons why I believe there must be a hell, although that doesn't always make me comfortable. What is the central reason Christians have believed in hell? Are there gradations of biblical teachings that are less and more offensive? If not, why? If so, what do we do with that? During an A.D.D. break I also review the movie, "Mission Impossible: Fallout."

046 Befriending Beauty

Whereas our society is superficial and loud, beauty comes in depths and peace. What are the benefits of enjoying beauty? Or, just what is beauty? Why do so many Christians ignore beauty? Is society right when it tells us that pretty and handsome are the same as beautiful? Why does the U.U. love beauty so much? How is beauty like God? Why would God have created the world with such beauty? Those questions are woven into my reflections here on one of the most overlooked gifts on the planet: beauty!

017 Faith vs. Reason (15) Finale

Christians run reason through a sieve of faith, but that in no way cancels out reason. Faith welcomes reason! Even more, faith makes room for doubt! It is true, yes, that God is far greater than reason, but he comes to us in ways that reason welcomes and embraces. In this episode I tell the stories about the first college class I ever taught and about sharing my faith with my mom. I also explore a recent neuroscientist's book on Near Death Experiences.

007 Faith vs. Reason (6) What is Faith?

Perplexingly, the Bible's undergirding presupposition is Faith. But, just what is faith? How should we define it? And, how does the Bible prove faith? Or, to what did Jesus appeal in order to "prove" himself and his identity? Similarly, how do we explain or prove a miracle? How does faith manifest in everyday life? This episode also contains a movie review.

006 Faith vs. Reason (5) The Bible's View of Reality

We are bombarded with daily instructions to doubt all of reality. Contrastingly, the Bible shows us that we simply must begin with faith. Jesus himself called for faith, faith in him and his message. But there can be no appeal greater than God himself, and in this episode I will explore the logic of why that is the case. In the end, believers are called to exhibit humble confidence or a confident humility. Oh, and I share some of my own faith-journey.

005 Faith vs. Reason (4) Sheeple

Scientists believe, passionately! To do their work they simply must be committed to their own discipline's knowledge. Michael Polanyi, himself a chemist, shows us that it is impossible to believe anything meaningful without commitment. I dare you to ask yourself, and others, questions. Jesus asked uncomfortable questions. All of this is because it is not healthy to be a sheeple!

004 Faith vs. Reason (3) Is Science based on Pure Reason?

Are Scientists only objective? Is religious faith unusual? Well, we are taught daily that science is based on pure reason. But in this episode, following Michael Polanyi as our guide, I will show that actually science involves great subjectivity. Moreover, the doing of science involves trust, that is faith, risk, and commitment; qualities that are normally relegated to the world of religious faith.

003 Faith vs. Reason (2) Religion and Facts and Trust

The standard mantra goes, “faith is for religion, facts are for science.” But the truth is huge chunks of our everyday lives are lived by faith. You don't know how electricity works, but you trust the people who do, and you trust who built your appliances, wired your house. It takes faith to learn how to play the guitar. Faith, then, is not so unusual as we think. This episode also contains a movie review.