How Universalism, ‘the Opiate of the Theologians,’ Went Mainstream
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“What explains the recent resurgence in self-described Christians affirming (or at least flirting with) universalism?
Jacob Arminius and the Doctrine of Original Sin, Part 2
From DBSJ 21 (2016). Republished with permission. By John A. Aloisi. Read Part 1.
Adam’s First Sin
Any discussion of original sin must begin with Adam’s first sin or what is often called “the Fall.” If, as the apostle Paul declared, sin was introduced into the human race through the sin of one man (Rom 5:12), then an examination of this first sin is preliminary to a consideration of original sin.
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Can Anything a Human Does Be Morally Neutral? A Look at 1 Corinthians 8:8 (Part 1)
In a recent exchange here at SharperIron, I was asked what I thought 1 Corinthians 8:8 meant. I had just asserted that a being bearing the image of God could not possibly do anything that is morally neutral — neither right nor wrong, because such a being must either express that imago dei, or in some way insult it (or both at once, in different ways).
1 Corinthians 8:8 seems to say otherwise.
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The Madness of Nero
Many Christians have heard tell that the Emperor Nero was a very bad man. Well, curious Christians need look no further than the Roman writer Suetonius, whose work The Twelve Caesars (ca. 96 A.D.) includes an account of Neros’ life. In this excerpt, we behold a taste of Neros’ debauchery and madness.1
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Did New Testament Writers Misread the Context of Old Testament Passages?
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“Sometimes NT writers cite or allude to the OT in ways which, at first blush, seem to disregard the context or, worse, to alter its meaning. This leads many readers of the NT to wonder if its authors were always faithful to the original intent of these passages.” - DBTS Blog
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4 Ways Writing Helps Me as a Pastor
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“I often say that I have the spiritual gift of brevity, the ability to reduce 15 hours of sermon preparation into a 10-minute devotional. For that reason I have written out, word for word, my sermons for 25 years.” - TGC
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How to Win Arguments When You Haven’t a Leg to Stand On
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“Why don’t people take the truth more seriously on the internet? Why do so many disputes escalate into scorched earth battles? Schopenhauer’s explanation is characteristically pessimistic…” - Intellectual Takeout
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"With some 47,000 churches in the SBC, it makes sense for these local groups to be the front lines of prevention."
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“Sexual abuse in churches isn’t new, but Southern Baptists face a fresh crisis over an old conundrum: How can they hold autonomous churches accountable?” - WORLD
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