Roger E. Olson's Blog, page 171

Disingenuous Calvinists?

Disingenuous Calvinists? Recently I blogged about the Southern Baptist statement “Truth, Trust, and Testimony in a Time of Tension.” I provided a link to it, but some have told me they could not access it using that link. So, I suggest you simply “Google” it by that title and “SBCLife” (The Journal of the Southern [Read More...]

A Talk on God and Suffering (Given at “Theology Live” Event in Beeville, Texas)

God in Our Suffering Roger E. Olson             I’m no expert in suffering. I’ve neither suffered much myself nor observed much suffering close up. In fact, to be perfectly honest, suffering scares me. I’m a suffering sissy. I don’t like suffering. However, suffering is part of life in this world. There is no truer statement [...]

You Might Be “Reformed” If…

You Might Be “Reformed” If…. The rise of the so-called “young, restless, Reformed” movement during the past decade has given rise to concerns about the uses and misuses of the label “Reformed.” Recently, Southern Baptist and Calvinist pastor Wade Burleson has waded in on the debate. (http://www.wadeburleson.org/2013/06/t...) I’m not going to respond to his post [...]

Some Good Summer Reading (Recommended New or Forthcoming Theology Books)

Some Good Summer Reading (Recommended New or Forthcoming Theology Books) Summer is a time when I try to catch up on reading. During the academic year books tend to pile up on a table in my home study. Eventually, usually during the summer, I get around to reading some. I’m often reading (or listening to) [...]

My Response to the Southern Baptist Statement “Truth, Trust, and Testimony…”

My Response to the Southern Baptist Statement “Truth, Trust, and Testimony In A Time of Tension” (A Statement from the Calvinism Advisory Committee) First, you should read the statement at http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=40419 . If you don’t read the statement first, much of what I say will not make sense to you. (Of course, it might not [...]

A Talk I Gave on Pietism and Christian Higher Education

Further Thoughts on Pietism and Christian Higher Education: Seven Years Later Roger E. Olson             Seven years ago I spoke at Bethel College’s faculty retreat about “Thoughts on the Christ-centered College/University” using Wheaton College’s then president Duane Litfin’s book Conceiving the Christian College. I focused that talk on Chapter 4 of the book that dealt [...]

“Hitlerland”–Can It Happen Here (in America)?

What do I mean by “it” in this post’s title? I don’t mean Hitler, of course. I mean the phenomenon described vividly and frighteningly by journalist and author Nagorski in his book (which I am reading) entitled “Hitlerland.” It’s a detailed account of Americans living in Germany during Hitler’s riser to power. Most of them [...]

My Response to Wade Burleson Regarding Graciously Kissing Calvinism Goodbye

See Wade Burleson’s blog post here: http://www.wadeburleson.org/2013/06/h... I appreciate Wade’s irenic tone in this blog post. However, the claim that a non-Calvinist must be a universalist  (which is clearly implied if not outrightly stated) is false. Throughout Christian history MOST non-Calvinists (the majority of Christians) have NOT been universalists. C. S. Lewis was certainly not [...]

Follow Up to My Post about Gay Boy Scouts

So far, the main objection raised here has been that boys and young men with a sexual preference for males should be excluded from Boy Scouts because their presence will make heterosexual boys uncomfortable. To you who raised this objection I ask–What is your advice, then, for public schools? Boys and young men shower together [...]

Gay Boy Scouts–So What?

Gay Boy Scouts—So What? According to news reports (Associated Press, byline David Crary, June 8, 2013) the Southern Baptist Convention is likely to vote a resolution encouraging SBC-related churches to phase out sponsorship of the Boy Scouts. Russell Moore, new president of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, is quoted as saying “I do [...]